There are plenty of fun activities in Amman for kids, but they are not always easy to find, especially if you do not speak Arabic! I have spent months in Amman over the last three years, despite dozens of people asking me “Is Jordan Safe?”. The first time I visited, I barely had time to see the major sites before moving on to Petra and Wadi Rum. The second time, we rented an apartment near the 7th circle and did a bit of exploring, but did not uncover everything. You can read the start of my posts about renting an apartment here. It was not until our third extend visit in Jordan that we found some of the best places in Amman for kids.
Fun Activities in Amman with Kids that you will NOT FIND in ANY Guide Book!
Want to skip all of the planning and access my detailed Jordan Itinerary and Guide? I have been to Jordan several times and after being asked again and again for suggestions, not only did I build this website but I created an interactive PDF guide to help you plan the best trip to Jordan! It includes an interactive map, multiple itineraries for up to 10 days and as little as three days, and plenty of practical information about renting a car and driving in Jordan. Get the guide by clicking the button below.
If you are looking for a general guide of Amman, check out my post Top Things to do In Amman.
This post specifically has things that you will not find anywhere else when you visit Jordan with kids.
I expect on your visit you will put the Citadel atop Jabel Al-Qaia on your must-do list. (make sure you note Jabel Al-Qaia down if you are taking a taxi. The locals know it as the name of the hill. Jabel means hill. If you happen to get a driver who does not speak English, he will have no idea what the Citadel is. Yes I had that problem. Thankfully a quick photo of the site helped him and me out!) You should also then walk down the steps to the Roman Theatre and let the kids run around taking in the views. A walk in the souq and a meal downtown is also fun, but I expect your Jordan visit to be jam packed with plenty of exploring a totally different culture than your own.
For that reason, I have put together a list, with google pins, of places to take your kids to let them be kids! There are some great playgrounds in Amman, and some pretty sad looking ones too! Unless you get lucky and happen to drive by a great one, you probably will not find these.
The Garden of Prince Hashem – Bird Aviary
The Garden of Prince Hashem is more than a garden. I refer to it as “The Bird Aviary” and it is one of the great parks in Amman in Shimesani District (off the 4th circle). It is popular with locals, especially on the weekends and has a great playground in the centre of the park. Around the outside of the playground there are various birds from exotic foul to chickens and pigeons.
Things to note about the Garden of Prince Hashem:
- The park is closed on Tuesdays and entrance fee is very modest (less than 1JD)
- Inside the park there is a small stall selling snacks and treats for kids as well as tea.
- Washrooms are pretty typical hole in the ground type public washrooms
Getting there:
Click on the map below for the pin location. You can also google Prince Hashem Bird Gardn
[su_gmap address=”Prince Hashem Bird Garden”]
Go Karts near Sport City
There are a few private go karting places in Amman. They cater to adults and older kids. This one is a public park, again with a very nominal fee and then the kids play per lap. Inside the park there are also two play grounds. The one thing to note about this park, is that the go karts cannot be used when the track is wet or if there are any puddles. You would think that you are in the desert and there is no rain, but Amman does get rainy weather and we unfortunately, were not able to use the track once as it had two puddles left from the weather the day before.
Things to know about Go Karts near Sport City in Amman:
- These Go Karts are for about ages 4-8 and drive like a motorcycle. It took my 4 year old a lap r so to figure out the throttle but after that he was zipping along! They do not go too fast and they also can follow road rules with stop signs and crosswalks on the track. My kids were the only ones there so they raced around and around.
- They cannot operate if the track is wet
- There is nowhere to buy snacks here
- Washrooms are your typical hole in the floor type squat toilets
Getting there:
This one is not as easy to find as when you google Go Karts, you do not get this park. But it is located near Sport City as you can see in the screenshot below. When you google “Sport City Amman” you will see the small green space where my pin is. If you are taking a taxi you can show him this and you should end up at the right place!
Gravity Trampoline Park
With over 100 trampolines, Gravity Amman is one of the top indoor play areas in Amman. It has the best trampolines that I have found while here! Their prices are 15 JD for a one hour jump, but it is for sure one of the fun activities in Amman. They have a dodgeball court, a ropes course, a ball pit and tons of interconnected trampolines! We went there because it was too cold outside, but it is also great when it is too hot outside. Located in Mecca Mall it means you can get a snack or do some shopping while the kids play which is nice as well!
Things to note about Gravity Amman:
- it is for ages 3 and up
- it gets busy on the weekends (Fridays and Saturdays) but is quite quiet while children are in school
- socks are provided
Getting There:
Gravity Amman is located inside Mecca Mall in Amman ( Abdullah ad Dawud) and is on the top floor of the mall near the rainbow coloured stairs.
[su_gmap address=”gravity amman”]
Jungle Bungle Indoor Play Area
Also in Mecca Mall is another of the popular indoor activities in Amman, Jungle Bungle. This play area is great for kids when you want to get out of the hot sun, or escape the cold weather. When we travel, I always make sure the kids have some time to just be kids.
Jungle Bungle also charges for an hour of play, it is less than 10 JD.
Getting There:
Jungle Bungle Playground Amman is located inside Mecca Mall in Amman ( Abdullah ad Dawud) and is on the top floor (4th floor).
[su_gmap address=”mecca mall amman”]
Amman Zoo
Privately run, the zoo is another place to visit if you are in Jordan with children. There are several exotic animals as well as rides. For JD3 you get entrance into the zoo and each ride is half or one JD. Next to the zoo there is a huge park where you will find families out picnicking on the weekends when the weather is nice!
Things to Note about the Amman Zoo
- It is not a usual stop for tourists and no one who was there when we visited spoke English however the staff was very friendly. Whenever I run into this problem, for example, when buying tea at a roadside stand, I usually hold out 1-2JD worth of change or a few 1 JD bills and some change and ask “how much” that way.
Getting There:
Located off the Airport Road, the Amman zoo is quite easy to get to
[su_gmap address=”amman zoo”]
Haya Cultural Center Playground
I included this one as it is in Abdali, one of the up and coming neighbourhoods in Amman. There are also various other activities for kids here, but we only came to spend some time on the playground.
Getting here:
You can easily google Haya Cultural Centre to get here
[su_gmap address=”haya cultural center amman”]
The Children’s Museum Jordan
Now the Children’s Museum Amman is in a lot of guide books. But it does need to be mentioned as it is a great place for kids and one of the popular family activities in Amman. There are science activities, a pretend city with a grocery store, a bank and a jail, as well as a replica airplane and an outdoor space to play. It is JD3 per person
Things to Note about the Children’s Museum:
- Closed Tuesdays
- It is located inside Kung Hussein Park. If you have kids that are into cars, you can also check out the Royal Automobile Museum
Getting Here:
conveniently located inside King Hussein Park, it is easy to get here
[su_gmap address=”childrens museum amman”]
Take them on a food tour of Amman
Want to try all the great food without worrying where to find out? Or maybe you want to meet a local who can show you Amman. Check out Amman Food Tours for culinary treats that will delight all travelers!
I hope that these fun activities in Amman with kids can supplement your visit to The Citadel or the Roman Theatre and you can experience a bit of what local children and local families do in Amman before you head on to Petra or Wadi Rum (Both amazingly kid friendly also!)
If you are looking on how to get to Petra, you can read my post on the Amman to Petra bus
My kids favourite things overall in Jordan were playing with the donkeys in Petra (and hunting for kittens), riding in the back of a 4×4 in Wadi Rum and then camping in a bedouin tent, getting covered with mud at the Dead Sea and the go-karts and trampoline park in Amman!
If you are planning a trip to Amman and have any questions feel free to reach out! I have an entire Jordan Travel blog you can refer to!
Lindsay Nieminen hails from Vancouver, Canada and shares her love of travel on this website. She is passionate about showing others that they should not put off traveling the world just because they have young children or are single parents. She aims to encourage them to seek out adventure, whether it is at home or abroad by providing information on how just about everywhere can be a destination to explore as a family.