Baby and Toddler Activities in Dubai: Honest Reviews After Trying 5 Popular Activities

We started exploring activities when my son was around 10 months old. If you have a baby or young toddler (roughly 6–18 months), these are our honest experiences trying some of Dubai’s most popular classes and activities.

One activity I was particularly keen on starting with my son was swimming.

In my head, I imagined enrolling him in baby swimming lessons when he was around six months old. However, being part of an Indian family, I knew the idea probably wouldn’t be received very well. Most people felt he was simply too small and that there was plenty of time later.

By the time I finally felt ready to start, winter had arrived and I struggled to find suitable classes. Before I knew it, my son was approaching his first birthday and we still hadn’t started swimming.

In the meantime, I began looking for activities that would get us out of the house and would also be considered perfectly safe and age-appropriate by family members. That search introduced me to a whole world of baby and toddler activities across Dubai.

While I love exploring classes, story sessions, and play spaces around the city, we obviously don’t spend every day out and about. On quieter days at home, I rely on simple activities to keep my toddler engaged. If you’re looking for easy ideas you can try at home, I’ve shared some of our favourites in my post on 8 Simple Activities for a 15-Month-Old That My Toddler Loves.

Over the last several months, we’ve tried Baby Sensory, Phonic Tots, story reading sessions, soft play, and finally swimming lessons. Some were a huge hit, while others felt better suited to older toddlers.

If you’re looking for baby or toddler activities in Dubai, these are our honest experiences.

Quick Overview

Activity	Age We Tried It	Approx Cost	Would I Recommend It?
Baby Sensory	10 months	AED 600 for 5 sessions	Absolutely
Phonic Tots	15 months	AED 120 for 1 trial session	Better for older toddlers
Story Reading Sessions	10 months	AED 25-50	Better for older toddlers
Soft Play	10 months	AED 60-80	Definitely
Swimming Lessons	11 months	AED 660 for 6 sessions	Without hesitation

Baby Sensory Dubai Review

My son was around 10 months old when we attended our first Baby Sensory trial session.

To be honest, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect because the concept was completely new to me. We attended a trial class and absolutely loved it, eventually signing up for five sessions.

Each session lasted around an hour and followed a different theme. Sessions were well organised and usually began with a welcome song and introductions. Most classes had fewer than ten babies and were grouped by age, so your child was surrounded by babies at a similar developmental stage.

One week the theme might be the sea, with babies being introduced to sea-animal toys and props. Another week would feature completely different sensory experiences.

My son’s favourite parts were definitely the bubbles and the dancing. Parents would pick up their babies and dance around the room while music played, and every time the bubbles appeared his eyes would light up.

I also appreciated that the sessions included a short break where babies could freely explore a soft play area. It prevented the session from becoming overwhelming and gave them a chance to play independently.

Another benefit was meeting other parents. I ended up making a few friends, and it was lovely chatting with mums who had babies of a similar age.

You genuinely never realised when the hour had passed. Between the songs, sensory activities, dancing, bubbles, and soft play break, the session moved at a lovely pace and kept both babies and parents engaged.

Would I Recommend It?

Absolutely.

If you’re looking for a structured activity that introduces your baby to new sights, sounds, textures, and experiences, Baby Sensory is something I’d happily recommend.

Phonic Tots Dubai Review

We only attended a trial session with Phonic Tots because I wanted to see what it was like for myself.

From what I’d seen online, I expected it to focus on movement, music, and encouraging children to participate actively.

While the programme accepts babies from six months onwards, my personal opinion is that it’s much better suited to older toddlers.

When we attended, my son was around 15 months old. At that stage he wasn’t walking independently yet and wasn’t really able to follow instructions or participate in group activities. Most of the session involved music, dancing, props, and encouraging children to follow actions during songs.

The class itself was enjoyable and I don’t mean to undermine it in any way. However, I personally felt my son was simply too young to get the full benefit from it.

The session also lasted around 90 minutes, which felt quite long for a child his age.

What stood out to me was that the older toddlers seemed to be having an amazing time. Children who were already walking confidently, talking, and actively participating appeared far more engaged with the activities.

Would I Recommend It?

Yes—but probably not for younger babies.

Personally, I would wait until at least two years of age before attending.

Story Reading Sessions for Babies in Dubai

One thing I’ve been very intentional about since my son was born is building a love for books.

Because of that, I’ve tried to attend story reading sessions for babies and toddlers in Dubai whenever I come across them, even when my son was probably too young to fully understand the stories.

One of my favourite discoveries was Kutubna Cultural Center. It’s a lovely little bookstore and cultural space that encourages reading and regularly hosts activities such as story sessions, writing workshops, art exhibitions, and other community events.

I first took my son to one of their story reading sessions when he was around 10 months old.

While he was certainly more interested in looking around the room and observing the other children than following the storyline itself, I still felt it was a worthwhile experience. I know some parents may feel that a 10-month-old is too young for story sessions, and they’re probably not wrong. But building a love for books was something I was personally very keen on from the beginning, so for me it wasn’t really about whether he understood every word of the story. It was more about exposing him to books, reading, and being in an environment where stories were celebrated.

The two story reading sessions we’ve attended featured:

• Billy Bear’s Brown Hair by Dina O Nasr
• Veggie Parade by Karishma Nankani

After attending these events, I usually purchase a copy of the featured book. Not only does it allow us to continue enjoying the story at home, but I also like supporting children’s authors and encouraging the creation of more high-quality books for young readers.

These sessions are also another opportunity for babies and toddlers to be around other children and begin socialising in a relaxed environment. While socialisation wasn’t the main reason I attended, it was certainly a nice added benefit.

Reading is something I’ve been making a conscious effort to encourage in our home. While I’m not a particularly avid reader myself, I do believe books can play an important role in a child’s development, and I wanted to introduce them to my son from an early age. Not every family will place the same emphasis on books, and that’s completely fine, but it’s something that matters to me. That’s one of the reasons I chose to take my son to story sessions even before he was old enough to fully understand them.

Would I Recommend It?

If you’re someone who values reading and wants to encourage a love for books from an early age, I’d definitely recommend giving story reading sessions for babies and toddlers a try. Your baby may not sit through the entire story—mine certainly didn’t—but I still found them to be a lovely way to introduce books and reading into our routine.

For me, these sessions weren’t really about whether my son understood the story. They were about creating positive experiences around books, supporting authors, and making reading a natural part of everyday life.

Soft Play

Dubai has no shortage of soft play centres. Although we’ve only explored a few so far, I think soft play can be introduced surprisingly early—even from the crawling stage.

My son’s first exposure to soft play actually came through Baby Sensory sessions, where babies were encouraged to explore toys and equipment at their own pace.

More recently, we’ve visited dedicated soft play centres, and he has absolutely loved them.

His favourite feature is without question the ball pit.

The last time we visited, he spent ages sliding into it, being gently tossed into it by us, and laughing hysterically every time.

He also enjoyed bouncing lightly on the trampoline, crawling in and out of tunnels, and exploring caterpillar-shaped play structures.

What I love most about soft play is that it encourages independent exploration in a safe environment.

It’s also a great option if you’re meeting a friend. The children stay busy exploring while the adults actually get a chance to have a conversation.

Would I Recommend It?

Absolutely.

It’s one of the easiest and most enjoyable ways to entertain active babies and toddlers in Dubai.

Swimming Lessons

Swimming was the activity I wanted to start first—but ended up starting last.

I finally enrolled my son shortly before his first birthday.

My goal was never really for him to learn formal swimming strokes. What I wanted was for him to develop a positive relationship with water and feel comfortable around it from an early age.

I specifically chose parent-and-baby classes because I loved the idea of sharing the experience with him.

Given how much he already loved splashing around in the bath, I suspected swimming would be a success. Even as a younger baby, he would happily sit in the bathtub and protest when it was time to come out.

I was right.

I’ll never forget his first lesson. He spent the entire session smiling, splashing, kicking, and laughing.

The classes were beautifully designed around play-based learning. Coach Helen used toys, songs, games, ducks, floating props, and fish stickers to encourage kicking, paddling, reaching, and movement in the water.

For example, we would throw floating ducks and encourage the babies to kick towards them. Later, babies were encouraged to retrieve fish stickers from the shallow end of the pool.

Everything was taught through play.

The pace never felt pressured, and the activities gradually became more challenging while remaining fun.

We’ve completed around ten sessions so far, and I try to take him swimming regularly myself.

He absolutely loves being in the water and still protests every single time it’s time to leave the pool.

Looking back, it almost feels like I kept him away from water for too long.

Would I Recommend It?

Without hesitation.

In fact, if I could go back in time, I would probably start earlier.

For us, swimming wasn’t about teaching a baby to swim independently—it was about building confidence, familiarity, and joy around water.

What’s Next?

One thing I’ve realised as a parent is that there are far more baby and toddler activities available in Dubai than I ever imagined.

I’m always looking for new experiences for my son, and I feel fortunate to live in a city with so many options.

Next on my list is getting him regular access to a library and books, as well as finally trying Gymboree, which I’ve heard great things about but haven’t visited yet.

I’m also part of several mum WhatsApp groups, which have become an invaluable source of recommendations and information about age-appropriate activities happening around the city.

As my son grows, I’m hoping to continue exploring new activities, classes, and experiences with him—and I’m determined not to miss out on too many of them this time around.

Final Thoughts

Every baby is different, and what works for one child may not work for another. But if you’re looking for baby and toddler activities in Dubai, I hope our experiences help give you a starting point.

I’d love to hear from other parents—what activities have you tried with your little one, and which ones have been the biggest hit? Let me know in the comments below.