Sometimes, kids need to recharge. All they need to keep their joyful spirits up is a time to re-energize through leisure and fun activities. On a weekend, kids would love an afternoon or an entire day doing something exciting. And although every child has his own version of fun, you could tell amusing activities from the ones which bore them.
In Muscat, the capital city of Oman, parents have a long list of things to do with kids. At times, they might even get confused with all the choices they have. Muscat is a city which boasts of nonstop adventure, most particularly for the young ones. On weekends or school breaks, families can enjoy unique bonding experiences. There are museums, parks, indoor play places, beaches, and aquariums in Muscat to make the children look forward to every weekend or every vacation. If you are a tourist in Muscat travelling with the kids, you can give your darlings a sweet treat within this city. The scenes around Muscat are lovely. This city is easily distinguishable with its uniformly colored buildings (white and cream hues). Muscat also follows a strict building height requirement, which will make you appreciate the beauty of orderliness. For sure, your whole family will find Muscat an appealing city you’d want to revisit. Let our guide below help you plan your list of things to do in Muscat with kids.
Cost: Free
One of the things almost all kids love doing is going to an aquarium and play hide-and-seek with Nemo and Dory. In Muscat, you can find the Omani Aquarium and Marine Science and Fisheries Center, where you can take the kids for some marine sightseeing adventure. Even though this aquarium in Muscat is relatively small in size compared to the aquariums in London or the United States, the Omani Aquarium boasts of a stunning collection of colorful sea creatures to make the kids jump with joy. They can play a game among themselves on who can find Nemo or Dory look-alike from all the fish they see in the tanks. There is also a tank filled with different species of tortoise. As you explore this aquarium, you can smile with satisfaction knowing that the kids got new information about the rich biodiversity in the world’s oceans while they are having fun. Such a productive activity to kick off your Muscat activities, isn’t it? What’s even interesting about the Omani Aquarium and Marine Science and Fisheries Center is that it has free admission for all ages. You can visit the aquarium in Muscat daily, from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Cost: $2.5
In Muscat, the Children’s Museum is an ideal stop to make the kids busy because it is specially designed for children. The Children’s Museum has a multitude of engaging activities for your little ones. Considered the first interactive museum in the country, most of the displays inside the Children’s Museum in Muscat teach kids about science and technology concepts. Every kid will find it difficult to resist watching multimedia presentations, turning knobs, and pressing buttons in the exhibits. You can let the kids play and learn for an hour or two, as they tour the 45 exhibits and 2 demonstrations featured inside the museum. You can visit the Children’s Museum daily, except Fridays, from 8:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Sundays to Thursdays and from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturdays.
Cost: $40 to $50
To witness sea creatures leaping and playing is a wonderful experience even adults would enjoy. Since the Gulf of Oman is home to various marine species, particularly dolphins, heading to the ocean is a no-brainer if you’re with kids in Muscat. You can go to the Marina Bandar Al Rowdha, located east of the city, and pay for a boat trip to take you dolphin watching to the Gulf of Oman. Don’t worry, the trip is secure and safe even for kids. Usually, the sea is calm, and you can check out a dozen dolphins playing around your boat. Plus, the boats are clean and well-maintained, so you need not worry about the children. We guarantee that the kids will be too excited to see this charming sight of the lovely dolphins. Moreover, the boat trip will also take you around the area, where you can see the old town of Muscat, the Sultan’s palace, and the forts of the city.
Cost: Free
A nature trip every now and then is a welcome change in scenery for our tired bodies and minds. Thankfully, there is a park in Muscat where you can de-stress and relax away from the noise of vehicles and malls. The Qurum Natural Park, the largest park in Oman, measures 1,716,000 square meters. Because of its large size, the park is a popular attraction for families who want a breather for the weekend. The Qurum Natural Park has a playground, well-manicured lawns, a rose garden, a fountain, a lake, cafés and restaurants, and an amusement park. Yes, that’s right. It has everything your child will ever look for in a recreation center. So if the kids want to pump up some energy, they can ride the Ferris wheel or slide down in the playground or the fun fair. If they want to go boating, they can do so in the park’s lake. The kids can also go biking or just running around. They can feed the birds and flamingos, too. As you wait for them, you can admire the beautiful flowers at the Sultan’s Rose Garden. When the kids grow tired of jumping around, you can all take a leisurely stroll around the park, wait for the fountain to be switched on, and share a meal together at one of the park’s restaurants. The Qurum Natural Park is open for everyone, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. daily.
Cost: Free
Located at Seih Al Maleh Street in Aq-Qurum, Muscat, the Oman Oil and Gas Exhibition Center is a unique specialty museum in the city, which can teach the kids all about oil science. Since Oman’s economy is primarily supported by the oil and gas industry, this museum has lots to share about oil and gas exploration, production, and various uses. This exhibition center will particularly attract kids who are enthusiastic about science and engineering, although everyone can find the museum highly informative. Kids can experience the interactive exhibits inside so they can appreciate the knowledge further. The Oman Oil and Gas Exhibition Center is open daily, except Fridays, from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Admission to this exhibit center is free, so you really have no excuse not to take your kids here!
Visit the Oman Avenues Mall in Muscat and make everyone happy. The most popular mall in the city, the Oman Avenues Mall houses around 150 shops, a cinema, a food court center, a children’s entertainment area, a gym, and a bowling alley. So if you need some time to do your errands, you can take the kids here and leave them to play to their heart’s desires at the mall’s third floor, where the children’s play area is located. Inside the entertainment area, which is called Funtazmo, kids can enjoy riding on a mini roller coaster and other kiddie rides. They can also play bowling or even watch a movie. And before you head home, you can take the kids shopping for some new toys or probably new stuff for school as a treat for being cooperative children. The Oman Avenues Mall is open daily, from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Sundays to Wednesdays, and from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.
Cost: $12.9
Another must-have in your activity list in Muscat is visiting the National Museum. Measuring 13,700 square meters, the National Museum is the perfect place to discover more of the history of Oman. It has 14 permanent galleries which showcase the country’s heritage since 2 million years ago. Some galleries your kids might find interesting inside the National Museum are The Land and the People Gallery, History Galleries, Aflaj Gallery, Arms and Armour Gallery, Maritime History Gallery, and the World Gallery. There is also a cinema, a learning center for children, and various discovery areas for the kids. You can visit the National Museum at any day. Its opening hours are from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturdays until Thursdays, and from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Fridays.
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Cost: $67 to $76
Now, if you don’t want to miss a single thing about Muscat’s rich history and culture, we recommend you do this activity with the kids. The Big Bus Tour in Muscat is a perfect way to absorb the charm of Oman’s capital city. The Big Bus Tour will take you and the kids to a comfortable ride around Muscat, where you will receive overwhelming information about the spots you hoped to visit. You can choose the package included in your family tour if you want a personalized itinerary. The buses are also air-conditioned, so your trip will be a comfortable one. In a day, your kids will certainly have the most knowledge about Muscat.
Cost: $10 to $25
Another place every kid loves is the beach. Take them to the sea and all their crankiness will evaporate into thin air. All you would see are excited faces as they bury themselves in the sand, build castles, and play with the waves. Thank goodness there are a number of lovely beaches in Muscat. The Qurum Beach, located on the east of the city, is one of the most popular beaches in the city. The kids can do all sorts of beach activities here. The Qurum Beach also has a recently developed lawn parallel to the beach area, so your whole family can enjoy a barbeque or some smores while playing Frisbee. You can also enjoy watching a stunning view of the sunset by the beach. What a relaxing way to unwind and bond with the kids.
Cost: Free
One thing you can’t leave out in your list of places to visit with kids in Muscat is the Sultan Qaboos Mosque. This mosque has long amazed tourists and travellers even from its outside structure. The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque has a fascinating architecture inside and outside, so it is not a surprise why this mosque is popular for tourists. It also has beautiful gardens which you can admire. During prayer time, however, you can’t take the kids aged 9 and below. Likewise, you have to mind what you’re wearing if you plan on going inside the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque. This means that you have to cover your knees and shoulders. After all, this is still a holy place for the Muslims. The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque is open daily, except Fridays, from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
There are still a lot of activities to explore in Muscat with the kids. You can even add to our list of recommendations, and tell us how much fun you had. One thing is for sure, Muscat isn’t short of kiddie adventures for your little ones.
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