General

Holidays by Destination Africa General Attitudes to Children 

Africans love children and in terms of care from strangers, this should be one of the safest places to take them. Almost all Africans are distressed to hear a baby cry for example. The entire population of a bus will try to keep a baby happy to prevent this from happening. In hotels you may find that one or more of the staff make friends with your offspring and play uproariously with them at every chance.

Play

Play areas are not a priority in areas where schools and health services are struggling for cash. You are likely to come across charming, though not always safe, toys, made from example from Coca Cola cans.

Baby Changing Facilities

Not an option.

Buggies

Best left behind unless you plan not to leave your hotel/city centre.

Breastfeeding

Revealing your breasts in much of Africa is regarded as no more of an issue that revealing your petticoat, or perhaps a bra strap. In west African countries where the birth rate has rocketed you will see babies being breastfed every day. Attitudes to westerners who breastfeed may be positive though it is possible that locals, particularly middle class, may feel that you are slumming it. Formula is heavily marketed as being the modern, First World way of feeding a baby. However, given the issues of hygiene, breastfeeding would be infinitely preferable.

Babysitting

It should be easy to find someone your children like and who is happy to look after them. Note however that 'gifts' of one kind or another are an integral part of African life and even if you agree a price in advance in some places a small additional tip or article might be expected. Ask locally for advice on this.

Baby Stuff

Outside South Africa and major centres in Zimbabwe plus a handful of others such as Nairobi, disposable nappies are not widely available. Given that waste disposal in most areas is only basic, such nappies will pose a significant addition to local pollution. Reusables would be better.
Formula, given the efforts of manufacturers to convince mothers that their own milk is not good enough, is likely to be found even well off the beaten track. However, the individual formulae are unlikely to match that you use at home.