10 Very Best Family Friendly Indoor Activities in Dubai

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Dubai has been home to me and my family for a good four years. Summer in Dubai can be unbearable. With temperatures reaching up to 50 °C, it is almost impossible to spend time outdoors during the day. However, as children are at home for their summer holidays, you would want to do something exciting with them.

Fortunately, Dubai offers a range of amazing indoor activities that you can enjoy with your family. While there are numerous activities to choose from, here I present 10 family-friendly indoor activities that you can enjoy in Dubai.

1. VR Park Dubai

If you and your kids love gaming and extreme adventures, VR Park Dubai is a must-visit destination. Located inside the Dubai Mall, VR Park is an innovative gaming zone that combines virtual reality and augmented reality for an immersive experience. With 18 interactive attractions spanning genres such as leisure, horror, adrenaline, and more, there’s something for everyone.

The park offers several group games and activities, allowing visitors to escape reality and enjoy hours of fun together. Some of the top attractions to check out at VR Park Dubai include APE-X, The Raft, Burj Drop, The Walking Dead VR Outbreak, Dune Bash, and Plummet.

2. KidZania Dubai

If you want to relax while your kids are engaged in informational and entertaining activities, KidZania is the place for you. This is another attraction that is located inside the enormous Dubai Mall.

Perfect for children between the ages of 4 and 16 years, KidZania gives them the chance to engage in role-play by choosing different types of professions. They can be doctors, nurses, firefighters, shopkeepers, newsreaders, chefs, etc. They would also have to face real-life scenarios and situations, and even earn KidZania money.

Moreover, while your kids are learning some important skills, you can spend some “me-time” with a cup of coffee at the parents’ lounge.

3. Dubai Mall Aquarium & Underwater Zoo

Another standout attraction at the Dubai Mall is the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo—yes, an aquarium and zoo right inside one of the world’s largest shopping centers!

The centerpiece of the aquarium is a massive 10-million-litre tank, renowned for being the world’s largest transparent tunnel. Within this tunnel-like tank, visitors can marvel at more than 140 species of marine animals, including a wide variety of rays and sharks.

The underwater zoo is divided into three zones, where you would get to see otters, Humboldt Penguins, piranha, catfish, etc. The aquarium also offers special activities like shark diving, cage diving, a glass-bottom boat ride, etc., for those interested. This is one of the best things to do in Dubai.

4. Jumble

If you’re looking for something beyond the adrenaline rush of theme park rides, Jumble is the place to be. As Dubai’s first indoor maze and the world’s first urban maze, Jumble offers an experience unlike any other. While it’s designed for participants aged 12 and above, younger kids can join in the fun if accompanied by adults.

Jumble is a unique group activity that challenges you and your teammates with a series of physical and mental puzzles as you navigate through the maze. More than just an escape room, Jumble requires physical strength, quick thinking, teamwork, and effective communication to conquer each task and complete the adventure.

5. Oli Oli

Oli Oli Dubai is an interactive children’s museum where fun and learning go hand in hand. Designed to inspire curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking, Oli Oli combines education, family activities, and recreation for an unforgettable experience.

The museum features eight interactive zones with over 40 engaging activities that keep kids entertained and stimulated. Unlike mindless games, these activities encourage children to think, imagine, and solve problems.

Some of the standout sections at Oli Oli include the Air Section, Water Section, Creative Lab, Cars and Ramps, Toshi’s Nets, and Future Park. There’s even a dedicated area for toddlers, ensuring that children of all ages have a space to explore and enjoy.

6. Dubai Ice Rink

Dubai is a desert city, but right in the middle of the Dubai Mall is the enormous Dubai Ice Rink, with the size of 28-football fields. You may be an expert or an amateur, but the Dubai Ice Rink is the perfect place for everyone who is interested in ice-skating. You and your family, including your kids, would have a field day trying your hand at ice-skating here.

The Dubai Ice Rink also offers a coaching program, where you can learn the ropes of ice-skating. Ski Dubai also has a snowfall experience, where you would get to ice-skate while enjoying snowfall.

7. IMG Worlds of Adventure

IMG Worlds of Adventure is the largest indoor theme park in the world and offers some of the best kids’ activities in Dubai.  Spread around an area of more than 1.5 million square feet, IMG is divided into four fun zones: Lost Valley – Dinosaur Adventure, Cartoon Network, Marvel Universe, and IMG Boulevard.

This indoor theme park brings alive the world of Marvel Comics and Cartoon Network through its rides and attractions. Kids would also get to meet their favorite characters.

The best part is that IMG Worlds of Adventure has something for everyone. While there are thrilling rides for the adults and adventure lovers, there are some fun rides for kids and toddlers as well. This is a great place to spend a day at, when the outside temperature in Dubai soars high.

8. The Green Planet

Dubai is the last place where you would imagine seeing a lush green forest. However, the Green Planet is exactly this. It is a vertical indoor rainforest that is home to more than 3000 animals and plants. The highlight of the place is the huge man-made, life-sustaining tree. The main attractions here are Australian Walkabout, Bug Encounter, Sugar Glider Encounter, Bird Encounter, Sloth Encounter, Reptile Encounter, and the Bat Cave.

You would get to see squirrel monkeys, leaf-cutter ants, Cuban Amazon parrot, etc., and also get the chance to hold a python. The rain-forest also has a population of tropical fish, including Piranhas, Archer fish, Motoro Rays, etc. In short, a visit to the Green Planet is fun and educational at the same time.

9. Bounce Dubai

Children love to jump up and down, and they can do that for the entire day if they could. Let your kids burn out their never-dying energy a bit at Bounce Dubai. The largest indoor trampoline park, Bounce, has more than 100 interconnected trampolines spread around an area of 500 sq ft.

While kids would have a happy time jumping on the trampolines, parents can try aerial sports and other adventurous activities.

Slam Dunk, Freejump, The Wall, Big Bag, Flight Academy, X Park, Dodgeball, etc., are some of the special attractions here. An important thing to remember is that kids below the age of 3 years are not allowed inside Bounce Dubai.

10. Dubai Dolphinarium

The Dubai Dolphinarium is one of the best family-friendly attractions in Dubai. Covering an area of 5000 square meters, the dolphinarium has 6 bottleneck dolphins, several fur seals, and 20 species of exotic parrots. The highlight here is the dolphin and seal show, where you would you be able to marvel at the acts of the dolphins and seals, when they play, sing, paint, juggle, and indulge in acrobatics to entertain you.

You can also be a part of the parrot show if you are interested. Apart from this, Dubai Dolphinarium has a play zone covering three floors, where kids can play in the ball-pit, slide, explore, climb through tunnels, and have a fun time.

Although these are just a gist of the family friendly attractions in Dubai, they are a good place to start if you are getting confused with so many options. To ensure that your family day out is a hit, choose a place that matches your kids’ age and interests.