Dubai is one of the world's great family destinations, purpose-built to entertain children whatever the weather. There are record-breaking water parks, a mall aquarium with a walk-through shark tunnel, a role-play city where kids earn their own currency, an indoor rainforest, real snow and penguins, and theme parks galore — and crucially, most of it is air-conditioned, so the summer heat is no barrier. Here are the best family outings, with suggested ages, prices and practical tips.
$95Aquaventure Waterpark
Area
Atlantis The Palm
Ages
All ages
“One of the world's largest water parks — free for Atlantis guests. Record-breaking slides, a private beach and a shark-filled lagoon. Rent a cabana for shade and go on a weekday to dodge queues.”
$74Wild Wadi Waterpark
Area
Jumeirah
Ages
All ages
“Smaller and more central than Aquaventure, right beside the Burj Al Arab. The Jumeirah Sceirah is a near-vertical speed slide; a wristband system means you pay nothing extra inside.”
$44Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo
Area
Dubai Mall
Ages
Ages 2–12
“The giant tank is free to view from the Dubai Mall walkway — pay only for the tunnel walk-through, the Underwater Zoo and the glass-bottom boat. Cage snorkelling with the sharks is bookable for older kids.”
$40KidZania Dubai
Area
Dubai Mall
Ages
Ages 4–16
“A kid-sized role-play city where children earn and spend their own currency working as pilots, surgeons, firefighters and more. Best for ages 4–12; allow at least three hours to try several jobs.”
$35The Green Planet
Area
City Walk
Ages
Ages 2–12
“An indoor tropical rainforest bio-dome with 3,000 plants and animals — sloths, snakes, birds and a canopy walk. Small enough for toddlers, and a cool, shady 90-minute escape from the heat.”
From $68Ski Dubai
Area
Mall of the Emirates
Ages
Ages 3+
“The Snow Park is perfect for kids — tobogganing, snowball throwing and a chance to see real penguins, all in genuine snow while it's 45°C outside. All snow clothing is provided.”
$80Legoland Dubai
Area
Dubai Parks & Resorts
Ages
Ages 2–12
“Purpose-built for ages 2–12, so nothing is too scary for little ones. Combine with the adjacent water park on a combo ticket, and don't miss Miniland's 60-million-brick landmarks.”
$88Dubai Parks & Resorts
Area
Jebel Ali
Ages
All ages
“The Middle East's largest integrated theme-park destination — Motiongate (Hollywood rides), Bollywood Parks and Legoland under one mega-ticket. A multi-park pass saves money over two or three days.”
Dubai with kids in detail
1.Aquaventure Waterpark
Aquaventure at Atlantis The Palm is one of the largest and most thrilling water parks on earth, and the single best day out in Dubai for families and adrenaline-seekers alike. Spread across the resort's grounds, it packs in dozens of slides and attractions for every age and nerve level, from record-breaking near-vertical drops and slides that shoot you through a shark-filled lagoon, to gentler rides, a long lazy river with rapids and wave surges, a dedicated children's play area with mini-slides, and a kilometre-long private beach for cooling off between rides. Signature attractions include the Leap of Faith, a stomach-dropping near-vertical plunge, and the newer Trident and Poseidon towers with their tangle of high-speed slides. Because it's built into a marine resort, some rides pass through or beside aquariums teeming with rays and sharks, adding a real wow factor. Entry is around ninety-five dollars for adults, but it's completely free for guests staying at Atlantis, which makes a night there surprisingly good value for families. Rent a cabana for shade and a base, bring reef shoes and plenty of sunscreen, and visit on a weekday to minimise queues. It's an easy full day, and children of almost any age will find plenty to love.
Hours
Daily ~10:00–sunset
Price
~$95 adult; ~$80 child; free for Atlantis guests
Getting there
At Atlantis The Palm; taxi or Palm Monorail to Atlantis Aquaventure
Insider tip: One of the world's largest water parks — free for Atlantis guests. Record-breaking slides, a private beach and a shark-filled lagoon. Rent a cabana for shade and go on a weekday to dodge queues.
2.Wild Wadi Waterpark
Wild Wadi is Dubai's original water park, smaller and more central than Aquaventure and set right beside the Burj Al Arab in Jumeirah, so you ride the slides with the famous sail-shaped hotel as your backdrop. Themed loosely around the Arabian folk tales of Juha, it packs some 30 rides and attractions into a compact, well-run site that works beautifully for families with a mix of ages. There's a full range of thrills: the Jumeirah Sceirah, a near-vertical speed slide that drops you from 32 metres, tandem tube rides, a wave pool, a long lazy river, and an interlinked master-blaster system that uses jets to shoot you uphill as well as down. For younger children there's Juha's Journey, a gentler lazy river, and a dedicated kids' play area with small slides and water-play. A single ticket covers everything inside — there are no extra charges — and a smart wristband system stores your locker and cashless spending. At around seventy-four dollars for adults it's a touch cheaper than Aquaventure, and its central location and manageable size make it easy to combine with a Jumeirah beach day. Bring sunscreen and reef shoes, and note the seasonal hours, which extend into the evening in the hotter months.
Hours
Daily ~10:00–sunset (seasonal)
Price
~$74 adult; ~$63 child (under 1.1m)
Getting there
In Jumeirah beside the Burj Al Arab; taxi from Downtown ~20 min
Insider tip: Smaller and more central than Aquaventure, right beside the Burj Al Arab. The Jumeirah Sceirah is a near-vertical speed slide; a wristband system means you pay nothing extra inside.
3.Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo
The Dubai Aquarium is one of the world's largest suspended aquariums and a centrepiece of the Dubai Mall, home to more than 33,000 aquatic animals across 140 species, including one of the biggest collections of sand tiger sharks anywhere. Its vast main viewing panel — a record-holder in its own right — is free to admire from the mall's walkway, which alone delights younger children as sharks, rays and shoals of fish drift past overhead. For a fee you can go further: walk through the 48-metre glass tunnel that passes right through the tank with the marine life all around you, explore the multi-level Underwater Zoo above with its penguins, crocodiles (including the enormous 'King Croc'), otters and reptiles, or take a glass-bottom boat across the top of the tank. Older, braver children and adults can even book cage snorkelling or a shark dive. It's fully indoor and air-conditioned, making it a reliable option on a scorching or rainy day, and its position inside the Dubai Mall means you can easily combine it with shopping, the aquarium's neighbours (the ice rink, the fountain), and lunch. Buy the combo online for a small saving, and allow a couple of hours to see the tunnel and the zoo at a child's pace.
Hours
Daily ~10:00–midnight
Price
Tunnel & zoo combo ~$44; free to view from the mall
Getting there
Inside the Dubai Mall; Metro Red Line to Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall
Insider tip: The giant tank is free to view from the Dubai Mall walkway — pay only for the tunnel walk-through, the Underwater Zoo and the glass-bottom boat. Cage snorkelling with the sharks is bookable for older kids.
4.KidZania Dubai
KidZania Dubai, on the second floor of the Dubai Mall, is one of the most engaging and educational indoor attractions in the city for children — a scaled-down, remarkably detailed replica city where kids run the show. Across an 80,000-square-foot 'town' with its own streets, vehicles, shops and institutions, children aged roughly four to sixteen role-play more than 80 real-world professions: they can fly a plane in the cockpit, perform surgery in the hospital, fight fires and race to an emergency in a real fire truck, work as a chef, a journalist, a police officer, a dentist or a factory worker, and much more. Crucially, they earn the city's own currency ('kidZos') for the work they do and can then spend or save it, learning about money, work and how a society functions in the process. Parents can watch from cafés and viewing areas or accompany younger ones, while older children roam more independently with a security wristband system keeping everyone safe. It's fully indoor and air-conditioned, ideal for a hot or rainy day, and genuinely absorbing — allow at least three hours so children can try several jobs. A brilliant blend of play and learning, KidZania is a highlight for families with primary-age kids.
Hours
Daily ~10:00–20:00 (check seasonal hours)
Price
~$40 child; ~$27 adult
Getting there
Inside the Dubai Mall; Metro Red Line to Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall
Insider tip: A kid-sized role-play city where children earn and spend their own currency working as pilots, surgeons, firefighters and more. Best for ages 4–12; allow at least three hours to try several jobs.
5.The Green Planet
The Green Planet is a wonderfully different family attraction — a self-contained tropical rainforest housed inside a glass bio-dome at the City Walk development, offering a lush, humid, green escape from Dubai's desert heat and glass towers. Built around one of the world's largest indoor artificial trees, the enclosed ecosystem is home to more than 3,000 plants and animals across four levels representing the rainforest canopy, midstory, forest floor and flooded waters. As you spiral up and around the tree, you meet sloths, colourful birds and butterflies flying free, snakes, lizards, tree frogs, spiders, fish and small mammals, with keepers on hand for talks and feeding sessions and the chance for children to get close to (and sometimes touch) some of the creatures. A treetop canopy walk adds a sense of adventure. It's compact enough to suit even toddlers and takes around ninety minutes to explore fully, making it an easy, low-stress outing and a reliable air-conditioned option on a blistering or rainy day. Educational without feeling like a lesson, it teaches children about rainforest ecosystems and conservation while genuinely entertaining them. Combine it with a stroll and a meal at the pleasant, pedestrian-friendly City Walk district around it for a relaxed half-day with younger kids.
Hours
Daily ~10:00–18:00
Price
~$35 adult; ~$27 child
Getting there
At City Walk, Al Wasl; taxi from Downtown ~10 min
Insider tip: An indoor tropical rainforest bio-dome with 3,000 plants and animals — sloths, snakes, birds and a canopy walk. Small enough for toddlers, and a cool, shady 90-minute escape from the heat.
6.Ski Dubai
Ski Dubai isn't just for skiers — its Snow Park makes it one of the most novel and joyful family outings in the city, letting children play in real snow while the desert sun blazes at 45°C outside. Kept at a crisp -1°C year-round inside the Mall of the Emirates, the Snow Park is a winter wonderland of tobogganing runs, a snowball-throwing gallery, snow caves and tunnels, a gentle slope for sledging, a rideable chairlift and a bobsled-style ride, all in genuine, machine-made snow that many young visitors from warmer climates are seeing for the first time. Crucially, all the winter clothing you need — jacket, trousers, boots and, for the slope, the rest of the gear — is included in the ticket, so there's no need to pack for the cold. A magical addition for children is the resident colony of king and gentoo penguins, with daily 'Penguin Encounter' sessions where, under supervision, families can meet and even interact with the birds. Older kids can graduate to the ski and snowboard slopes with lessons available. It's easy to reach on the Metro Red Line, which stops right at the mall, and it makes a brilliant, surreal contrast to a beach-and-desert holiday — a couple of hours of snowy fun that children remember long after the trip.
Hours
Daily ~10:00–22:00 (later at weekends)
Price
Snow Park ~$68; Penguin Encounter ~$82
Getting there
Metro Red Line direct to Mall of the Emirates
Insider tip: The Snow Park is perfect for kids — tobogganing, snowball throwing and a chance to see real penguins, all in genuine snow while it's 45°C outside. All snow clothing is provided.
7.Legoland Dubai
Legoland Dubai is purpose-built for families with children aged two to twelve, which makes it one of the most stress-free theme parks in the region — nothing is too fast, dark or frightening for younger kids, and the whole park is pitched squarely at their level. Across six themed zones, children can ride gentle coasters and boat rides, drive Lego cars and earn a 'licence', build and race their own creations, join a treasure-hunt safari, splash in play areas and watch 4D films. The showpiece is Miniland, where the Middle East's and the world's most famous landmarks — from Burj Khalifa and the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque to whole cityscapes — are recreated in astonishing detail from some 60 million Lego bricks, a genuine wow moment for children and adults alike. Next door, Legoland Water Park adds slides, a wave pool and a build-a-raft river geared to the same age group, and a combo ticket covering both is excellent value if you have a full day. Most of the park is shaded or has cooling water elements, keeping it viable even in the heat. It sits about 45 minutes from Downtown within the larger Dubai Parks & Resorts complex, reachable by taxi or hotel shuttle. Buy tickets online in advance for a discount, and consider the water-park combo to make the trek worthwhile.
Hours
Daily ~10:00–18:00 (check seasonal hours)
Price
Standard ~$80; combo with Water Park ~$116
Getting there
Taxi ~45 min from Downtown to Dubai Parks & Resorts, or hotel shuttle
Insider tip: Purpose-built for ages 2–12, so nothing is too scary for little ones. Combine with the adjacent water park on a combo ticket, and don't miss Miniland's 60-million-brick landmarks.
8.Dubai Parks & Resorts
Dubai Parks & Resorts is the Middle East's largest integrated theme-park destination, a vast complex out toward Jebel Ali that gathers several distinct parks in one place, making it a natural base for families wanting two or three days of rides and shows. At its heart is Motiongate, a Hollywood-themed park with rides and attractions based on DreamWorks, Sony and other studios' films — from Shrek and Kung Fu Panda to The Hunger Games and Ghostbusters — offering everything from thrilling coasters for teens to gentle rides for little ones. Alongside it, Bollywood Parks is the world's first park dedicated to Indian cinema, with musical shows, themed rides and street entertainment, while Legoland and Legoland Water Park cater to younger children. Linking them all is Riverland, a themed dining and entertainment district you can wander for free. The smart way to visit is with a multi-park pass, which works out far cheaper per park than single-day tickets and lets you spread the fun over several days. The complex lies about 45 minutes from Downtown, reachable by taxi or, if you stay at the on-site Lapita hotel or partner properties, by shuttle. With the sheer variety on offer — Hollywood thrills, Bollywood spectacle and Lego fun in one location — it's a strong choice for families looking to fill a big chunk of a Dubai holiday with theme-park adventure.
Hours
Parks daily; hours vary seasonally (check ahead)
Price
One park from ~$88; multi-park passes better value
Getting there
Taxi ~45 min from Downtown along Sheikh Zayed Road to Jebel Ali; hotel shuttles available
Insider tip: The Middle East's largest integrated theme-park destination — Motiongate (Hollywood rides), Bollywood Parks and Legoland under one mega-ticket. A multi-park pass saves money over two or three days.