Things to do in Dubai with kids: a 2026 guide by age

What is there to do in Dubai with kids?

A lot, and much of it is built for families: an aquarium in a shopping mall, indoor snow, theme parks, waterparks, lifeguarded beaches and the desert beyond the city. The trick is matching each day to your children’s ages and to the heat.

• Under 5: short indoor visits in the middle of the day, and the beach or a fountain show when it cools down.
• 5 to 11: role play at KidZania, Legoland Dubai, snow at Ski Dubai and sandboarding on a desert safari.
• Teenagers: waterparks, jet skis, dune buggies and the view from Burj Khalifa.

Check what is open before you book. Dubai Parks and Resorts, home to Legoland Dubai and Motiongate, closed in March 2026 and was due to reopen on 7 October (The National); Legoland’s own page showed it open when we checked. Wild Wadi was due to reopen on 1 November with 30 rides and attractions and tickets from AED 149 (Khaleej Times). The Museum of the Future closed temporarily on 1 September to build new exhibitions, with new experiences planned for its fifth anniversary in 2027 (Khaleej Times).

What can toddlers and babies do in Dubai?

Keep it short, shaded and close to nap time. Indoor attractions fill the middle of the day; beaches and fountains work in the early morning and evening.

• Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo, in Dubai Mall: a walk-through tunnel, the Underwater Zoo and Penguin Cove. It opens at 11am on weekdays and 10am at weekends, until 9pm, and a Silver pass costs AED 199 on the official site.
• The Dubai Fountain: free shows every 30 minutes from 6pm to 11pm, says Burj Khalifa’s site. The 6pm show suits an early bedtime.
• Ski Dubai’s Snow Park: passes start at age 2, and the AED 190 Snow Base pass includes snow clothing and gloves.
• Kite Beach: free, with lifeguards, and Visit Dubai points to children’s activities such as XPark Jr opposite the beach.

Babies feel the heat first. The NHS counts children aged 5 and under among those most vulnerable to it, and advises keeping babies under six months out of direct strong sunlight.

What suits children aged 5 to 11?

This is the easiest age for Dubai, because almost everything is aimed at it.

• KidZania, in Dubai Mall: a pretend town where 2 to 16-year-olds try more than 40 role-play jobs. On Platinumlist a child ticket (4 to 16) cost from US$44.21 and a toddler ticket (2 to 3) from US$27.20. It opens 10am to 10pm Sunday to Thursday, and to 11pm on Friday and Saturday.
• Legoland Dubai, at Dubai Parks and Resorts: its operational updates page showed the park open from 11am to 7pm, tickets from AED 295, and Legoland Water Park closed every Wednesday until 25 November 2026.
• Ski Dubai: snow, snow park rides and a daily penguin march. Children aged 2 to 13 must be with an adult holding a ticket, and the Snow Daycation package can include a ski lesson from age 3 or a snowboard lesson from 8.
• Global Village: an evening fair of country pavilions, food and rides, open from 4pm in Season 31, until May 2027. Tuesdays are reserved for ladies and families, except on public holidays (Global Village).
• Dubai Safari Park was due to open its eighth season on 12 October, and Dubai Miracle Garden to reopen on 8 October (The National); see the Miracle Garden tickets guide.
• A desert safari, for sandboarding and a camel ride. The desert safari with kids guide covers minimum ages and seats.

What suits teenagers?

Speed, water and height. Teenagers who find the aquarium tame tend to love these:

• Waterparks. Wild Wadi was due to reopen on 1 November after its closure. For Aquaventure at Atlantis The Palm, see the Aquaventure tickets guide.
• Jet skis. Nemo Watersports lets drivers ride from 16 and passengers from 5; the jet ski guide has the prices and rules.
• Dune buggies and quads. The dune buggy or quad bike guide explains the difference and the age limits.
• Speedboats. The Yellow Boats takes children from 120 cm tall on its shared tours from Dubai Marina; see the speedboat tour guide.
• Burj Khalifa. The ticket guide explains which level is worth paying for. For indoor thrill rides, see indoor things to do.

When should you visit with kids, and how do you handle the heat?

Go between November and March. Long-term averages from the UAE’s National Center of Meteorology:

Averages for 1974 to 1991.

Even in winter, plan the day around the sun:

1. Go outdoors before 11am and after 3pm; the NHS advises staying in the shade between those hours.
2. Book indoor attractions for the middle of the day.
3. Use at least SPF 30 on children and reapply straight after swimming, as the NHS advises, with wide-brimmed hats.
4. Carry water and offer it before they ask.

Global Village, Dubai Miracle Garden and Dubai Safari Park are seasonal and reopen each autumn. The best time to visit Dubai guide has every month.

Can you use a stroller on the Dubai Metro and at attractions?

Yes on the metro. The RTA says every metro station has lifts to all levels, and each train has cabins reserved for women and children. Children aged 5 and under travel free on the metro, tram and buses, according to the RTA’s fares table. On RTA boats, including the abra, ferry and water taxi, children under 12 must wear a life jacket and travel with an adult, and you must show the child’s ID (RTA).

Some attractions make you leave the stroller at the door. The Dubai Frame keeps strollers at its Gate 4 counter, and At the Top, Burj Khalifa stores them in a luggage room by the entrance (FAQ). A light folding stroller and a baby carrier between them cover most days. The getting around Dubai guide has metro hours and fares.

Do children need a car seat in a Dubai taxi?

Children under four do, by law. The RTA says motorists must provide a child seat for children under four, fitted in the back to suit their weight and height, and that children aged 10 or under, or shorter than 145 cm, may not sit in the front, an offence it puts at an AED 400 fine.

For taxis, the RTA told taxi franchise companies and limousine services in 2018 to keep a child car seat available at all times, Gulf News reported. In 2022 Hala, the RTA and Careem’s taxi venture, launched Hala Juniors in the Careem app: 150 taxis with seats for children up to four, at AED 5 more than a standard Hala ride (Gulf News). We could not confirm that it still runs, so check the app.

In practice, don’t rely on a street taxi. Book a seat with your airport transfer and any tour, or bring a light travel seat. On Yalla Dunes desert safaris, baby seats and boosters are available on request.

Do Dubai attractions sell family tickets?

A few do. Most charge per person, with child rates and free entry for the youngest. The best deals for a family of four are the four-for-three passes.

Checked 2 November 2026 on the official sites linked above, At the Top, Platinumlist and Dhow Cruise Dubai Harbour.

What can kids do in Dubai for free?

More than you’d think. These cost nothing:

• The Dubai Fountain at Dubai Mall, every 30 minutes from 6pm.
• Public beaches, including Kite Beach and The Beach opposite JBR.
• The Dubai Turtle Rehabilitation Project at Jumeirah Al Naseem, whose lagoon is open every day with no fee or booking. Visit Dubai says it has rescued more than 2,100 turtles since 2004, and feeding takes place once a week.
• Imagine at Dubai Festival City Mall, a nightly show of lasers, fountains and projections, free for everyone.

The free things to do in Dubai guide has more.

Which Dubai beaches are best for children?

Choose a public beach with lifeguards and swim inside the marked area. Dubai Municipality runs the public beaches, including Jumeirah 1, Jumeirah 2 and Al Mamzar, with trained lifeguard teams, and lists Umm Suqeim 1 and Jumeirah 3 as night beaches (Dubai Media Office).

Kite Beach is free and open around the clock, with lifeguards day and night and floodlights that allow swimming after dark on parts of it. The swimming areas are marked by buoys, and the Dubai Maritime Authority bans any power-driven activity inside them, so jet skis must stay out. Swimwear is fine on the sand; cover up when you leave it, as the dress code guide explains.

Which desert safari suits a family?

A private one, timed around your children. For Dubai, the kids-friendly safari is planned around small children, with baby seats and boosters on request, sandboarding and live shows, and a 2:30 to 3:00 PM pickup from your hotel. In Abu Dhabi, the kids-friendly morning safari takes four hours, with a camel farm visit, dune bashing, sandboarding and a camel ride, and has you back before the midday heat; pickup is in Abu Dhabi, so ask about pickup from Dubai first. Both run in your own Land Cruiser for up to six. For a city day, the half-day Dubai city tour includes the souks and an abra ride across the Creek. The Dubai travel tips hub covers the rest of your planning.