Indoor play centres across Dubai for keeping kids busy

This guide covers eight indoor play centres spread across Dubai, from Mirdif and Festival City to Dubai Marina and Palm Jumeirah. Everything below comes from what each centre says about itself.

Al Quoz: themed rooms and a jungle cafe

Ready Set Go! in Al Quoz 3 is an indoor play centre with a jungle-themed cafe for food and drinks. There is a first aid room on site.

It is well set up for birthdays, with several themed party rooms: jungle, tropical, underwater, dinosaur and winter. There is an outdoor party option too.

Arjan and Al Barsha: a play studio and an indoor amusement park

Two Point O Kids Soft Play and Activity Centre is a soft play park in Arjan. It has an in-house cafe where parents can relax while children play.

Besides drop-in play, it runs:

• a daycare programme for ages 0 to 7
• an after-school programme with educational activities, creative workshops and games
• birthday parties in three tiers, with decorations, hosts and games

Kids HQ is on Umm Suqeim Street in Al Barsha 2. Alongside the soft play it has a big ball pit, a DIY studio with a daily craft schedule, an interactive game room and a cloud play area. It also has a cafe.

There are several ticket types, including a general pass, a full-day pass, a drop-off option and a membership. Each birthday party gets its own private room with theme decoration, and you can add extras such as face painting, balloon arches, popcorn stations, magic shows and character appearances.

Mirdif: indoor rides and soft play

Fun City in Mirdif has large indoor rides that give an amusement-park feel in an indoor setting. It also has a soft play area called The Playzone, and a Play Membership gives unlimited access to it.

Play runs on a Powercard. Any Powercard bought in the UAE works at Fun City, Fun Works, Fun Block and Tridom outlets across the country. Birthday bookings include a private party hall.

Fun City is a homegrown brand created by Landmark Leisure, the entertainment division of Landmark Group.

Dubai Marina: a calm space

Kids Hub Entertainment in Dubai Marina is intentionally calm, with no flashing lights and no overwhelming noise. The playground was designed by a psychologist, and staff are trained by one.

It is close to JBR, JLT, Bluewaters, Dubai Harbour and Palm Jumeirah. There is basement parking at Marina Gate with lift access directly to the venue.

During school holidays it runs activity camps for children aged 2 to 12, with half-day and full-day options. It also hosts birthday parties.

Dubailand: a chain with weekday activities

Cheeky Monkeys in Dubailand is part of a chain with eight locations across the UAE. Children can climb and slide on the play structures.

Each branch has its own cafe serving coffee, kids' meals and snacks, with WiFi for parents. Structured activities such as dance, art and story time run on weekdays.

For birthdays there are three indoor party packages and three outdoor ones.

Festival City: play inside a mall

Leo&Loona Kids Park operates inside shopping malls, and its Dubai branch is in Dubai Festival City Mall. It is part of a chain with parks across Europe.

The park has a cafe, a gift shop with souvenirs and toys, lockers and a first aid station. It runs entertaining and educational workshops for children of different ages.

Birthday parties include full access to every attraction in the park.

Palm Jumeirah: playmates and a cafe

At Orange Wheels - Palm Jumeirah Mall, staff called playmates run rhymes, games, stories and songs with the children. Parents can use the Orange Café for treats and drinks while children play.

The venue is cleaned in several rounds through the day, with regular deep cleaning sessions. It also runs workshops built around hands-on activities and projects.

Birthday parties come with a private party room, a host and entertainer, a kids' meal with juice and cake cutting. Themes include Superhero Adventure, Princess Fantasy, Under the Sea, Jungle Safari, Space Odyssey, Carnival and Paw Patrol, or you can customise your own.

Before you go

• Contact Ready Set Go before you set off. Its opening can be affected by holidays or private bookings.
• Pack socks for Cheeky Monkeys. They are mandatory inside the play areas. Walk-ins are welcome, but weekends can get busy, so call or WhatsApp ahead if you want a quieter visit.
• Drop-off at Kids Hub Entertainment is for children aged 3 and above only and must be booked in advance. Walk-ins are not accepted for drop-off.
• Planning a party? Fun City and Kids HQ both need a minimum of 10 children. Orange Wheels also has a minimum number, which depends on the branch.
• A Fun City Powercard expires if it goes unused for six months after purchase or last use.