Dubai is the perfect place to escape for some winter sun with a baby and also a really easy place to travel with littles in tow! In this guide we tell you everything you need to know about traveling to Dubai with toddler or baby in tow from how to get around, things to see and where to stay to make your visit stress free!
Getting around Dubai with a baby or toddler
Using Dubai Taxis with children
If you are travelling with toddlers in Dubai taxis are a great way to get around. Taxis are cheap however they don’t often have car seats! The roads in Dubai can be crazy so we recommend travelling with your own car seat and I personally would never get into a car in Dubai without having my child in an appropriate restraint! The toddler car seat Dubai rules are that all children under 4 must be in a car seat however this is seldom enforced. I would strongly advise you to always follow this rule and other all other rules in Dubai.
If you are not travelling with a car seat (though I would advise that you do) instead of using a standard Dubai taxi I would recommend ordering your car through Careem Kids! These come with car seats
Otherwise for airport pickups use a reputable company like Black lane and ask for car seats! Then use public transport to get around!
Using the Metro in Dubai with Baby or Toddler
The Dubai metro is really efficient and it is very easy to use the metro in Dubai with baby or toddler! As long as you don’t use at rush hour the metro is relatively quiet and there is a dedicated women and children carriage where you are bound to find seats! If you want to travel around by metro however you will need to stay on the centre as it is very time consuming to get to and from the palm this way!
Looking for things to make baby travel easier? Then check out this post!
Where to stay in Dubai with a baby or toddler
If you are looking for where to stay in Dubai with a baby or toddler we have rounded up the favourite places for the ultimate guide of family friendly hotels in Dubai.
Conrad Dubai – the answer to where to stay in Dubai with a toddler
When we want to experience Dubai city life there is only one hotel we stay at – the Conrad (our review here). We stayed at the Conrad with our little girl when she was a baby and when she was a toddler and if was equally good for both ages.
What I love about staying at the Conrad Dubai is that it has one of the best breakfasts in the whole of Dubai. On top of that it has a a fabulous pool – a true urban oasis and is close to all the major toddler friendly attractions! This is also a great hotel for a babymoon in Dubai.
The only downside to staying here is that it is a city centre rather than beach location. This means it is perfect for getting to places such as the Burj Khalifa, Dubai mall etc but not so great if you are prioritising a beach break.
To read more reviews click HERE!
Fairmont the Palm – a great baby friendly Dubai hotel
The palm is full of great family friendly resorts and is one of the most baby friendly Dubai hotels. We usually stay at the palm as we love the shaded pool! This is better for families who want beach and relaxation more than doing lots of things in central dubai
To read more reviews online click HERE!
The Atlantis
After the burj al arab – but who can afford that – the Atlantis is Dubai’s most iconic hotel! It has many family friendly touches including an aquarium!
To read more reviews online click HERE!
However if you aren’t staying at The Atlantis but would still like to visit you can. There are a whole range of ways you can visit including visiting the Atlantis waterpark and lost chambering of secrets. Click here to see all the options of visiting The Atlantis as a day visitor.
Fraiser suite
Looking for a place with a kitchen – then for us the only choice is Fraser Suites!
To read more reviews online click HERE!
Bab Al Shams
Baby’s First Holiday – Dubai at Bab Al Shams – Where to stay in Dubai with a baby or toddler
If you are looking for something unique while travelling to Dubai with baby or toddler in tow then I recommend trying to one of the desert resorts in Dubai. We stayed at the Bab Al Shams desert resort which was just a short drive outside of Dubai and Abu Dhabi on the border. It was great to stay at a luxury resort among the dunes and our toddler loved all of the usual luxury hotel amenities like the pool as well as the kids activities on offer – especially the falconry.
To read more reviews online here!
For a more indepth area guide on where to stay in Dubai with a family check out this post!
Best things to do in Dubai with toddler or baby in tow
Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo – one of the best things in Dubai for toddlers
Dubai Aquarium – best things to do in dubai with toddler and baby
Our toddlers favourite place in all of Dubai! I would say that this is actually one of the best places in Dubai for toddlers as there is just so much for them to see.
You can see one side of the aquarium tunnel from the mall but it is well worth the admission to actually go inside as the tunnel is only one small part of the aquarium. The aquarium is actually split over three floors of the impressive Dubai Mall – the tunnel being on the first and second floor and then up on the third floor is the Underwater zoo.
You usually start your visit walking through the two storey tunnel tank where you will see sharks and stink rays galore. Depending on your toddlers interest depends on how long you will spend in this section. Our record is 30 minutes – we have a sea creature mad toddler.
After you have finished in the tunnel you head upstairs where there are more exhibits include a giant crocodile, penguin and other usual exhibits. Depending on what ticket you have purchased there are also options for doing behind the scenes tours which we have done previously and throughly recommend. For full ticket options CLICK HERE.
Top Tip for Visiting Dubai Aquarium with toddlers: The queues to get in the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater zoo can get ridiculously long – first time we waited over half an hour. Be sure to book your tickets online in advance (Click here for rates and ticket information) as this will mean you can skip the queue.
If you forget then I would recommend heading up the third floor and buy your tickets at the Underwater zoo entrance rather than the tunnel entrance as the queues here are much shorter as not many people know you can do this.
Another place nearby worth visiting is of course the Burj Khalifa and combined tickets are available.
Dubai Mall fountains – one of the best things to do with toddlers in Dubai
The Dubai Mall Fountains are one of my toddlers favourite things to do in Dubai and I would say one of the best things to do with toddlers in Dubai. For those who have visited Las Vegas you will be able to see that they were designed by the same people who did the iconic fountains in front of the Bellagio.
The Fountains are brilliant to watch any time of day and will be set to music but if you are there in the evening there is something extra special as there will also be a light show component to the fountains that you can’t appreciate during the day. I have heard that the music range the fountain dances to ranges from Arabic to English pop classics but most admit that we have only ever heard them dance to arabic music. The fountain show lasts for around 5 minutes and is one of the most toddler friendly Dubai has to offer.
Dubai Mall Fountain Show Times: Watching the fountains will depend on when you are visiting i.e in the week versus weekend as this will affect the frequency and show starting time. The shows typical run on the hour during the week or every half hour on the half hour at the weekend. Evening shows start at 6pm and run to 11pm and two afternoon performances at around 1pm (friday timings are different due to Friday being the holy day. For the current schedule check the Dubai Mall website.
Tips for Watching for Dubai Mall Fountains with kids: Watching the Dubai Mall Fountains can get extremely busy which can be intimidating for a toddler or a little one. Get there early if you are travelling at peak time to make sure your little one gets a good spot. Afternoon performances as you can see from the photo tend to be quieter than those in the evening. Also most people will watch from the mall side so to find a quieter spot and head to the Souk al Bahar side to escape the crowds. I also like to watch the fountains while having dinner. There are loads on options for dinner on the Dubai Mall Side including Carluccio’s, Social House and Wifi Gourmet to name a few. However I like heading to the Souk al Bahar side and eating outside on the terrace at Abd El WAhab which serves some of my favourite Middle Eastern Cuisine in Dubai.
Head to the Top of the Burj Khalifa
Heading to the top of the Burj Khalifa is a must for any Dubai bucket list even if you are visiting Dubai with babies or toddlers. Basically there are two observation decks at the Burj Khalifa – one at the 124th floor and one at the 144th floor. You can get tickets for either the lower level observation deck or for both! Obviously only going to the lower level deck is the cheaper experience but I think if possible you should try and do both!
We recommend buying tickets in advance. The options for tickets are:
The ticket price will also vary depending on whether you are travelling up at peak time (afternoon – sunset is one of the most pricey times to visit)!
For more tips for visiting the Burj Khalifa check out this post!
Motiongate dubai with a toddler
Motiongate Dubai with a toddler is a great idea for spending a half day or whole day for your Dubai with a toddler itinerary. If you like us have a Madagascar lover in the house like we do then this is the theme park for you! There are also rides based on Shrek, how to train your dragon and kung fu panda! One of the great things about visiting Dubai Parks and Resorts with toddlers is that unlike visiting Disney and other theme parks around the world there are never any queues here. The longest we have ever waited to get on a ride at MOtiongate is five minutes. Admittedly we only went on the rides that were toddler friendly so we didn’t do the bigger rollercoasters but as we wandered around the park we never saw any long queue times for actual rides.
As with any theme park, I recommend buying your tickets online to avoid having to suffer the long entrance queues! Depending on who you are traveling with and how many parks you want to visit it might be worth buying a combination ticket but there are single park options! Otherwise, if you are considering hitting a lot of Dubai’s attractions in a week then the Dubai explorer pass may be a money saver – you can check the cost and inclusions here!
You can buy your online tickets via Viator using this link!
Or you purchase your tickets in advance via Get Your Guide here!
You can read our full review here!
Is LEGOLAND Dubai with toddlers a good idea?
A great attraction that suits older toddlers and preschoolers! Can be combined with the above! You will want your child to be at least 95cm to use rides as when we went to Legoland Dubai with toddler in tow we found it a little disappointing as our daughter was only around 91cms so there was very little for her to do.
However she did love looking at the models of Dubai as she could recognise many of the buildings.
if you are considering hitting a lot of Dubai’s attractions in a week then the Dubai explorer pass may be a money saver – you can check the cost and inclusions here!
You can buy your online tickets via Viator using this link!
Or you purchase your tickets in advance via Get Your Guide here!
Dubai creek
Aka old Dubai! My favourite activity is in Old Dubai, Dubai Creek is to take a dhow ride down the creek. A dhow is the traditional boat of the Gulf and a ride on one will delight your toddler. And one of the best things about this is that is it one of the cheapest things to do in Dubai with toddler as a dhow ride only costs 1 Dihram.
Hit the malls
The malls in Dubai are something else! Dubai Mall is the biggest mall in the world and is a great place to spend an afternoon. Located next to the Burj Khalifa, fountain shows and aquarium this is a full day out.
after Dubai mall my next favourite is the Mall of the Emirates. Another mega-mall. This malls is home to Dubai ski – a large indoor ski slope which can be used by children as young as two dependent on the activity. Some of the activities on offer at Ski Dubai are skiing, tubing, and bobsleds amongst other things. They also have a penguin encounter for children aged four and over.
To check out all the ticket and activity options at Ski Dubai click here!
Spending a day at the beach – one of the best things to do in Dubai with a baby
One of the best things to do in Dubai with baby or toddlers is of course to spend time at the beach. There are several ways in which you could do this – first is to stay at a hotel with beach access (such as the Atlantis and Fairmont listed above, visit one of the many Dubai five star restates which offer day passes or visit one of the public beaches.
My preference is always to use one of the beaches at the hotels either as a hotel guest or as a day visitor. Either way this is one of the best things to do in Dubai with a baby.
If you would prefer one of the public beaches which are entirely free or have a small admission fee we recommend Jumeriah Beach. This beach is free to enter and is famous for its amazing views of the Burj al Arab. If you want to spend a whole day at Jumeirah Beach it is very easy as there are lots of restaurants on the boardwalk and you can rent beach equipment such as sun loungers and umbrellas for a small fee.
Dubai miracle garden
A floral gem in the winter months! The Dubai Miracle Garden is only open from November to May during the UAE Winter months when the temperatures are cool enough for people to wander in the day time.
The Miracle Garden is also an instagrammers dream with many amazing photo opportunities including the tunnel of flower hearts and most famously seeing the Emirates Plane made entirely of flowers. The Garden is reputed to be made up of over 50 million flowers and is one of the best garden attractions I have been anywhere in the world
Seeing the emirates plane made out of flowers is amazing and an Instagram hit!
Glow garden
Another winter only attraction open. This is an evening only attraction which opens from about 4pm however to really appreciate Dubai Glow Garden you need to be there at dark. We have been wanting to do this with our toddler for a long time but her 6:30pm bedtime means we have never actually managed to keep her awake late enough to go.
If you can guarantee that your child will stay up later than ours be sure to buy your tickets online in advance
Dubai frame
If you want a great view of Dubai but don’t want to pay the prices of Burj khalifa admission you may want to head to Dubai’s newest high attraction. Dubai Frame offers spectacular views of the city.
To buy your tickets online click here
Tips for Visiting Dubai with a Baby or Toddler
- Bring your car seat with you. Driving in Dubai can be on the crazy side and you will definitely want to have your own seat to secure your child
- Bring your stroller – Dubai with a baby is very easy and most places are stroller friendly in Dubai.
- Bring plenty of sun cream – the sun is strong all year round is actually one of our favourite winter sun destinations with a baby.
Dubai itinerary with toddler or baby
If you are looking for an itinerary for Dubai with toddlers the above could be done in about 4-5 days depending on how long you want to spend at each attraction. If you are staying a bit longer why not add a day trip to Abu Dhabi onto your itinerary or even spend a few days in the capital following our Abu Dhabi itinerary! From there you can explore some of the UAE’s best beaches, explore Islamic culture and more!
Next Read: Dubai Vs Abu Dhabi – a Comparison Guide
Other Useful Things to Know if you are travelling to Dubai with a baby or toddler
Is baby car seat mandatory in Dubai?
A baby car seat is mandatory in Dubai. All children under the age of 4 are required to use a car seat.
Breastfeeding in Dubai Information
At medical centres in Dubai breastfeeding is encouraged however discretion is required. There is no law against breastfeeding in public however the advice is that breasts must be covered when feeding in public places. If this makes you concerned however there are always mother and baby rooms in malls and other tourist attractions which can be used.
What is your favourite thing to do in Dubai with toddlers?
Further UAE Reading
Dubai vs Abu Dhabi which should you visit?
Dubai
Tips for visiting the Burj Khalifa
Abu Dhabi
GR
Thursday 16th of May 2019
Hi There!
Could you tell us your experience with a jet lagged toddler? My family wants to go this winter and we are worried how the long trip would go with a 2yr and a 5yr old on tow. Any suggestions?
Wandermust Mummy
Friday 13th of September 2019
We actually have a post on toddler jet lag if you use the search bar you should find it. I usually find my toddler recovers much quicker than me tbh
Nicky@Go Live Young
Monday 25th of March 2019
Its funny reading this while sat in Dubai. No kids for us this time around though as here on a no kids break! Had a great time and will be really sad to leave #fearlessfamtrav
Wandermust Mummy
Monday 25th of March 2019
Haha! I imagine a very different place child free
Keri | Ladies What Travel
Thursday 21st of March 2019
I'm still to visit Dubai but I can really see how family friendly it is, so much to do huh?! #fearlessfamtrav
Cath - Passports and Adventures
Thursday 21st of March 2019
So glad I've read this post. As you know we're finally visiting Dubai this year so this post gives me an idea of what we can see and do, even in our short time there. Your tip about prebooking tickets is at the forefront of my mind. #fearlessfamtrav
Phoebe | Lou Messugo
Thursday 21st of March 2019
Dubai is so child friendly, we went last year with a tween and it's great at that age too. #fearlessfamtrav