Zabeel, Creek End of Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai Price: AED 5  This really is a great family park; or actually two parks that are connected by footbridges making a rather massive area. There is a huge adventure playground, bbq pits and a lake with boat rides and a wave machine!!! Za’beel park’s gardens are absolutely beautiful and are also home to Stargate, a technology-themed indoor theme park with roller coasters and rides plus the mandatory soft play and an ice…

Opposite Burj Al Arab Beach, Junction Jumeirah Beach Road and Al Thanya Road Size doesn’t always matter and this small park (by Dubai standards, of course) is definitely worth a visit, especially for mamas with younger ones. A staple for the surrounding residents’ kids, there are sandy play areas for the littlies to enjoy and they even have infant swings, which isn’t a given in most other parks. There are small pavements for tiny scooter-born creatures and a little coffee…

Location: Airport Road, just beyond Mirdif (E111 towards Sharjah) Price: AED10 per car, swimming pool entrance AED 10 per adult and AED 5 per child Looking to get away from it all without going too far? Then a 30 min drive from Dubai (beyond Mirdif) will take you to Mushrif Park, which is the biggest park in Dubai as far as we know. The park has a somewhat green and then a slightly more sandy side (for lack of better words).…

Al-Mamzar Creek, Deira Price: AED 10 per adult and AED 5 per child We would be prepared to go as far as to say that Al Mamzar Beach and Park qualifies as a Sassy Mama hidden gem. This beach park definitely has one (or several) up on Jumeirah Beach Park. The clean, white beaches are supervised with changing rooms and plenty of shade. For AED 200 you can rent an air -conditioned chalet for the family offering more shade and privacy…

Location: Jumeirah Beach Road (just opposite Chili’s) Price: AED5 per person or AED20 per car This is a bit of a Dubai institution and a nice family getaway if you want to combine beach time with playtime. The main attraction here is the beach but we’re kind of in the “too-crowded-for-comfort” camp on this one, although many people love it. We tend to hit the park with scooters and then head to the little play areas followed by a bit…

Jumeirah 2, between Sheikh Zayed and Al-Wasl roads, Dubai Price: AED3  One of the main park gigs in the desert! Safa Park makes our top list with its 64 hectares of lawns, little scooter paths, playgrounds, cafes, bbq pits and the list goes ooooon. Hey there is even a little lake where you can feed the ducks and fish if you fancy or rent out a boat for pirate adventures. If the kids are climbing the walls at home, bring…

Location: Al Riyadh Street Price: AED 5  Second largest park in the city and a Dubai favourite, the Park is beautifully located with a promenade along the Creek. The grass is really well kept and the flower arrangements are very pretty. There are areas for the kids to play with swings and climbing frames, camels to ride plus bikes to rent (nope, you can’t bring your own bikes.) If that isn’t enough, take a ride on the cable car that…