Holiday in Dubai with Young Children

Dubai has become an increasingly popular holiday destination for families over the years.  Only six hours flight from the UK and with year round warm temperatures you can see why parents with young children are choosing Dubai. Coupled with this the locals love children and young ones are very well catered for with a wealth of attractions to see and do.

When my husband and I decided to take our first holiday abroad with our boy of nine months, Dubai was an immediate attraction for a number of reasons.

Firstly, the flight of six hours did not feel an unreasonable length of time for a flight and the possibility of a night flight made the journey a lot easier. Secondly, the year round warm temperatures made it very appealing although I would not recommend a visit during the very hot summer months! Finally, with a newborn I wanted to ensure that all facilities would be very clean and help on hand should we need emergency medical care. I had heard that Dubai is a very family focused place with hotels and activities all set up for parents and children. We were not proved wrong and there are an abundance of activities available.


Water parks

If you have a water baby the water parks in Dubai are fantastic. Aquaventure water park in Atlantis The Palm is the number one water park in the Middle East and Europe. Wild Wadi is also a great option for the whole family. Both have rides to thrill older children and adults alike whilst the bathing pools and shaded areas are perfect for the younger ones.

Local Parks

If you need to shelter from the midday heat there are a number of local parks available for a stroll including Jumeirah Beach Park, Creekside Park and Za’abeel Park.

Shopping Malls

Dubai is famous for its magnificent shopping malls and if you want to shelter from the sun they are perfect.  The Dubai Mall is great for young children.  We visited the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo, which Jack loved!


Children’s City

Based in Dubai this is an educational city where children from 2-15 years can learn and explore the world in which we live. It features lots of interactive displays and games designed to help children of all ages understand more about different cultures.

Hotels

The hotels in Dubai cater extremely well for families. Many have crèche facilities and well-established kids clubs to give parents a well-deserved break!

Atlantis The Palm

Is very popular with families with the water park, spa, aquarium, which is home to 65,000 marine animals, and choice of restaurants.


One&Only The Palm

is a family friendly luxury hotel with a heated outdoor pool supervised by a lifeguard. There is no crèche facility here but all little guests are welcome in the free Kids Only kids club.  With some notice it is also possible to arrange a babysitter.  Finally there is no need to pack a pram or pushchair as the hotel has its own available to borrow!

Jumeirah Beach Hotel

Rising from the shore of Dubai’s waterfront this luxurious hotel has facilities for all ages to relax and unwind. The Sinbad Children’s Club has its own shallow swimming pool in the shade and is staffed by professional carers with lots to occupy little ones.

I would not hesitate in recommending Dubai as a place to visit with a young family, and now with another young one only 8 weeks old I think we will be paying another visit for our next holiday!