Things to Do in Amman With Kids: What’s Actually Worth Your Time

If you’re looking for the best things to do in Amman with kids, this guide is for families trying to work out how much time to spend in the city and which sights are actually worth prioritising.

Quick answer: is Amman worth visiting with kids?

Yes — but I wouldn’t make Amman the main focus of a Jordan family trip.

It works best as an arrival or departure stop, with a few worthwhile sights, good food, and easy access to northern Jordan. For us, Amman was useful, interesting and practical — but places like Petra, Wadi Rum and Aqaba were more memorable for Joshua.

We used Amman at the start and end of our trip, and that worked well. It gave us time to settle in, adjust after the flight, see a few key sights, and position ourselves for Jerash and the northern sites without overcomplicating the itinerary.

This guide covers what’s actually worth doing in Amman with kids, where to stay depending on your route, how long you need, and how to fit the city into a wider Jordan family itinerary.

Just a quick note: some links in this guide are affiliate links. This doesn’t affect the price you pay, and we only recommend hotels, tours and planning tools we’ve used ourselves or would confidently choose again for a family trip.

Is Amman Worth Visiting With Kids?

Amman is worth visiting with kids if you treat it as a practical base with a few good sights, rather than a city you need to explore in depth.

For families, Amman works well because it is usually where you’ll fly in and out of Jordan. It gives you a gentle start before heading to places like Petra, Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea, and it’s also a useful base for visiting Jerash and Ajloun in northern Jordan.

That said, I wouldn’t overfill your Amman schedule. With kids, one or two sights, a good meal and some downtime is probably enough. We found Amman useful, but we didn’t feel the need to spend several full days there.

If you’re still working out how Amman fits into your wider route, read 9-Day Jordan Family Itinerary — it shows how we used Amman as part of the overall flow rather than as a standalone city break.

What’s Actually Worth Your Time in Amman?

If you’re visiting Amman with kids, I’d focus on:

• The Citadel for views and a manageable historical stop

• The Roman Theatre because it’s visual and easy for kids to engage with

• Local food for a relaxed introduction to Jordan

• Jerash and Ajloun Castle as a day trip if you have time

• A hotel with a pool if you want downtime before or after the road trip

I would not try to fill every spare hour in Amman. For us, the city worked best when it gave structure to the start and end of the journey, rather than becoming the centre of the trip.

Best Things to Do in Amman With Kids

Visit the Amman Citadel

The Amman Citadel is one of the easiest historical sights to include with kids because it’s open, manageable and gives you great views across the city. The site includes remains from several periods of Jordan’s history, including Roman, Byzantine and Umayyad structures. Amman Citadel is included in the Jordan Pass. and children under 12 enter free.

For us, the Citadel worked well as a first introduction to Jordan. It doesn’t require hours of walking, and there’s enough space for children to move around without feeling like they’re constantly being told to stay still.

I wouldn’t expect younger kids to absorb all the history, but the scale of the ruins and the views over Amman make it worthwhile. It’s a good “first stop” if you want something cultural but not too intense.

Explore the Roman Theatre

The Roman Theatre is one of Amman’s most visually impressive sights. It’s built into the hillside and is often described as seating around 6,000 people.

This is probably one of the better Amman stops for children because it feels more interactive. Kids can climb the steps, look down over the stage area and get a sense of the scale without needing a long explanation.

For Joshua, this kind of site worked better than anything too formal. There’s something about being able to physically explore a place that makes ancient history more engaging for children.

If you’re short on time, I’d prioritise the Citadel and Roman Theatre as the two main Amman city sights.

Try Local Food in Amman

Amman is a good place to ease into Jordanian food with kids. You’ll find plenty of simple options like hummus, falafel, bread, grilled meats, rice dishes and fresh juices.

For us, food in Jordan was much easier than I expected with Joshua. There were usually familiar elements on the table, even if the setting or flavours were different. Amman is a good place to start because there’s a wide choice of restaurants, from local places to more familiar hotel dining.

If you're visiting during Ramadan, it's also worth being aware of local customs. You'll still find places to eat, particularly hotels and tourist-focused restaurants, but it's respectful to be mindful about eating and drinking in public during fasting hours. We found this was one of the trickier things to explain to Joshua, who understandably didn't always understand why he couldn't just stop for a snack or drink while walking around the city.

In tourist areas such as Petra, the atmosphere felt a little more relaxed, but in Amman we found people generally observed Ramadan more closely. A little awareness and respect for local culture goes a long way, and we found Jordanians incredibly welcoming throughout our trip.

I'd keep food plans relaxed with kids. A simple lunch, fresh juice or an easy dinner can be just as useful as chasing the "best" restaurant in the city. In fact, some of our favourite meals were the simplest ones.

Wander Downtown Amman — But Keep It Flexible

Downtown Amman can be interesting, but with kids I’d treat it as an atmosphere stop rather than a must-do sightseeing route.

It’s busy, lively and gives you a sense of the city, but it can also feel a bit chaotic depending on the time of day. We found it better to dip in briefly rather than trying to turn it into a long walking tour.

If your child enjoys markets, street food and busy streets, it can be worth including. If they’re tired after arriving or you’re short on time, don’t feel guilty about skipping it.

Northern Amman and Day Trips: Jerash and Ajloun

One thing many families don’t realise is that some of the best “Amman” experiences are actually outside the city.

Jerash With Kids

Jerash is one of the best day trips from Amman and, in my view, one of the most family-friendly historical sites in Jordan. It’s around a 45-minute drive from Amman and is known for its well-preserved Roman streets, theatres and colonnades.

Jerash worked well with Joshua because it felt open and easy to explore. Unlike some historical sites where children are just looking at ruins from a distance, Jerash gives them space to move. You can walk along ancient Roman streets, climb theatre steps and wander through wide plazas.

It’s still a historical site, but it feels less demanding than Petra and less crowded than many major tourist spots. I highly recommend making the time to include this in your Jordan itinerary.

Ajloun Castle With Kids

Ajloun Castle can work well if your children enjoy castles, towers and exploring old passageways. The castle is a 12th-century fortress set on a hilltop, with views across the Jordan Valley and surrounding countryside.

For families, the appeal is that it feels like proper exploring. There are chambers, towers and viewpoints, which makes it more engaging for children than a site where you simply walk and look.

If you’re already visiting Jerash, Ajloun can be added to the same day, but I’d be careful not to overload things. With kids, Jerash plus Ajloun is enough — I wouldn’t try to add lots more into the same day.

If you’d rather not self-drive, there are plenty of organised day tours available from Amman that combine Jerash, Ajloun and other northern Jordan highlights into a single day, making it an easy option for families who prefer someone else to handle the logistics.

How Many Days Do You Need in Amman With Kids?

Most families only need one to two days in Amman.

One day is enough if you want to see the Citadel, Roman Theatre and have a relaxed meal. Two days works better if you’re using Amman as a base for Jerash and Ajloun.

I wouldn’t spend three or more days in Amman on a first family trip unless you have a specific reason. Jordan’s biggest family highlights are outside the capital, so I’d keep Amman practical and use your time for Petra, Wadi Rum, the Dead Sea and Aqaba.

If you’re trying to decide how long to spend in each place, How to Plan a Family Trip to Jordan: Step-by-Step Guide for First Timers will help you make those bigger itinerary decisions.

Where to Stay in Amman With Kids

Where you stay in Amman depends on how you’re using the city.

For families, I think the big question isn’t always “city centre or not?” — it’s whether you need to be north, central or closer to the airport.

If you’re arriving late or flying out early, an airport or southern Amman hotel can make life much easier. If you want to see the Citadel, Roman Theatre and downtown, then a more central hotel makes sense. If you’re starting your trip with Jerash, Ajloun or northern Jordan, staying further north can save time and make the next morning easier.

We stayed fairly central on arrival because it was convenient for sightseeing. At the end of the trip, we stayed closer to the airport because by that point we wanted an easier final night, a pool and a simple departure.

With kids, I’d also look for:

• breakfast included

• free parking if you’re driving

• a pool if you want downtime

• family-sized rooms

• easy access to your next route

There are plenty of reasonably priced options in Amman, including familiar hotel brands if you want something predictable.

For a wider breakdown, see Where to Stay in Jordan With Kids: The Best Family Hotels by Location — this is useful if you’re choosing hotels across Amman, Petra, the Dead Sea and Aqaba rather than looking at the capital alone.

Should You Choose a Hotel With a Pool in Amman?

If you’re travelling with kids, I’d say yes if the budget allows.

Amman sightseeing doesn’t need to take all day, and a pool gives children something to enjoy between arrival, sightseeing and travel days. This was especially useful for us at the end of the trip when we weren’t trying to squeeze in more major sights — we just wanted an easy final day before flying home.

A pool isn’t essential, but it does make Amman feel less like a logistics stop and more like part of the holiday.

Final Verdict: Is Amman Worth Visiting With Kids?

Yes — Amman is worth visiting with kids, but I’d keep expectations realistic.

It’s not the place that will probably define your Jordan trip, and it’s unlikely to compete with Petra or Wadi Rum in your child’s memory. But it does play an important role.

It gives you a practical arrival point, a chance to see a few worthwhile sights, access to northern Jordan, and a softer start or finish to the trip.

For us, Amman worked because we didn’t overplan it. We saw enough to make it worthwhile, used it as a base when needed, and made sure we still built in downtime.

That’s the best way to approach Amman with kids: choose a few things that are genuinely worth your time, then move on to the bigger Jordan experiences.

FAQs: Things to Do in Amman With Kids

Is Amman worth visiting with kids?

Yes, Amman is worth visiting with kids if you treat it as a practical stop with a few good sights. The Citadel, Roman Theatre and local food are worthwhile, but most families won’t need more than one or two days.

What are the best things to do in Amman with kids?

The best things to do in Amman with kids are the Citadel, Roman Theatre, trying local food and using the city as a base for Jerash. These are manageable without overloading the day.

How many days do you need in Amman with kids?

Most families need one day in Amman, or two days if you want to include Jerash and Ajloun. For a first Jordan trip, I wouldn’t spend too many days in the capital.

Is Jerash worth visiting from Amman with kids?

Yes, Jerash is absolutely worth visiting with kids. It’s open, spacious and easier to explore than many historic sites, which makes it a good family day trip from Amman.

Where should families stay in Amman?

Families should choose an Amman hotel based on itinerary: central for sightseeing, north for Jerash and Ajloun, or closer to the airport for arrival and departure. A pool is useful if you want downtime with kids.

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About Plan Family Escapes

We’re a UK-based family sharing real, experience-led travel guides based on trips we’ve taken with our school-age son Joshua across destinations like Lapland, Turkey and India.

Everything we share is based on what we’ve personally experienced — with honest advice on what actually works when travelling with kids, focusing on making family travel easier, more comfortable and genuinely enjoyable.