Dubai with Kids: Indoor and Outdoor Things to Do by Age

Quick picks by age

These are starting points, not strict rules: many places work for the whole family. Live prices are on each page, and our team confirms the final price for your dates before you pay.

Toddlers and preschoolers (under 5)

Short visits, shade and air conditioning matter most at this age. Plan one outing in the morning and keep the afternoon for a nap.

• Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo: inside The Dubai Mall, with the ticket counter on Level 2. Little ones can watch sharks and rays from the tunnel, then see the penguins and otters upstairs. Children under 2 enter free on general entry.
• The Green Planet: an indoor tropical rainforest in the city, with birds and small animals around you. A calm, cool visit that does not take a full day.
• Dubai Butterfly Garden and Dubai Miracle Garden: colourful and easy to walk. The Miracle Garden is a seasonal outdoor garden that closes in summer, so go in the cooler months, ideally in the morning. A combined ticket for both is listed on the Miracle Garden page.
• Dubai Mall Fountain & Lake Ride: a short boat ride on the lake below the Burj Khalifa, easy to add to a mall day.

Strollers are not allowed inside the Dubai Frame or on the Burj Khalifa decks; you leave them at the entrance. A baby carrier helps on those visits.

Ages 5 to 8

Children this age love hands-on play and characters they know.

• KidZania: a child-sized city where children try grown-up jobs and earn play money to spend. It is indoors, so it works at any time of year.
• LEGOLAND Dubai and LEGOLAND Water Park: rides and models built for younger children. Some tickets combine LEGOLAND with a second park on another day, which suits a longer stay.
• Ski Dubai: real snow indoors. The snow park has rides such as tubing and sledging, so children do not need to ski.
• Dubai Safari Park: an outdoor wildlife park. Go early on a cool day and keep water with you.

Ages 9 to 12

Now height limits start to open up more rides, and children enjoy bigger views and faster slides.

• Aquaventure World: the waterpark at Atlantis The Palm, usually open 10am to 6:30pm. Younger brothers and sisters can use Splashers, the water playground. Children under 1.2 m must stay within arm’s reach of an adult in the water and wear a life jacket, which the park lends free of charge.
• IMG Worlds of Adventure: a large indoor theme park with themed zones and rides for different ages, so it is a good choice for a hot day.
• Dubai Frame: a glass bridge high above the city with views of old and new Dubai. It opens at 8am every day; children under 3 are free and ages 3 to 12 pay the child rate.
• Morning desert safari: about 4 hours with a dune drive, and no late finish like the evening safari. Dune bashing is bumpy and not recommended for very young children, so ask us about gentler options for small ones.

Teens

Teenagers usually want speed, screens and photos to share.

• Motiongate and Real Madrid World: theme parks with film and football themes. Combined tickets with LEGOLAND help when siblings have different ages.
• AYA Universe: an indoor world of light and sound rooms, popular for photos.
• Burj Khalifa At the Top: the classic view from the world’s tallest building. A sunset slot is the most popular; read the best time to visit.
• Evening desert safari: dune bashing, a camel ride, dinner and live shows over about 6 to 8 hours. Compare it with the morning trip in morning vs evening safari.

Evenings out with the whole family

Global Village opens at 4pm during its season and suits all ages, with food from many countries, rides and shows. Tuesday is reserved for families, ladies and couples (except public holidays), and Season 31 added a Kids Passport. For a calmer evening, Dubai Garden Glow is a lit-up park that opens in the late afternoon. The dhow dinner cruise sails from 9pm to 10:45pm, so it suits older children better than toddlers; under-5s are free.

Tips for families

• Use the cool hours: plan outdoor parks for the morning or the cooler months, and indoor places for hot afternoons.
• Child tickets vary: free ages and child rates differ by place, and some use height instead of age. Send the ages (and heights for waterparks) of your children and our team confirms the right tickets.
• Bring ID for children: some parks may ask for proof of a child’s age at the entrance.
• One main outing a day: Dubai is spread out. Group places by area, such as The Dubai Mall (Aquarium, Burj Khalifa, lake ride) or Atlantis (Aquaventure, Lost World Aquarium).
• One request: send all your tickets in one WhatsApp request. Our team checks availability and confirms the final price before you pay.

Planning a short trip? Our 3-day Dubai itinerary works with children too, and all family options are on the family activities page.