20 Must-See Places for Kids in Nairobi

Visiting with or raising kids in Nairobi means you’re never short on things to do. Children are full of wonder and curiosity, and the city has a lot of places and establishments to feed their needs, from indoor play areas, outdoor spaces, spotting crocodiles up close, feeding giraffes, kids clubs on holidays, and so much more. 

These activities are also a perfect way to take them away from the indoors and screens, giving them unforgettable moments spent together. 

Here’s a list of 20 best places for kids in Nairobi to hang out, play, and enjoy nature.

1) David Sheldrick Trust Elephant Orphan Centre

Location: KWS Mbagathi Gate, Inside the Nairobi National Park

Services: This place is a safe harbor for orphaned baby elephants and rhinos. It is open to visitors between 11am-12pm daily, and you can watch them feed the baby animals at this time. 

Your kids also get to learn more about each of the rescued baby elephants, wildlife protection, and how to observe animals ethically instead of exploiting them. 

2. The Giraffe Centre

Location: Duma Road, Karen

Services: This is a popular place in Nairobi where your kids can feed giraffes from a platform and even touch a giraffe’s tongue. 

The Giraffe Centre also has engaging guides who give short and fun educational talks explaining giraffe habits, distinct personalities, and individual names to feed your child’s curiosity. Their operating hours from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM including weekends and holidays means you can visit when you and your kids are not too busy with work or school, respectively.  

3. Village Market

Location: Limuru Rd, Nairobi

Services: The Village Market is one of the most child-friendly places to visit in Nairobi with tens of things for you and your little one. It’s home to 150 shopping stores, a glorious food court, Friday Maasai Market, mini golf and a movie theater. 

The mall has an indoor kids play area known as Under the Sea equipped with interactive games, Kids Craft Workshop, and Love the Ocean program which is an environmental education program. The village market also holds sports holiday camps for kids to interact with each other.

4. Panari Sky Centre

Location: Mombasa Road

Services: Panari Sky Centre is home to East Africa’s first ice skating rink. Don’t worry if you or your kids are not too confident of a skater, there are plenty of first timers. There are also on-site instructors and skate aids to offer support and help you learn the basics safely.

Here, your children get to experience real ice and winter-like freezing temperatures which is a rare thing in a tropical city like Nairobi. 

5. Nairobi Arboretum

Location: Arboretum drive, Kileleshwa

Services: A popular recreational park for people and families who want to hold a picnic, take long walks or simply meditate. 

For kids, the Nairobi Arboretum provides an expansive open-air green space to run around, spot wildlife such as vervet monkeys swinging in the trees, and enjoy outdoor recreation. The entry fee is also affordable and the place easily accessible from Nairobi CBD.

6. Nairobi National Museum

Location: Museum Hill Road, Nairobi

Services: A one-stop for kids to learn about the country’s rich heritage both for education and leisure purposes. In addition, your little ones will enjoy learning about animals at the animal park that is located within the museum grounds. The museum also has a restaurant with a kid-friendly menu and is spacious enough for an outdoor hangout. 

7. Karura Forest

Location: Limuru Road, Nairobi

Services: When it comes to nature hangouts with your kids, Karura Forest offers more than you can bargain for. There’s a dedicated kids’ play area, with items such as wooden play structures, swings, and a trampoline near the Sigiria gate, plus rope obstacle courses. 

You can also choose to cycle through the forest or take a walk as your children enjoy the greenery as well as a waterfall within the forest!

8. Ngong Hills

Location: Ngong Police Station, 20km Southwest of Nairobi City

Services: A popular weekend destination for visitors who love hiking or having picnics. If your kids enjoy walking, hiking, and outdoor activities, Ngong Hills is one of the most ideal places to visit. 

It offers an expansive outdoor space for play, massive windmills, great views of Nairobi city, and amazing sunrise and sunset views.

9. Two Rivers Mall

Location: Limuru Road, Next to Ruaka Town

Services: Standing as the largest shopping mall in sub-Saharan Africa outside of South Africa, your kids are guaranteed to enjoy a weekend hangout here. 

Besides the numerous shopping stores and kid-friendly eateries, Two Rivers Mall also houses fun play theme parks, indoor play zones, and an area with interactive robot games. The highlight of a visit here is, of course, Africa’s tallest Ferris Wheel known as the Eye of Kenya where both children and adults will enjoy a slow fun ride, with toddlers under 2 years old riding for free

10. Maasai Ostrich Farm

Location: Kajiado Road, Kitengela

Services: Get close and personal with ostriches! Located 45 minutes to 1 hour from Nairobi CBD, Maasai Ostrich Farm is a breeding and rearing facility for ostriches for commercial purposes, including tours.  

Your children will get a lot of value and fun including feeding these large birds, learn more about ostriches from how they hatch to taking care of them, and for older kids, they get guided rides on ostriches. There’s also an on-site resort with a child-friendly menu and a manicure space for kids to play and run around.

11. Nairobi National Park

Location: Langata Road, Nairobi

Services: Take a family safari or game drive and enjoy the only fully functional national park within a capital city. Your kids will enjoy spotting a lot of wild animals roaming free in their natural habitat including lions, buffalos, giraffes, zebras, leopards, and many more. Not to mention the Nairobi city’s view that serves as a backdrop of this wilderness.

There are also few safe and scenic picnic sites within Nairobi National Park where your family can enjoy lunch after the safari.

12. Blue Sky Tours in Diamond Plaza – Indoor Rock Climbing

Location: 6th Floor Old Tower, Diamond Plaza. Masari Road, Parklands. Nairobi

Services: Your kids don’t have to go outdoors to enjoy rock climbing. If your little one enjoys or has a passion for  rock climbing, Climb Bluesky at Diamond Plaza will definitely be a treat. The staff are very attentive and closely watch younger climbers, including giving a beginner’s guide lesson beforehand. 

The obstacles and climbing boulders are not only a fun activity but also leaves your child with lots of physical, mental and emotional growth. 

13. Oloolua Nature Trail

Location: Karen Road, Nairobi

Services: This beautiful forested area offers grounds for hiking, a picnic site and a self-catering camping site for families who enjoy spending more than a day outdoors. 

Be sure to also visit the caves and learn more about them, not to mention the waterfall area and catch a few spectacular photos with your kids.

14. Stedmak Gardens

Location: Mukoyeti East Road, Off Langata Road, Next to NPC South Church Karen 

Services: A one of a kind floating restaurant, opportunities for children to run around in the lush gardens and a snake park all under one roof.

Stedmak Gardens is a great place to escape the city and enjoy Nairobi’s beautiful green scenery and fresh air at the resort’s distinct tented camps and other types of accommodation for your holiday or weekend getaway.

15. Paint-ball Fury Kenya

Locations: Purdy Arms Karen; The Waterfront; The Forest-Mbagathi Ridge; 

Services: If your kids are adrenaline junkies with love for thrilling activities, they will definitely love paintballing. Paintball Fury has several locations in Nairobi and even some outside of the city in Nyeri’s Chaka Ranch and Kereita Forest as well. 

Besides the thrill of the game, paintballing is a great way to teach your kids teamwork and tactical thinking. 

16. The Hub Karen Mall

Location: Dagoretti Road, Karen

Services: The Hub Karen is home of family-friendly restaurants, shopping stores, picnic areas, and amazing children’s games arcade, making it a perfect destination for all things family friendly.

It also houses the Hub Park, an indoor kids’ play arena and amusement section with over 10 activities including a trampoline area, a net maze, aerial glider, toddler soft play, and climbing walls. 

17. Nairobi Mamba Village

Location: Lang’ata N Road, Nairobi

Services: The Nairobi Mamba Village is home to around 70 Nile crocodiles, ostriches, and a variety of fish species in the ponds within the grounds. 

Your kids are guaranteed to have a time of their life with the many activities available here from watching crocodile feeding on chunks of meat to fishing, boat riding, horse riding, camel riding, and taking walks in the botanical gardens. To top it all, Mamba village has a restaurant on site where your family can have a hearty meal with a view of the artificial lake. There’s also different types of accommodations if you’re on a weekend getaway or on holiday.

18. Uhuru Park

Location: Adjacent to Nairobi CBD

Services: Located right in the heart of Nairobi city, Uhuru Park is a popular place for kids and families to visit, spend time, and take part in tens of activities. 

It’s very affordable, with zero entrance fees and all you have to pay for is the activities which range from boat riding, cycling, bouncy castles, merry go rounds, horse rides, mini train rides, all with plenty of open space for kids to run around.

19. Nairobi Snake Park

Location: Nairobi National Museum compound, Museum Hill Road, Nairobi

Services: The Nairobi Snake Park is located within the Nairobi National Museum. It’s a national attraction that features different varieties of snakes behind thick glass walls, making it easy for kids to view, observe, and learn about each of the animals. 

There are also a few other reptiles including Nile crocodiles, turtles, and a fish aquarium as well. And when you’re done with these activities, there’s a restaurant on site with a kid-friendly menu and is spacious enough for an outdoor family hangout. 

20. Nairobi Orphanage

Location: Nairobi National Park, Langata Road

Services: The Nairobi Orphanage is a shelter for abandoned or injured wild animals and your children are bound to see a lot of wild animals up-close such as lions, cheetahs, baboons, warthogs, ostriches, and many more. 

They also get to learn about each of the rescued animals and the effort that goes into caring for them. This place is ideal for children because the walking tour is easy and short and there’s also a restaurant to have lunch near the entrance.  

Happy Exploring with Your Little Ones!