Garden City Mall

Garden City on Thika Road is built around a three-acre open park, which makes it the most outdoorsy of Nairobi's malls. The children's play park has swings, slides, trampolines and bouncy castles, plus water play and a small sand beach for younger kids, with events like puppet shows and face painting on weekends. Rides are charged separately and the surrounding restaurants let parents keep an eye on things from a table.

How a family visit works

1. 1Park at Garden City on Thika Road and walk into the three-acre central park, not the shops.
2. 2Let the kids onto the play park: swings, slides, trampolines and bouncy castles. Rides are charged separately.
3. 3If the water play and mini sand beach are running, that is where under-sevens will stay. Nobody stays dry.
4. 4On weekends look for puppet shows and face painting around the park.
5. 5Sit at one of the restaurants ringing the lawn so you can watch without hovering on the equipment.
6. 6Leave via the mall if you still need a supermarket run — the park is the outing, the shops are optional.

What kids actually do here

• A real outdoor park in the middle of a Thika Road mall
• Swings, slides, trampolines and bouncy castles
• Water play and a small sand beach for younger kids
• Weekend puppet shows and face painting
• Restaurants with a view of the play park
• Rides sold separately, so you can skip them

What to pack

• A full change of clothes if water play is on
• Towel and spare socks
• Sunscreen for the open park
• A card or cash for ride tickets

Parent questions

Is the play park free with mall parking?

The open park is the draw, but rides are charged separately. Budget for those if the kids want trampolines and bouncy castles.

Hours, tickets and activity rules change. Confirm the current details on the official site or at the gate before you travel.