General Information » Essential Info » Children

Dubai is an excellent place for children: safe, with good facilities, and a lot on offer to keep them amused. Hotels and shopping malls are well geared up, offering everything from babysitting services in hotels to state-of-the-art amusement centres and discounted rates for children are common – just ask. Also, the health clubs belonging to hotels often have separate kid’s clubs for either hotel guests or for health club members.

Child-friendly restaurants vary between just having a children’s menu, to offering activities or separate areas for families. Some places tend not to have many high chairs, so it’s best to ask when making reservations. To find a restaurant or cafe that is recommended for eating out with children, look out for the ‘Kid Friendly’ icon in reviews in the Going Out section. One part of Dubai life which is particularly good for families with young children is Friday Brunch, with many outlets providing special entertainment for the little ones while Mum and Dad make repeat trips to the buffet. For a list of places that offer this, refer to Friday Brunch.

The city is dotted with numerous surprisingly green parks, and the beach parks are well equipped with sports and amusement facilities. Water activities, horse riding, sports clubs and other adventure sports are all catered for and there is also a wide variety of amusement centres, water parks and theme parks. See the Directory in the Exploring section for more details.

The best time of year to be here with kids is obviously during the cooler months of winter, between October and May, as the mid-summer heat tends to make outdoor activities uncomfortable, if not impossible. Kids are often happy out at the pool or beach but it can be tough for the parents! There is still something of an exodus of expat mums and kids during the summer for the more pleasant climates of their home countries, and life definitely slows down a little (although as Dubai grows, this is becoming less and less the case). Inside activities do still go on though, with the Dubai Summer Surprises festival offering all sorts of fun-filled activities for the whole family. Perhaps the best time to visit is during the Dubai Shopping Festival, which takes place in January/February. There is much more on offer than just shopping, with events and attractions organised all over town. See UAE Annual Events for more information, and for a dedicated guide to family life in the UAE, pick up a copy of the Family Explorer.

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