At first glance it's hard to figure out what to do in Nairobi for kids once you’ve done the tourist trail of elephants and giraffes.  If you are based in Karen you are lucky enough to have access to a few Kid friendly places to hang out.

Bush Gardens

Bush Gardens opened along Koitibos Road in Hardy as a cafe/souvenier shop for the tourists that visit the Giraffe Centre.  Thankfully for us locals it installed a playground and trampoline and is situated in leafy grounds with plenty of space for the kids to run around.   Bush Gardens has a pizza oven which does really good pizzas, some Swahili dishes and a good selection of curries. A small stables is situated within the grounds, so your kiddies can take pony rides or lessons which are very reasonably priced.  Encourage your kids to explore a bit and you will find the chickens and if you are lucky a fresh hatching of baby chicks.

Where: Koitibos Lane, Hardy 

Matbronze 

Matbronze is an art gallery specialising in gorgeous bronze pieces and jewellery. It’s worth a visit for its art alone and is a quiet nook for coffee and a catch up with friends. For kids in Nairobi, the large garden holds various bronze statues and is the ideal place to run about.  There are life sized cheetahs, crocodiles, elephants and a skeleton which allow for fantastical games and many healthy larks. Food is simple but tasty and kids are catered for within the menu.

Where: Kifaru Lane, Hardy

Tin Roof Café – Langata Link shops

This sweet café is nestled at the centre of a honeycomb of gift shops. If you can make your way past the irresistible lure of shops filled with Kitenge, soft Indian cotton clothing, candles, local jewellery and embroidered handbags then you’ll find the  Tin Roof Cafe. This is a place to relax and let your kids wander; couches to recline on, books to read, good coffee to sup, cakes to munch and fresh produce making up an excellent menu. The children’s playground hosts a little tipi as well as swings, slides and little playhouses. Many peaceful hours can be whiled away in this chilled out haven.

Where: Langata Link Shops, Langata S Road

Tin Roof Cafe – House of Treasures

Tin Roof Cafe moved their second cafe to the irresistable House of Treasures.  They seem to have a penchant for aligning themselves with utterly gorgeous clothing and housewear shops.  A relaxed and free spirited vibe in a leafy locations, offering fabulous food and drinks. There is a sweet little wooden playground and a big trampoline.  Plenty of space for kids to run about and a hidden gem for the grown ups to enjoy a glass of wine and try to resist drunkenly perusing the shelves of House of Treasures.

Where: House of Treasure, Dagoretti Road

Kengeles 

This sports bar/restaurant in a quiet corner of Karen has a rustic feel and large garden which makes it a good option for children.  It has a bouncy castle on weekends (although it can get a little rowdy when a big game is on). A decent kids menu with pizza always a winner… just make sure they don't give you a Hawaiian pizza with peppers instead of pineapple as has happened the last 3 times I have been.

Where: Marula Lane, Karen

Asmara Restaurant

Asmara is an Eritrean restaurant offers an awesome range of African foods, and whilst I'd whole-heartedly encourage your kids to try some of these dishes there is also the obligatory kids menu with fish/nuggets/pizza etc.   Outside there is a large jungle gym, a bouncy castle and even a pool (though at the time of visiting this was in some disrepair).  Serves killer margarita cocktails – they are amazing

Where: Ngong Road, Karen

Talisman

Talisman is a high-end restaurant, which turns boozier as the night progresses. Much loved by all the grown up residents of Karen and Nairobi it isn’t the first place you would think of to bring kids, but should you choose to sit out in the garden, there is a children playground towards the back of the venue. The food and atmosphere are is so good that its definitely worth taking the kids along; they can safely wander off to play and you can enjoy the surrounds.

Where: Ngong Road (right next to Asmara)

Nairobi for kids – Karen ideas

Funscapes – The Hub 

Kids heaven, adult hell, this warehouse like space on the top floor of The Hub basically an indoors fair complete with rides; octopus, bumper cars, small train and an assortment of computer games, It also has a very large soft play where you can leave kids for a bit to whizz around the shops. My children adore it, 10 minutes in the deafening racket and I’m just about done, but this is a list for kids not for adult’s right? You buy coupons on entering that you use to pay for the rides.   It gives me a headache just thinking about it.

Spur Restaurant– The Hub 

Aaah the South African favorite. Spur, is a burger/pizza / rib joint that is ADORED by both South Africans and my kids. A children's menu with pizza, sausages, nuggets, and the hero of the trip, the ice cream dessert with sweets for decorating your own ice cream. It has a small playroom where kid can jump about and PlayStations for letting your kids stare zombie-like for half an hour.

David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust 

One of the best things to do in Nairobi for kids is visit the DSWT and adopting one of many animals that are cared for there.   Adopting, opposed to just visiting once with all the other tourists allows you unlimited access to visit your animal, and therefore all the other animals in the orphanage every day at 5pm. It’s experience of a lifetime and cannot be undertaken too many times. This is the chance for your children to see the elephants come back from play time in the National Park; experiencing the awe inspiring sight of 30 elephants stampeding back to their stables in a cloud of dust. You will then get the chance to visit all the elephants as well as the baby Giraffe and the Rhino that live there and to help feed them (the babies from huge milky bottles), stroke them and then tuck them up in their blankets and put them to bed.   And for just 50 dollars a year you can do this every day if you choose.  Find out more here.

Giraffe Sanctuary

Take your kids along to feed or kiss a Giraffe, it never gets old. I have been there 100's of times.  Once inside you are given pellets which you can hand feed to these long lashed lovelies.  Find out more on the Giraffe Sanctuary here.

Want to visit Nairobi but finding it all too expensive?  Read my blog on exploring Nairobi on a budget 

Nairobi National Park / Safari walk 

It would be remiss of me not to mention the fabulous Nairobi National Park.   Read about taking a safari here, or visit the safari walk with little kids. The very short (approx km long) loop gives you the opportunity to see some of the parks most famous residents up close. Cheetah, lion, rhino, hyena, crocodile, buck, ostrich, tortoise, pygmy hippo and more.  It's cheaper than the safari option and a great place to spend the afternoon as a family.

Planet Yoghurt

Head over to Planet yogurt in the Galleria mall on a Friday afternoon and you will find half the school kids in Nairobi fighting their way to the sweetie counter.  Different flavoured iced yoghurts (there are new flavours every couple of weeks) and a counter full of fruit and sweets. Resist if you can.

Panari Ice Skating

Visit the awesome ice rink at the Panari Hotel. Medium sized with plastic seals so less confident skaters can hold on to something whilst whizzing around the ice.  This is a firm favorite with my kids.  The ice skaing  isnt strictly in Karen, as it's along the Mombasa Road, but we can let it slide *see what I did there? Boom Boom.*

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