The British Mums ultimate list of kids entertainment in Dubai!

Ask any mum and she’ll tell how difficult it is to keep little ones entertained! Especially in a city like Dubai where the days can become so hot it’s nearly impossible to venture outside. Lucky for us, Dubai offers some of THE BEST children’s playcentres! From adventure centres to let their energy burn off and learn-through-play educational galleries that offer magical real-life experiences; we’ve put together the ultimate list of children’s play centres in Dubai. Make sure you save this list, mums, you’ll refer to it often!

Let your imagination go with Oli Oli!

Imagine a place where your child is free to do all the many things he or she adores! Whether it’s jumping, bouncing or running, experimenting with creative new ideas, splashing water everywhere, designing and engineering their own cars to race or jump over towering ramps or building a fort! You can find this and A LOT MORE at Oli Oli, an interactive museum of delights to stimulate a child’s body and mind. With eight different play areas – INCLUDING a toddler playroom! – free parking, it’s very own café, the La Petite Treehouse Cafe, and the option of hosting birthday parties, field trips and summer camps, this is one play centre that TRULY caters for every child!

Where: Quoz near Oasis Mall

When: Saturday – Wednesday 9am – 7pm, Thursday and Friday 9am – 8pm

Age group: Young babies to 18 years, ideal ages between 2 and 12 years

Cost: Child (2-18 years): AED 126 for 2 hours; AED 30 for each extra hour, Child (12-23 months): AED 63 for 2 hours; AED 15 for each extra hour, Child (0-11 months): Free, Adult: AED 42

For more information visit http://www.olioli.ae

Get building at Dig it

Dig It, Dubai’s best play area based on a real-life construction site (as good as any Dubai mega project), means that children are guaranteed the most fun they’ll EVER have in a hard hat with fantastic mini diggers, brick conveyors and many more pieces of equipment to keep their little minds busy, creative and having THE best time! Perfect for little ones that are into Diggers, Lego, Mechano and all sorts of building bits!

Another good thing is that adults can enter Dig It for free and they have a really nice little café where all the parents can relax and mingle while their little ones are playing full-on! They’re open every day from 10am to 10pm and under 2’s enter free of charge meaning it’s good for extra siblings too. We think this is a fantastic play experience suitable for children age 3-10 years but for little one’s especially – we promise you; they really don’t want to leave the place! Dig It also has free parking in the mall (underground too to keep the car cool!) and they offer birthday party packages and summer camps!

Where: The Springs Souk

When: Open daily 10am-10pm

Age group: Children aged 3 to 12 years but there’s enough for toddlers to do!

Cost: AED 75 when the grown-ups stay while the kids play and AED 125 when the Dig It crew keeps an eye on the kids while the grown-ups shop.

For more information visit http://digitdubai.com

Become a policeman, doctor or more at Kidzania

It has never been easier for children to explore the types of jobs they may want to have when they grow up! KidZania is a 7,000 m2 scaled replica of a real city and has children’s versions of a hospital, fire station, beauty salon, bank, radio and TV station, supermarket, pizzeria and more. And your kids can find out what it’s like to work in all of them!

From television anchors reading the news, to police officers performing detective work and chefs cooking up tasty food, role-playing activities will introduce them to different careers in a fun and interactive way. We think this is just a FABULOUS idea as it gives children so much to explore before they really do have to decide on a career!

Where: Dubai Mall

When: Sunday – Wednesday 10am-10pm, Thursday – Sunday 10am-11pm

Age group: Children aged 4-16

Cost: Ticket Prices range from free for under 1-year olds up to AED 250 for adults

For more information visit https://dubai.kidzania.com/en-ae plus it’s available on The Entertainer.

Get your fitness on with SkyZone UAE

Sky Zone UAE, is the world’s first all-walled aerial activity park and the latest craze to hit Dubai! With 15 different attractions including Wipe Out, Warrior Courses, Zip Lines, Fusion Dodgeball Court, Trampolines, Giant Warped Walls and dedicated Toddler Court, there is something for everyone; mum and dad included! Whether soaring on the trampolines or ripping through the Warrior Course, your legs and lungs will work hard. But so will your smile muscles! If you’d rather sit and watch the action, no problem as they also have a Coldstone Creamery and Sbarro cafes.

Where: Ibn Battuta Mall, Persia Court

Age group: All ages welcome! Activities are permitted based on height – Jumpers above 110cm can access all the attractions and jumpers below 110cm can access only the Kid’s Court & Kid’s Foam Zone.

Cost: Prices start at AED 60 for 60 minutes

For more information visit https://skyzone.ae/

A little imagination can make BIG things happen at Mattel Play! Town

The award-winning eduplay attraction, Mattel Play! Town is the perfect spot to keep the little ones thoroughly entertained! 

Kids can sing and dance along with their favourite purple dinosaur Barney & Friends, see the world’s most famous firefighter up close as they learn about bravery and fire health and safety with Fireman Sam or work together to solve problems at the fun-packed Bob the Builder stage show.

The live shows join the already popular offering, including meet and greet experiences and interactive play with Angelina the Ballerina and Thomas and Friends, so don’t miss out!

Where: City Walk Dubai

When: Saturday – Wednesday: 10am – 7pm, Thursdays and Fridays: 10am – 8pm

Age group: Children aged 2 – 10 years

Cost: Infant enter free. Responsible adult: AED 59 per adult. Ages 2-16 full day pass: AED 99 online / AED 125 at the gate. 1 Adult free (per paying child). Additional adults: AED 20 per adult.

For more information visit https://www.playtowndubai.com/en/ plus it’s available on The Entertainer.

Air Maniax

Air Maniax is a multi-activity sports and recreational facility with the first ever indoor inflatable park on a large scale (fresh for kids, nostalgic for adults). They also offer a ninja warrior course with a points-based system, the zip zag (imagine a zipline and quadruple the dose of adrenaline) and laser frenzy (think mission impossible laser heist scene). Air Maniax offers RFID wristband technology that allows guests to post their experiences onto social media in a matter of minutes. So, irrespective of age, Air Maniax will get the heart racing, the blood pumping and the adrenaline peaking!

Where: No.16 Street 1 Al Quoz Industrial First Behind Dynatrade – Dubai, UAE

When: Open 7 days a week

Age group: 2 years and up with a dedicated toddler area

Cost: Pricing starts at AED 80 per hour for general access and different options are available

For more information visit https://www.airmaniax.com/.

All can play at We Rock The Spectrum

Mums of children with special needs will be pleased to know that We Rock The Spectrum gym was founded as a place where all can play, but specifically to target the needs of children with autism, with equipment that have been designed to address the dynamic nervous system of children with autism and other special needs.

Allowing children to play using the sensory based equipment encourages them to expand their mind and reach new heights of ability levels. This also gives the children a chance to use their imagination and become their favourite characters while experiencing the exhilaration of climbing, jumping, swinging, crashing, crawling, running or zipping on any one of the various pieces of awesome equipment found at We Rock the Spectrum Kid’s Gym. We think this is just FABULOUS!

Where: Beach Park Plaza Centre, Beach Road, Jumeirah, Dubai, UAE

When: Open 7 days a week

Age group: 6 months – 10 years

Cost: Pricing starts at AED 63 per hour and different options are available

For more information visit https://www.werockthespectrumdubai.com plus it’s available on The Entertainer.

The Green Planet Dubai

Dubai’s only indoor rainforest, The Green Planet Dubai is definitely not to be missed! With over 3,000 exotic plants and a fab range of resident animals that the kids will love, this tropical, green indoor oasis gives children the chance to encounter the wonders of nature and get up close to some of their iconic wildlife like the lovable sloths!

Where: The Green Planet, City Walk – Al Wasl, Dubai, UAE

When: Open 7 days a week

Age group: All ages are welcome

Cost: Online prices start at AED 99. Child rate is applicable for ages 3 to 12 years. Adult rate is applicable to age 13 years and above. The Green Planet reserves the right to request for proof of age.

For more information visit https://www.thegreenplanetdubai.com/en

This article first appeared on British Mums.