Things To Do With Toddlers in Dubai in 2024

Are you looking for ideas for things to do with Toddlers in Dubai? I keep visiting Dubai because my sister and her toddler lives there. So read on.

Written by: Soumya Nambiar

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So if you have come here looking for advice on Dubai as a shopping destination, then you have come to the wrong place. I don’t believe that you go to Dubai only for shopping. Yes, you can do a lot of shopping but that is not what Dubai is only about.

There are so many other things to do there. Since my twin lives there, this was my 3rd visit in 5 years and I have lost track of the number of times I have been there before. And every time I go to Dubai, I find something to do that I have never done before.

But this time we will not talk about all that and I will give you a breakup of things to do with toddlers in Dubai.

My primary objective this time was to go spend some time with my nephew. The minute he sees me or dad, he knows who to catch to take him out roaming. Kids are smart that way. Since he is still a toddler, the amount of time we spent roaming was comparatively less.

We always used to leave once he woke up from his afternoon nap and then used to come home only after a late dinner. But he had lots of fun and we loved the experience too. That joy in his eyes makes us go weak in our knees. I am telling you, that boy is going to be never home when he grows up. Genes, you see. Most of the things in this list are family activities in Dubai and the whole family can have fun together.

Dubai_Miracle Gardens
Dubai_Miracle Gardens

Things to do with Toddlers in Dubai/ Some of the indoor activities in Dubai

So the things we did this time with a toddler. Most of them are indoor activities in Dubai:

Movenpick Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel – Dubai

Since I and my brother in law had taken a night flight, we spent most of our first day at home. Since it was a Friday and a holiday, we knew that most of the places would be too crowded. For people who didn’t know, Fridays and Saturdays weekly off in most countries in the Middle East. In the evening, we went for dinner at an Indian restaurant in Movenpick Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel.

It is a beautiful hotel and the little fellow enjoyed walking all around the place. The beautiful lanterns and the huge glass painting of Ibn Batuta add to the grandeur of the place. They also have a buffet restaurant where live music was going on. He was fascinated and he spent most of the night dancing with the older kids to the tunes of the singer. Okay, dancing is a strong word for a toddler but he was definitely trying to imitate what the older kids were doing.

Movenpick Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel
Movenpick Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel
Best_short_trips_from_Dubai_Georgia

Read this post

Short Trips from the UAE

The Lost Chambers Aquarium and Kaleidoscope, Atlantis Dubai

So the next day we took him to the Aquarium. Since he is like most toddlers, he loves going out in the car. But his patience runs only for 30 minutes and he will start getting irritated post that.

The drive to the Atlantis is quite beautiful. You get to see rows of houses on The Palm and the drive along a beautiful seashore is an added advantage. The Lost Chambers is a beautiful underwater aquarium and it houses more than 65000 aquatic animals.

At Atlantis, there is a whole section of shops and activities (Avenues) that is open to visitors. Rest of the hotel is only for hotel residents and you have guards at multiple points to ensure that you do not wander off to prohibited areas. The Lost chambers is one such area.

The nephew loved this place and he loved walking around the mazes and tunnels. His only problem was that he could not catch the fishes. If you have kids, definitely take them here. They also offer snorkeling and diving for adults. I would definitely love to try that out next time I am there. The adventure park at Atlantis is a must visit too. You can find out more details here.

We went to dinner at Kaleidoscope, a buffet restaurant near the Atlantis. Even for vegetarians like us, the spread is quite humongous and we were overwhelmed with the number of choices we had. In spite of being a huge restaurant, the entire place was jam-packed. It comes to around AED 200 (Rs 3600, yes expensive) per person. If you are looking for more vegetarian options to dine at Atlantis, you can check this post here.

The only problem was that it was quite crowded by the time we left Atlantis and we got stuck getting out.

The Lost Chambers Aquarium Atlantis Dubai
The Lost Chambers Aquarium Atlantis Dubai
The Lost Chambers Aquarium Atlantis Dubai
The Lost Chambers Aquarium Atlantis Dubai
The Lost Chambers Aquarium Atlantis Dubai
The Lost Chambers Aquarium Atlantis Dubai
The Lost Chambers Aquarium Atlantis Dubai
The Lost Chambers Aquarium Atlantis Dubai
The Lost Chambers Aquarium Atlantis Dubai

The Lost Chambers Aquarium Atlantis Dubai

The Lost Chambers Aquarium Atlantis Dubai

The Lost Chambers Aquarium Atlantis Dubai

The Lost Chambers Aquarium Atlantis Dubai

The Lost Chambers Aquarium Atlantis Dubai

The Lost Chambers Aquarium Atlantis Dubai

The Lost Chambers Aquarium Atlantis Dubai

Dubai Mall, Dubai Fountain and Burj Khalifa

This time we did not go to the top of the Burj Khalifa, the tallest man made structure in the World. Every evening there is a beautiful water show right between the Dubai Mall and the Burj Khalifa. The Dubai Mall is a huge place and you can get to the Top of the World through one of the mall entrances. Again he loved the musical fountain (Dubai Fountain) and he was silent the entire time he was watching the show.

This happens every 30 minutes and we caught two shows. This is accompanied by lighting the Burj Khalifa in different colors. On special days, you get to see fireworks too. Later my nephew enjoyed running around the whole place and giving flying kisses to all the beautiful ladies. Yes, he knows now only on how to impress the ladies. Since he is an adorable baby (I know I am his aunt and you may think I am biased but he really is adorable), all the ladies are smitten by him.

Next, he walked around a lot inside the Dubai Mall. Since he started walking on his own a few months back, he hates to sit idle. There is an aquarium here too in case you are interested. We took him to the Ice rink and he watched the other kids play here. After having a late dinner at one of the many food outlets inside the mall, we headed back home.

Things to Do with Toddlers in Dubai
Dubai Burj Khalifa

Miracle Garden, Dubai

Miracle Garden is a flower garden and it is the largest natural flower garden in the World. It is operational only from October to April and remains closed through the entire summer in Dubai. Again it is a fascinating place and he loved walking around between the flowers.

We should learn something from the inquisitive nature of kids. They are born wanderers and that is something we can learn only from there.

Since the Miracle Garden is a bit out of the city, you may need a car to get here. Cab fares can turn out to be expensive and the Dubai Metro operates only in the confines of the city. You can see the beauty of the place from some of the pictures below.

Miracle Gardens Dubai
Miracle Gardens Dubai
Miracle Gardens Dubai
Miracle Gardens Dubai
Miracle Gardens Dubai
Miracle Gardens Dubai
Miracle Gardens Dubai
Miracle Gardens Dubai
Dubai Miracles Gardens
Dubai Miracles Gardens
Dubai Miracles Gardens
Dubai Miracles Gardens

Jumeirah Beach for toddlers in Dubai

One of my best friends came in the morning the next day and she was there till around 3. Since the little fellow was habituated with his daily outings, he slept only an hour in the afternoon. Still we tried our best and when we realized that he was not going to budge, we decided to take him to the beach.

We have never taken him to the beach before and since we are all water babies, we thought he would enjoy it. However the exit to Jumeirah beach is quite tricky and by the time we got there, the sun was already setting. He was terrified of the water and he cried his eyes out. Later he kept pointing to the sand in his legs and did not settle till our mom cleaned his legs. We should try again when he is little older.

The Jumeirah beach is lined with shops and restaurants and it is a nice place to unwind after a long day. Dubai Marina is located right beside the Jumeirah beach.

Dubai Aquarium and Zoo

The nephew loves the aquarium and we end up spending a lot of time there whenever one visits. He loves identifying all the fishes here. If your kids love the aquarium, then forget to take them here when you are in Dubai.

Other things to do with toddlers in Dubai

Next day was my last day in Dubai. Since my sister was working, I just went to the shopping mall nearby for some gifts and chocolates. I spent rest of the day with him.

Yes, Dubai is largely an artificial city. But the way they have built such an amazing city from a desert is still commendable. For me, it is my second home after Bangalore and many people jokingly say that I go to Dubai as often as they go to their hometowns. Also, all my adventure junkie friends love Dubai for the many activities. Find more things to do in Dubai for adults here.

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Around Dubai With An 18-Month Old Toddler
Around Dubai With An 18-Month Old Toddler
Around Dubai With An 18-Month Old Toddler

Find my recommendations on guidebooks for Dubai

Guidebooks for UAE

Traveling to UAE and need more guidance on which books to read? These are our recommendations for you to read before you go.

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Book Tours

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About Soumya Nambiar

Soumya Nambiar here. I am an avid traveler, travel blogger, vegetarian foodie and entrepreneur from Bangalore, India who grew up in Tanzania, Africa. I have been to more than 60 countries and in this blog, I write about my personal experiences as an Indian traveller around the world as well as my struggles as a vegetarian. I can be reached at [email protected].

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