Planning a Dubai trip with children can be exciting—but choosing what to actually do can be surprisingly difficult. Dubai has hundreds of attractions and experiences, and not every popular tourist attraction is equally enjoyable for children.
The best experiences are the ones that give kids something to see, explore, play with, or actively experience, while still being enjoyable and comfortable for parents.
From interactive museums and wildlife encounters to observation decks, cruises, and desert adventures, here are 25 of the best things to do in Dubai with kids.
1. Visit Dubai Safari Park
Dubai Safari Park is a great choice if your children enjoy animals and wildlife. The park gives families the opportunity to see different animals in an expansive setting designed around wildlife conservation rather than a traditional compact zoo.
It can be particularly enjoyable for children who are curious about nature because the experience is interactive and engaging, with live animal presentations and guided safari drive-throughs.
Flyout Tours currently offers Dubai Safari Park tickets, with typical family visits lasting around four hours.
2. Explore OliOli Dubai
OliOli is designed specifically around children's play, creativity, and hands-on exploration. Rather than being a traditional sightseeing attraction, it gives children opportunities to interact with different installations, water galleries, air tracks, and immersive physical structures like Toshi's Net.
This makes it a particularly good option when parents want an experience where kids can actively participate, build, and invent instead of simply walking around.
Flyout Tours lists OliOli as a premier children's play museum with an average visit duration of two hours.
3. See Dubai From the Burj Khalifa
The Burj Khalifa is one of those quintessential Dubai experiences that works particularly well for a first family trip. Children can see Dubai from hundreds of meters high above the ground and get a completely new perspective of the coastline, desert, and futuristic skyline.
For parents, it provides one of the most iconic memories of visiting Dubai. The experience becomes even more fascinating for kids when you explain how tall the 828-meter building is and compare it to towers they already recognize.
4. Visit Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo
A visit to Dubai Aquarium can turn an ordinary visit to Dubai Mall into a memorable underwater adventure for children. The 48-meter walk-through tunnel and immense acrylic viewing panel give children direct visual access to thousands of marine creatures, including sand tiger sharks and giant stingrays.
Flyout Tours offers a popular Burj Khalifa + Dubai Aquarium combo pass, making it seamless for families to experience two premier Downtown attractions in a single outing without duplicate ticket bookings.
5. Spend a Day at Atlantis Aquaventure
For children who love water-based fun, Atlantis Aquaventure can easily be one of the biggest highlights of a Dubai holiday. As the world's largest waterpark, it combines record-breaking slides with dedicated children's splash zones (Splashers Cove and Splashers Island) and lazy rivers.
Flyout Tours lists Atlantis Aquaventure admission passes with instant confirmation and optional hotel transfer packages.
6. Experience Ski Dubai
Stepping into real sub-zero snow in the middle of a desert city is a magical surprise for children. Located inside Mall of the Emirates, Ski Dubai gives families the opportunity to escape the heat and experience a winter wonderland.
Activities include toboggan runs, bobsledding, giant zorb ball rolls, chairlift rides, and meeting resident King and Gentoo penguins.
7. Visit the Museum of the Future
The Museum of the Future offers a completely different experience from traditional historical museums. Its immersive space station simulations, bio-vault exhibits, and futuristic technology showcases captivate older children and teenagers.
It also features 'Future Heroes', a dedicated interactive floor where young kids complete collaborative missions and challenges designed to foster problem-solving skills.
8. Explore IMG Worlds of Adventure
IMG Worlds of Adventure is one of the world's largest indoor themed entertainment destinations. Because the entire 1.5 million square-foot park is climate-controlled, families can spend a full day enjoying roller coasters, 3D simulators, and character meet-and-greets regardless of outdoor weather.
The park is divided into iconic zones including Marvel, Cartoon Network, Lost Valley Dinosaur Adventure, and IMG Boulevard.
9. Take a Dubai Marina Cruise
A cruise gives children a chance to see Dubai from the water while giving parents a welcome break from walking between crowded attractions. The gleaming skyscrapers, illuminated bridges, and luxury yachts around Dubai Marina make it a tranquil, scenic way to end a day.
10. Try a Dubai Dinner Cruise
A dinner cruise smoothly combines sightseeing with an international buffet dinner, eliminating the need to search for kid-friendly restaurants after a long day. Flyout Tours offers traditional wooden dhow cruises in Dubai Marina featuring live entertainment, air-conditioned lower decks, and open-air upper decks with separate child pricing.
11. Take a Shared Yacht Tour
A luxury yacht tour gives children a memorable glimpse of Dubai's coastline, cruising past JBR, BlueWaters Island, and Atlantis The Palm. Flyout Tours lists shared yacht experiences with child ticket options, including morning and afternoon departures with BBQ snacks and refreshments.
12. Ride the Ain Dubai Observation Wheel
Ain Dubai on Bluewaters Island offers another extraordinary way to view the city from above. The slow-moving, spacious air-conditioned cabins provide 360-degree views without any physical exertion, making it ideal for families with young children or grandparents.
13. Visit Madame Tussauds Dubai
Located right next to Ain Dubai, Madame Tussauds gives kids and teens the chance to pose alongside lifelike wax figures of sports icons, movie stars, superhero characters, and music celebrities. The interactive themed zones encourage photography and laughter.
14. Experience the Dubai Balloon at Atlantis
The Dubai Balloon at Atlantis is a tethered helium balloon that ascends up to 300 meters above the Palm Jumeirah. It gives children the thrill of floating in the sky while remaining securely anchored to the ground, offering breathtaking views of the Palm crescent and Dubai coastline.
15. Visit the Dubai Frame
The Dubai Frame in Zabeel Park provides a fascinating architectural visual. Standing 150 meters tall, it showcases 'Old Dubai' through one side and 'New Dubai' through the other. Children especially enjoy the luminous glass walkway on the top skybridge, which turns transparent under their feet as they walk across.
16. Explore the Dubai Fountain Walk Bridge
While anyone can watch the fountain show from the promenade, the Dubai Fountain Walk Bridge gets families just 9 meters away from the dancing water jets. The proximity and musical choreography provide an immersive sensory thrill for kids without taking up more than 30 minutes of your evening.
17. Try 3D Blacklight Minigolf
Not every family activity needs to be a world-record landmark. 3D Blacklight Minigolf at JBR features neon artwork, glowing 3D glasses, and 18 themed holes spanning underwater, space, and jungle settings. It is an engaging, low-pressure indoor game that kids of all ages can enjoy together.
18. Experience VR Wonderland
Virtual reality is a guaranteed hit with older kids and teenagers. VR Wonderland delivers immersive VR motion simulators, interactive arcade battles, and roller coaster simulations that feel surprisingly realistic.
19. Visit the Chillout Ice Lounge
The Chillout Ice Lounge at Times Square Center is the Middle East's first sub-zero ice lounge. Everything from the chairs and tables to the chandeliers and glasses is carved out of ice. Families are provided with warm parkas, thermal shoes, and hot chocolate, creating a whimsical contrast to Dubai's warm desert climate.
20. Try a Dubai City Tour
A guided, air-conditioned city tour removes the logistical stress of navigating Dubai's expansive highway system with children. With designated stops at Burj Al Arab, Jumeirah Mosque, Dubai Creek, and Gold Souk, families get a comprehensive overview of the city in comfort.
21. Take a Desert Safari
A desert safari introduces children to the traditional Bedouin heritage of the Arabian desert. Kids love sliding down sand dunes on sandboards, taking short camel rides, watching falconry demonstrations, and enjoying a starlit BBQ dinner.
Flyout Tours offers family-friendly Red Dune Desert Safaris with gentle dune driving options and private 4x4 vehicles for families traveling with younger children.
22. Explore Future-Focused Experiences
Dubai is globally recognized for its innovation and digital experiences. Combining visits to the Museum of the Future with immersive art spaces like AYA Universe exposes children to the power of imagination, artificial intelligence, and environmental science in an entertaining format.
23. Spend Time at a Family-Friendly Resort
Not every memorable family day needs to be spent racing between attractions. Reserving downtime at a resort with a kids' club, lazy river, and private beach gives children space to swim and play, ensuring no one suffers from sightseeing burnout.
24. Combine Two Experiences in One Day
One of the best practical strategies for family trips is pairing attractions located in the same district. For example, combine Burj Khalifa and Dubai Aquarium at Dubai Mall, or pair Ain Dubai with Madame Tussauds on Bluewaters Island. This cuts transit time in half and leaves ample time for midday naps and meals.
25. Choose an Experience Based on Your Children's Interests
The ultimate secret to a successful Dubai family vacation is focusing on what your children genuinely enjoy rather than blindly chasing tourist rankings. A child who loves marine animals will cherish Dubai Aquarium far more than an observation deck, while an energetic teen will prefer Aquaventure or IMG Worlds.
Instead of asking 'What is the most famous attraction in Dubai?', ask 'What experience will my kids remember for years to come?'.
How to Choose Activities Based on Your Child's Interests
Match your child's personality with Dubai's top attractions:
- Animal & Wildlife Lovers: Dubai Safari Park, Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo, Green Planet.
- Hands-On Explorers: OliOli Children's Museum, KidZania Dubai.
- High-Energy Adventurers: Atlantis Aquaventure, IMG Worlds of Adventure, Ski Dubai, Red Dune Safari.
- Iconic Sightseeing: Burj Khalifa At the Top, Dubai Frame, Ain Dubai, Dubai Fountain Walk Bridge.
- Relaxed & Scenic: Dubai Marina Dhow Cruise, luxury shared yacht tour, resort beach afternoons.
How Many Activities Should You Plan in One Day?
One of the most frequent mistakes visiting families make is trying to cram 4 to 5 major tourist attractions into a single day. Dubai's attractions are large, and children need time to rest, snack, and recharge.
For most families, one major anchor attraction plus one lighter activity nearby represents the golden formula for an enjoyable, meltdown-free day.
What Should Parents Check Before Booking?
Before booking tickets for any Dubai attraction, verify:
- Age Suitability: Check minimum age requirements and child ticket policy (infants under 3 often enter free).
- Height Restrictions: Confirm ride minimums (e.g., 1.2m for larger waterpark slides).
- Duration: Check whether the visit takes 1 hour or a full day.
- Geographic Location: Avoid cross-city travel during peak traffic hours (5:00 PM – 7:30 PM).
- What Is Included: Check if locker rental, towels, meals, or transfers are included in admission.
- Cancellation Policy: Look for flexible cancellation and rescheduling options.
Frequently Asked Questions About Visiting Dubai With Kids
The best things to do in Dubai with kids include visiting Dubai Safari Park, exploring OliOli, seeing Dubai from the Burj Khalifa, visiting Dubai Aquarium, experiencing Ski Dubai, exploring IMG Worlds of Adventure, enjoying Atlantis Aquaventure waterpark, taking a Marina cruise, and choosing activities tailored to your child's age and interests.
Yes, Dubai is one of the world's most family-friendly holiday destinations. It offers world-class safety, spotless infrastructure, exceptional theme parks, interactive museums, family resorts, and stroller-friendly malls and attractions.
For a first family visit, 4 to 5 days is the ideal sweet spot. This allows you to experience iconic landmarks, a water park, an indoor theme park, a desert safari, and a scenic boat cruise without overexhausting younger children.
Always check age or height restrictions, duration, venue location, cancellation conditions, and whether separate child tickets are required. Ensure the activity intensity matches your child's energy levels.
No. It is best to avoid overloading the schedule. Pairing one major attraction with a relaxing meal or shorter activity nearby ensures a pleasant experience for both children and parents.
Yes. Almost all major Dubai attractions, shopping malls, theme parks, and observation decks are fully equipped with elevators, ramps, and stroller rentals.
Book Your Dubai Family Experiences with Flyout Tours
The best things to do in Dubai with kids aren't necessarily the most expensive or most famous—they are the experiences your family will genuinely enjoy together.
Flyout Tours offers official admission passes, family combo deals, private hotel transfers, and 24/7 concierge assistance for a smooth, stress-free family vacation.
