Senegal & play: where and why here
Senegal has no big American-style amusement parks, and there is no point pretending otherwise. But the country is young, very young: half of all Senegalese are under 19. In Dakar, there is strong demand for safe places where families can let children play without watching out for traffic or worrying about the midday sun.
Two answers have taken hold. The first is the indoor play hall: an enclosed, air-conditioned, supervised space where you come for half a day or a whole day. The second is the city’s great green space. Hann Forest and Zoological Park (Hann Park), created in 1903, covers some sixty hectares of woodland with a lake, an ethnobotanical garden and play areas. It is one of Dakar’s few green lungs, and at weekends families flock there. The small vehicles run along paths sheltered from the traffic.
Our advice, which you will also find on the family days & children’s outings page: come to Hann for the forest. The zoo has drawn repeated criticism over its facilities, and it is not an outing we recommend.
Formats: what you can book
- 3 hours of free play in the indoor park: access to the sensory areas for the very young, and to the play frames and supervised activities for older children, in Point E. Equipment is included.
- A day in the indoor park: two full-day formats, to choose on the listing, which add workshops and supervised activities to free play.
- Book of 5 entries: for families who come back often. The price is per child.
- Combos in Hann Park: bike (30 minutes), electric car or kids’ quad (10 minutes each), to combine in pairs or all three. Extra ten-minute slots can be added if your child wants more. Equipment is provided; drinks are not included.
For animals, see animal parks; for a show, circus arts & shows; for teenagers, karting & motorised leisure or adventure & outdoors.
Where to play with children in Senegal
- Dakar: both activities in this section are here. The indoor park is in Point E, a central residential neighbourhood. Hann Park lies to the east of the city, on the road to the suburbs; you can combine the vehicles with a walk around the lake.
- The Petite Côte: this section has no activity there for now. If you are staying in Saly or the Somone, children will be happy with the beach & relaxation days with entertainment, and with the outings on the family page.
When to go
The indoor park does not care about the seasons: it is the answer to the rainy season (hivernage), July to October, when the heat turns sticky and downpours arrive without warning, and to the scorching middle of the day all year round. Its opening hours are extended during the school holidays; they are given on the listing.
In Hann, it is the opposite: everything happens outdoors. Aim for the dry season, November–May, and for the morning or late afternoon, when the shade of the trees is enough to cool the paths. As for the calendar, the school year starts in early October and classes end in late July: weekends, public holidays and the long holidays in August and September are the times for outings, and also the busiest.
Good to know & budget
In the indoor park, a parent or accompanying adult must be present for the whole visit: it is not a day nursery. Bring comfortable clothes and a bottle of water. In Hann, take a cap, sun cream and something to drink; stay within sight while your child is driving.
On Que Faire Sénégal, the price shown for the activity is the price of the service, and it is per child. You pay 20% to secure your booking (the booking fee). The balance is paid on site, on the day. If you live in Senegal, you get the resident rate: up to 30% off depending on the activity (the exact rate is shown on each listing). For the Hann combos, park entry is payable on site and not included in the price. For the indoor park, there are no additional official fees. In both cases, cancellation is free up to 72 hours before the activity.
Who is it for?
For babies from 6 months, with the sensory areas of the indoor park. For children up to 10, who will find play frames, workshops and activities there. For little drivers, who get their first feel of a steering wheel or handlebars on the paths of Hann.
If you live in Dakar, this section is your permanent plan B: an afternoon that is too hot, a rainy Saturday, holidays that drag on. The book of five entries and the resident rate lighten the bill when you come back often. If you are visiting, think of it as a break for the children between two sights: three hours of play in the cool after a morning on Gorée Island or at the market, and the whole family leaves in a better mood.
In July 2025, at the height of the holidays, a reporter from Le Soleil spent a day in Hann Park. At the entrance, the procession of taxis never stopped. A mother who had come with her three children was exploring the ethnobotanical garden: the park, she said, was the ideal setting to catch your breath and introduce little ones to nature. It is this weekend atmosphere that you will find with the small vehicles on the paths.
Frequently asked questions
From what age are children welcome at the indoor play park?
From 6 months to 10 years. Each age group has its own areas, from sensory play to workshops.
Can I drop my child off at the indoor park and come back later?
No. A parent or accompanying adult must be present for the whole visit.
Is Hann Park entry included in the combos?
No. Park entry is payable on site and not included in the price. The combo covers time on the vehicles and the equipment; drinks are not included.
What can we do with children when it’s too hot or raining?
The indoor play park in Point E is air-conditioned and open whatever the weather. Keep Hann for the dry season, in the morning or late afternoon.
How do I book, and what is left to pay on site?
You pay 20% to secure your booking (the booking fee), and the balance is paid on site, on the day. Residents get the resident rate: up to 30% off depending on the activity (the exact rate is shown on each listing). Cancellation is free up to 72 hours before.
