According to Trip Advisor, Dubai was the highest rated place to visit in 2022, and there’s no doubt as to why. It’s one of the cleanest, safest cities in the world, and it has so many attractions for both kids and adults, you won’t know where to begin. So I’ve done the planning for you and compiled a list of the best activities to do with kids in Dubai, all of which you will enjoy, too.
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Slide into a Wild Adventure
Take your pick of some of the most impressive water parks in the world – Aquaventure Atlantis and Wild Wadi. We stayed at Atlantis the Palm so we went to Aquaventure nearly every day, with no reason to try Wild Wadi. Even the little ones will get their money’s worth. There are plenty of mini slides, splash pads, and water play areas throughout the park for toddlers and young kids.
But Atlantis has more than just a water park. Swim with the dolphins, encounter a sea lion, and wander through the Lost Chambers Aquarium.
Aquaventure Visitor’s Tips:
#1: They don’t allow Crocs and any water shoe with a rubber sole (99% of them) on the slides. But you’re in luck, because they provide complimentary ‘Aqua Socks’ to protect your feet from the hot pavement without slowing you down on the slides. Genius!
I’d say they fit a three-year-old and older, but our tall-for-her-age two-year-old was able to wear them even though they were too big. I just folded the top down.
#2: Lifejackets are available for kids and toddlers. The smallest size, x-small, fit our two-year-old. Of course she insisted on the small because it was pink, but that wasn’t getting the job done.
#3: Visit within six days of your birthday and you get in for FREE!!! You also get to bring two guests for a 20% discount. Hopefully Jameson picks mom and dad. You must register before your birthday.
***Stay tuned for my post about the 5-star Atlantis resort and Aquaventure water park for more insider’s tips, including why you should book a room at the Imperial Club level, and where to find the least crowded areas of the water park.***
Escape the City to a Secret Garden
I mean, why wouldn’t Dubai have the world’s largest flower garden, right?
But this isn’t your typical garden. By the way, don’t use the word “garden” when telling your kids about it. Ours immediately thought “boring,” but more so because it was day 3 of being obsessed with water slides. One word that describes it better than “gaaarden” –
Magical.
Well… for the first 30 minutes. After that, the heat was brutal. Dubai in mid-May is no joke. We thought we’d be fine, but that garden felt hotter and more humid than the rest of Dubai.
Nonetheless, I was excited to finally see this fairytale land in person.
The larger-than-life animal shrubs, the twirling dancers, and the princess’s flowing “hair” of branches were fascinating.
Just when we couldn’t bear the heat anymore, we stumbled upon an oasis…FRO-YO!!! We sat there sweating as we devoured our refreshing cups of deliciousness. I stood in front of the A/C unit, enjoying frozen mango cubes from my daughter’s cup as she repeatedly said, “I don’t like cheese mama.” Her loss.
Visitor’s Tips:
#1: You don’t need to book tickets in advance. In fact, I discourage it. I tried, but I wasn’t sure if it went through. I ended up running back and forth between the ticket booth and the entrance while my family waited, staring at me with fiery, melting eyeballs.
#2: The garden shuts down for the Dubai summer. Now I know why. The end of the season is usually April 30, but they extended the closing date by about a month this year and last year.
#3: It’s hot and there are only a few shaded areas, so bring sunglasses, a handheld misting fan and an umbrella. They also sell umbrellas at the entrance.
Travel Through Time is One of the Best Things to Do with Kids in Dubai
Step into the future – the Museum of the Future.
Dubai itself feels like a city from the future, so it’s only fitting that they built this futuristic museum.
A robot?! Our kids had so much fun playing with the dog robot that they kept asking to go back there.
There is an interactive children’s area that we didn’t do as I had read mixed reviews about whether the museum was worth the time. But an Instagram local told me it’s one of her three kids’ favorite things to do in Dubai, so we’ll have to actually get tickets and check it out next time.
Check out the giant three-finger salute on the other side of the museum. It’s not just a fun photo op, but an impressive representation of the UAE’s logo, a symbol for win, victory, and love, created by Sheikh Mohammed in 2013.
Visitor’s Tips:
#1: Book in advance, because it can sell out. Or you can peruse the first floor for free if you just want to see the robots and building design. I’ve heard mixed reviews about the museum.
#2: This is the perfect activity to do in the afternoon to escape the heat.
#3: The circle of water at the front entrance is not to be touched, no matter how tempting to kids on a hot day. I couldn’t stop ours quickly enough before security did.
Do More Than Just Shop at the Malls
Where do I begin with these Dubai malls!? A mall in Dubai is not your traditional “mall.”
From indoor skiing (Mall of the Emirates) to underwater zoos (Dubai Mall), both kids and adults will be entertained for hours.
We thought that one mall was enough for this vacation, so we chose to explore Dubai Mall since it’s the most visited “retail and lifestyle destination in the world.” I had to quote the website because I don’t know how to describe this place! “Window shopping” takes on a whole new meaning, from their eye-catching displays to Armani Cafes.
If you want something more interactive than an overpriced coffee, there are plenty of options. The younger ones can go wild at the Kidzania play zone while you refine your triple-axel at Dubai Ice Rink. Tweens and teens can get a dose of reality – virtual, that is – at VR Park. If scary is your kind of thing then head for Hysteria, a creepy-looking haunted attraction. Umm, that’s gonna be a hard ‘no’ for this mama.
Visitor’s Tip:
The malls offer endless entertainment, but at a hefty price.
If you’re already breaking the bank on a 9-day stay at the Club Level of Atlantis, then read my post coming soon on free things to do in Dubai, with a good chunk of the list centered on Dubai Mall.
See the Tallest Building in the World
A trip to Dubai isn’t complete without seeing the incredible Burj Khalifa. It’s neck-breaking how they managed to pull off such an engineering endeavor – 163 floors and more than half a mile high. I’d love to meet the masterminds behind that one.
Now don’t confuse it with the Burj al Arab (another beautiful work of architecture in Dubai, sometimes referred to as a “7-star” hotel!). As you may have guessed, burj means “tower” in Arabic. The Burj Khalifa was named in honor of Sheikh Khalifa ibn Zayed Al Nahyan, the president of the UAE at the time of inauguration. He was the first son of Sheikh Zayed ibn Sultan Al Nahyan, head of the Nahyan dynasty and president of the UAE for decades.
I can’t decide which sounds better – going to the top (well, the 154th floor) or admiring it from another skyscraper. At the Skyviews Observatory you get the views and the thrills, as if the 154th floor isn’t thrilling enough, right? Nope, it’s not in Dubai, where instead you could walk along the edge of a skyscraper or slide down a glass side.
Visitor’s Tips:
#1: The Burj Khalifa is adjacent to the Dubai Mall, so you can do both in one day. Watch the evening fountain show from one of the nice restaurants outside the mall.
#2: You can only enter the building if you go to one of the high-end (expensive) cafes, or if you purchase a ticket to go ‘At the Top’. And it’s not cheap.
#3: Save money as a family of 4 (up to 2 kids are free) for 348 AED, or ~$95 from 8-12pm during their summer promotion, ending 8/31. What a deal compared to their normal price.
What Did We Miss with the Best Activities to do With Kids in Dubai?
Plenty! With so much to do and so little time, we are definitely going back someday. I already have my list of everything I want to do on our next trip to Dubai. Look out for it or subscribe to my blog at the bottom of the page.
