While Dubai is synonymous with glitz, glam, and luxury, there are things that you can do for leisure without shelling bucks out of your wallet. The city is a kids-friendly destination with a myriad of activities, experiences, and attractions designed specifically for children and teens. Kids get bored quite easily.
To keep them occupied and entertained especially during vacations is indeed an arduous task. You do not essentially have to exhaust your salary to spend quality time with kids. There are things in Dubai that you can do with kids for free.
Getting off the edge of your seat? Read on to find out more interesting details.
Best Free Things to do with Kids in Dubai
From beach days to park picnics, from free food to visiting enthralling landmarks, there are tons of free things for kids to do in the emirate of Dubai.
While the weather stays hot for most of the year, Dubai residents do get their fair share of pleasant weather and cold days. Gear up for some exciting kids-friendly outdoor experiences that won’t cost you an arm or a leg.
Here we have penned down some of the most popular and enjoyable activities that you can plan with your family on a budget.
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Plan a Picnic at the Park
There is an abundance of options available for outdoor picnics in Dubai. The city has been lathered with lush green parks and grounds to allow families and individuals to come and spend time close to nature. Nothing beats the cozy warm sunshine on a cold day. Plan a picnic at one of the parks in the emirate and let your children play, explore, and relax close to Mother Nature.
While some parks charge a nominal fee, there are some options available where you can get access to the area for free. A Barsha Pond Park, Al Sufouh Park, Safa Park, Umm Suqeim Park, Jumeirah Lake towers Park, and Al Ittehad Park are some of the notable parks in Dubai where you can enter for free and spend wholesome time with kids and family.
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Go for Playtime at Outdoor Playgrounds and Play Areas
There are a lot of outdoor play areas and grounds dotted across the city where you can take kids for quality playtime without having to spend any money. All that it takes to bring a smile across the kids’ faces is a fun time where they can kick a ball, run around after other kids, jump on the grass, and go on slides and rides with their buddies.
There are lots of free playgrounds in Dubai where you can head off with the kids for free. Most of the playgrounds have a couple of slides, swings, climbing walls, and other playful activities to keep the kids occupied for a good few hours.
Town Square Park, Al Khazzan Park, Burj Beach Park, Safa Park 2, the playground at Dubai Creek Harbour, Expo City Dubai, The Sustainable City Park, and The Block in Dubai Design District are popular outdoor playgrounds with free rides and swings and dedicated areas for kids to let them have a time of their life.
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Visit Restaurants for Free Snacks and Food
Although upscale restaurants and eateries may charge you hefty amounts for the food you order, there are some notable establishments in Dubai where your kids can eat for free. Most of these restaurants and cafes allow kids under a certain to eat food for free when a parent orders an adult meal.
Habtoor Grand Resort, Yalumba Dubai, Black Tap Craft Burgers, Denny’s, and LEGOLAND Dubai Resort are renowned destinations in the emirate where you can take kids to enjoy free snacks and meals.
For more information on places where kids can eat free, click here.
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Hop over Downtown for Dancing Fountain Show
The world’s biggest dancing fountain show can be an entertaining sight for kids of all ages. Small children and toddlers may find the choreographed fountains a bit too fascinating and you can let them gaze there at the magnificent sight absolutely for free.
Hop over downtown in the evening and spend quality time with family in the adjacent Burj Park while waiting for the dancing fountain show to begin.
Entry to the park is free and you can enjoy watching the show without having to pay any fee.
Dubai Fountain Show goes off every half an hour starting from 6 pm till 11 pm every day. Take a tour of the World’s largest Shopping Mall right next to the fountains and roam around downtown for a fun-packed weekend with kids.
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Go Camping in the Desert
Excite your kids and watch them go gaga over a camping trip in the desert. If you are an adventure seeker and want your kids to experience something exceptional without having to break the bank, then you may consider camping in the Dubai desert. The most suitable option for families with kids is to plan a trip to Al Qudra. The remote area is not so far from the city and is a beautiful sight for people of all ages.
Visit Love Lake and camp alongside the lake bank for a venturesome activity for the kids. The Qudra area is quite well-maintained and is a family-friendly spot to spend a good few hours on a cold winter’s day.
Smoke up some charcoal and grill meat, kebabs, and marshmallows for a nice hearty BBQ lunch. Indulge the kids as helping hands and enjoy a fulfilling day that too for free.
To find out more information on free lakes in Dubai, click here.
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Spend a day on the Beach Side
Nothing excites the kids more than a sandy day at the beach. There are endless fun and play opportunities when it comes to spending a day with the kids on the beachside. Fill up your bag with beach toys, shovels, buckets, forks, and spoons to let them dig, scoop, and make things out of the sand.
Dubai has some nice and free beaches which you can access for free and spend as much time as you like to keep the kids busy and entertained. Let them splash the waters, make sandcastles, run, go wild, and much on some light snacks along the shoreline. However, keep an eye on and supervise all the activities to keep them safe and protected.
Kite Beach, JBR Beach, Jumeirah Beach, Al Sufouh Beach, La Mer, Marina Beach, and Al Mamzar beach are the best free beaches in Dubai that you can visit with kids for a frolicsome day.
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Take a Stroll around the Winter Pop up Markets
As the weather gets colder, winter markets begin to pop up around select locations in Dubai. Rigga Road and Al Muraqabbat road are popular destinations hosting night markets where there is a range of fun activities to do with the kids. Anyone can visit the market for free and stroll around to soak in festive vibes and a lively atmosphere. Let kids run around while you sip on a hot cup of coffee or Karak tea.
There are also cheap shopping options and budget food stalls to shop and eat at extremely low rates.
Ripe Market at Dubai Police HQ is another good option to take kids for a nice evening stroll for free. The market allows kids and senior citizens to enter for free with adult tickets priced at AED 5 only.
Walk around in the park, have a look at fresh organic fruits and vegetables, get your hands on some cool local merchandise, and enjoy a lively vibe and great community atmosphere.
Your kids would surely love to hang around in there.
Find more details on Dubai Winter Night markets here.
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Visit Water Parks for Free
While water parks in Dubai can take a financial toll on your wallet, there are options that you can avail to let your kids enter for free.
Aquaventure Waterpark in Atlantis, Dubai offers free entry to everyone on their birthdays. You can take your kid for a visit to the waterpark on their hatch day to let them let loose and go wild on the water rides.
Wild Wadi Waterpark is another attractive option offering free entry to visitors on their birthdays.
What better than surprising your little one with a special visit to their favorite waterpark and that too for free? Sounds too good to be true. You just shouldn’t miss out on this.
For more details on things that you do for free on your birthday, click here.
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Visit Heritage Village Dubai
If your kids have an interest in history, museums, and ancient things, then a suitable option is to pay a visit to Heritage Village Dubai on Al Khaleej Street. . The outdoor area displays Emirati culture and heritage through an old-world Souk, a beautiful mosque, and a camp that depicts life from the older times.
Entry to the attraction is free and you can plan a visit to the kids for an interesting day exploring and discovering the city’s years-old culture and heritage.