While Qatar boasts glorious sunshine year-round, summer (June to September) brings scorching temperatures that can soar well above 40°C (104°F). With an increasing emphasis on tourism and many tempting layover offers available on Qatar Airways, many more tourists are now considering visiting Doha during the hot summer months.
To help you combat this, we have been searching for the most kid-friendly ideas to keep you busy indoors in Qatar. We’ve broken them down into a few categories so you can easily find what you’re looking for:
See the map for locations, or keep reading to find out more
Keeping Active – Indoor Sporting Activities in Qatar
Many places are multi-purpose, often boasting activities suitable for older children and entertainment for younger children. We have tried to fit everything into the best category!
Bounce
Based in Tawar Mall, Bounce is not just a trampolining centre, offering the X-Park freestyle playground, an obstacle course for adrenaline junkies. The challenges can be completed standalone or as part of a circuit, including Parkour, a boulder wall, and a zip line. Note the minimum height for X-Park is 125cm.
You must be 110cm to enter Bounce Trampoline Park. For guests shorter than 110cm, there is an impressive soft play with mini trampolines.
Inflatapark
A huge inflatable indoor playground, Inflatapark is a 1000 sqm play area that has been designed for children from 3 years old.
Located in City Center Mall, there are various jumping packages available.
Learn more at citycenterdoha.com/en/shop/inflata-park/
Trampo
This trampoline park offers various games to play across the trampolines, including battle beam, basketball, an airbag, trapeze, slackline, monkey bar, twist ladder and swing rope.
Separate from jumping, a range of climbing walls are available, alongside a skytrail (for older and younger children) and soft play.
Various packages are available, and pricing is dependent upon age. Jumpers under 6 must be accompanied by a guardian (at no separate charge).
Battlezone Paintballing
Out in Al Thumama Mall, this indoor paintballing experience is a great way to burn off energy. Separated into adults and juniors, there are various battles you can undertake, from Capture the Flag to Elimination.
Learn more at battlezoneqa.com
Snow Dunes
Feel the magic of winter in the desert with 12 super cool rides and attractions for all ages and abilities. From zorbing to tubing, it’s a perfect place to chill in the winter. Located in Doha Festival City.
Ice Skating
The largest indoor ice rink in Qatar, this Olympic-sized rink can be found in Villaggio Mall.
Public skating sessions are a great way to cool down. Please note that you must wear long trousers, sleeves, and gloves to participate.
Learn more at gondolaniaicearena.com
Rebound
Burn off some energy at Rebound in Gate Mall, with a main trampoline area, foam pit and wall climbing space,
RUSH Action Park
Found on the first floor of Mall of Qatar, RUSH Action Park’s thrilling lineup includes a Trampoline area, a challenging Chaser Wall, and an Indoor Football Court for sports enthusiasts.
This adventure park boasts an array of exciting activities, including trampoline zones, dynamic climbing areas, and exhilarating slides.
Edutainment, Pretend Play & Kids Classes in Qatar
KidZania
At KidZania Doha, based near Aspire Park, children get their very own boarding passes and embark on an exciting adventure in a real-to-life city built especially for them. Here, Kidzos, the official currency, reigns supreme! Kids can choose from a wide range of exciting careers, earning Kidzos as they go.
These hard-earned Kidzos can then be spent on fun activities and experiences within KidZania. With friendly staff supervising each role-playing activity, your child will learn valuable skills, manage their finances, and have a truly rewarding and educational day out!
KidzMondo
Kids can choose from a vast array of exciting professions, from firefighter to doctor, chef to pilot. As they work their way through these fun jobs, they’ll earn Smiley Points, KidZmondo’s special currency. These hard-earned Smiley Points can then be spent on all sorts of awesome activities and experiences within KidZmondo.
With friendly staff guiding them every step of the way, your child will develop valuable skills, learn about financial responsibility, and have a blast at the same time! KidZmondo Doha promises an unforgettable day of learning and fun for the whole family!
Learn more at kidzmondodoha.com
Caboodle Pamper & Play
With imaginative dress-up corners to stimulating arts and crafts stations, Caboodle provides endless opportunities for free play and exploration. With separate rates for supervised and independent play, this play area is fantastic for children from 12 months to 12 years.
OliOli Doha Children’s Museum
The latest children’s museum in Qatar has various galleries designed to spark imaginative play.
The galleries include the water gallery (bring a spare change of clothes!), the Wondersphere, the Kinetic Gallery, Creative Lab, Future Park, and the Fitness Gallery.
Packages are paid for on a two-hour basis, and every child ticket purchased comes with a free adult entry.
CREATE Art
An indoor art studio in Tawar Mall, get creative with this glow-in-the-dark studio wall painting. Add slime-making or ceramics painting to really get your craft on.
Qatar National Library
More than a library, this treasure trove boasts a vast collection of books, periodicals, and multimedia resources; also has a fantastic children’s library, which houses dedicated areas for children to explore the joy of reading.
Beyond books,, the library offers many varied events and workshops catering to all ages. Registration through the events page is a must.
3-2-1 Museum
A member of the Olympic Museum Network, the 3-2-1 museum boasts a range of immersive and interactive exhibits that include a global history of sport throughout the years, a full collection of the Olympic torches, and a hall of athletes covering a variety of sports with historic and replica objects including large-scale items, such as a bobsleigh, and a Formula 1 car.
The highlight of the day, however, is the interactive sporting activities that are found on the ground floor. Here, you can test (and challenge each other!) your physical aptitude against various different stations – could you push a car out of a sand dune?
National Museum of Qatar
The iconic desert rose-shaped building houses an interactive museum. Multiple immersive exhibits alongside two separate playgrounds, including the Qatar TotalEnergies Playground, provide a unique experience for families to discover Qatar’s rich energy history.
Qatar Indoor Theme Parks
Doha Quest
Perfect for thrillseekers, Doha Quest Qatar’s biggest indoor theme park boasts not one, but two, world record holding rides – the world’s tallest indoor roller coaster, the EpiQ Coaster, and the record-breaking Magma Blast drop tower.
For those who aren’t a fan of thrill rides there are also virtual reality experiences and family-friendly rides.
Angry Birds World
Bringing Angry Birds to life this theme park in Doha Festival City is a thrilling mix of rides, attractions, and interactive games. Soar through the skies on the Mighty Eagle rollercoaster, strategize your way through a multi-level laser maze, or test your skills in the interactive Angry Birds Blast arena.
Virtuocity
Doha Festival City is Qatar’s ultimate gaming destination. With virtual reality games, plentiful escape rooms for all ages, and a state-of-the-art eSports arena, there is something for every video game fan.
WOW Park
The latest state-of-the-art indoor theme park in Lusail offers something for everyone, from thrill-seeking, gravity-defying zip lines to interactive games and soft play areas.
Megapolis
Located on the Pearl Megapolis, it offers a range of interactive arcade games, the challenge of escaping from the escape rooms, and physical activities such as table tennis and bowling.
Learn more at megapolisqatar.com
Trocadéro
Trocadéro Play Area at Place Vendome in Lusail, Qatar, is a haven for little adventurers. With a range of interactive games accessed via the play card (first-time cost 50QAR, with the ability to top up as required) there is plenty to keep you occupied to beat the heat.
Xtreme Land
A multi-entertainment centre with attractions, which include 7D Theater, Drop & Twist Tower, Giant Slide and Clip N Climb.
At Xtremeland, older children will enjoy endless motion fun at Trampoline Park, whilst TagaJ and soft play will provide the rotating inflatable fun and activities for toddlers and younger children!
Soft Plays and Family Entertainment Centres
Jungle Zone
Found in Hyatt Plaza, this colourful zone is filled with both exciting rides and interactive games.
Upstairs you find the smaller soft play and attractions suited to pre-schoolers, where downstairs is a large climbing, soft play as well as multiple fairground style rides.
Funderdome
Needing to let the kids loose to burn off some energy? Funderdome in Mirqab Mall can do just that. A large and interactive soft play, with multiple climbing areas coupled with fun slides the kids will soon be burning through the energy that comes from being indoors all summer.
Learn more at funderdomedoha.com
CurioCITY
CurioCITY is an adventurous playground for children of all ages, optimised to help them learn through play.
The multitiered wooden climbing frame with ramps, rope climbing and slides dominate the room, but it’s the little details that make CurioCITY stand out; from dress up and role play, to the light up sensory pegs, an interactive water table, sand pit and a race track with pedal cars.
Kids Corner
Aimed at younger children between 1 and 7 years old, Kids Corner can be found in three locations around Doha: Place Vendôme, Mall of Qatar and Ezdan Mall.
Kids Corner keeps the youngest members of your party happy with soft play, a role-play area, a ball pit, and a piano slide.
Learn more at instagram.com/kids_cornerqatar/
Spark Sense & Play
A sensory playground at Doha Festival City, aiming to let children’s imaginations run wild. With a dedicated team of passionate instructors helping guide children through various workshops such as art, fitness, and hands-on activities, encouraging self-expression, critical thinking, and a lifelong love of learning.
Jungaloona
Lagoona Mall’s premium soft play adventure. This soft play is more suited to younger children, with the key focus being the large ball pit.
Outdoor Activities to Keep Cool in the Summer
Although temperatures are scorching outside, you can try a few activities that will keep you cool.
Desert Falls
Desert Falls, based out at Hilton Salwa Beach Resort, features 19 attractions, all under the shade with chilled pool water.
With water slides, wave pools and a dedicated slide area for little ones, you can be sure that you will be chilled this summer.
Learn more at hilton.com/en/hotels/dohsbhi-hilton-salwa-beach-resort-villas/desert-falls/
Meryal Waterpark
Qatar’s newest and largest water park.
Featuring the RIG 1938, home to the 85m thrill-filled Icon Tower, holding 2 Guinness world record attempts for the highest waterpark tower in the world and the tower with the most rides.
With tube rides, drop slides, an action-packed river, and a tots play area, there is something for all ages to cool off in the heat.
What do you have planned for this summer? Are there any indoor gems around Doha we might be missing?
More About Visiting Qatar
If you’re planning a family stopover in Qatar, you may also be interested to read next:
- How to dress for cultural appropriateness & the heat in Qatar
- Picking the best time of year for visiting Qatar
- What to expect when visiting Qatar during the Holy Month of Ramadan
- All the best things to do in Doha with kids
- Getting beyond the city, the best family attractions in Qatar
Heading to the UAE, too? We also have a detailed guide to the best indoor family activities in Abu Dhabi and 90+ ideas for keeping kids entertained indoors in Dubai
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Disclaimer: This post is in no way sponsored. For some attractions, we offer links to discounted tickets, which may earn us a commission if a qualifying purchase is made. Information is correct as of June 2024. Our full website terms of use can be found here. If you want to see your Qatar indoor establishment listed here without charge, please email familytravelme@gmail.com.
The Family Travel in the Middle East team of travel writers are all parents based in the Middle East, sharing first hand experiences and reviews from across the region to help you plan your next family adventure.
