This children’s article, A kids’ guide to the Burj Khalifa: The tallest building on Earth! has been written for native English speakers and learners of English as a second or foreign language. It can help children build vocabulary, learn about the world’s tallest skyscraper, and discover some amazing facts about modern architecture. Written by Mark Pulley, a teacher and writer who creates fun and informative news articles for English learners.
A tower in the desert
The Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world. You’ll find it in Dubai, a big city in the United Arab Emirates. It rises high above the desert like a shiny glass rocket, reaching an unbelievable 828 metres tall, that’s over 2,700 feet! If you stacked three Eiffel Towers on top of each other, they still wouldn’t be as tall as it.
Construction began in 2004, and after six years of hard work by thousands of workers, it finally opened in 2010. The cost of building the Burj Khalifa was a jaw-dropping 1.5 billion dollars! That’s a lot of pocket money.
Bigger than all the rest
The second-tallest building in the world is the Merdeka 118 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, which is 678 metres tall. Impressive, but still 150 metres shorter than the Burj Khalifa. That’s similar to the height of a 50-storey building!
The Burj Khalifa has more than 160 floors, with apartments, offices, restaurants, and even a fancy hotel designed by Giorgio Armani.
What’s inside?
The Burj Khalifa isn’t just about being tall. People live and work, and shop there. Some of the world’s richest people own apartments inside it, while businesses and hotels fill other parts of the tower.
Visitors can go to special viewing platforms to enjoy some of the best city views anywhere in the world. There’s an outdoor swimming pool way up high on the 76th floor! Imagine going for a dip that high up!
Fun facts about the tower in the clouds
The Burj Khalifa is so tall that you can watch two sunsets in one day. If you see the sunset at the bottom, and then race up to the top, you’ll see the sun set again! Pilots even use it as a landmark when flying past Dubai.
Every New Year’s Eve, the tower lights up with fireworks and laser shows that are watched by millions of people around the world. It’s not just a building, it’s a symbol of Dubai’s dream to reach for the sky.
Article vocabulary list
- Skyscraper – A very tall building with many floors.
- Construction – The process of building something.
- Landmark – A famous or easily recognised place or building.
- Viewing platform – A high place where visitors can look out and enjoy views.
- Apartments – Homes inside a larger building.
- Impressive – Something that makes you say “wow!” because it is so amazing.
- Symbol – Something that stands for or represents an idea.
- Fireworks – Explosions of colour and light in the sky used for celebrations.
Comprehension questions
Just click the plus (+) to see the answer
1. Where is the Burj Khalifa located?
A) New York, USA
B) Dubai, UAE
C) Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Answer: B) Dubai, UAE
2. How tall is the Burj Khalifa?
A) 678 metres
B) 828 metres
C) 1,500 metres
Answer: B) 828 metres
3. When did the Burj Khalifa open?
A) 2004
B) 2008
C) 2010
Answer: C) 2010
4. Who designed the hotel inside the Burj Khalifa?
A) Giorgio Armani
B) Frank Lloyd Wright
C) Leonardo da Vinci
Answer: A) Giorgio Armani
5. How many floors does the Burj Khalifa have?
A) About 80
B) More than 160
C) 100
Answer: B) More than 160
Mark is a writer and EFL teacher from England with eight years’ experience. He’s passionate about travel, sport (especially football), animals, nature, and history, and enjoys helping children explore the world through language and learning.
