Hawaii trip with kids!!!
 

We are traveling to Hawaii with our kids (ages 6 and 8) in December. We will be traveling to Honolulu (3 days), Kaui (7 days) and Kona (6 days). Has anybody been to these places with kids? Any good activity, restaurant, flying time ideas?<BR>We would love to hear any thoughts on this vacation plan.<BR>Thanks!<BR>Debbie<BR>Chicago, Illinois

One thing I am doing is ordering some lei needles. They are about 6-8 inches long, need to find the kind of thread needed, then you gather fallen plumeria leaves and make a lei. This is a fun craft if parent supervised with kids. Found this place for ordering the lei needles. On the island the needles are only 2-3 dollars but I am always moving too much to hit that craft store. Would like to find some details for making Haiku leis also, looks pretty simple just wrapping small flowers around a band with raffi, but the flower pieces for this lei might entail a trip to a farmers market or china town<BR><BR>In Honolulu be sure to take your kids to the Oceanarium. There is a three story fish tank where you can watch sealife like sting wrays be fed by divers while you eat.<BR><BR>http://www.lava.net/hawaii_treasures.../shopage5.html

When you are in Honolulu, be sure to take your kids to Pearl Harbor and the Arizona. Ours were younger at the time, and they still remember and appreciate being there. Sadly, there are fewer survivors now, but if they get to hear one speak, it will be memorable. On Kauai, surf lessons are fun. If possible, when on the Big Island, try to arrange for a couple of nights on the Hilo side, or better yet, in Volcano National Park. Seeing the park during the day and at night is a thrill. We also enjoyed our afternoon at the Tsunami Museum. It was very interesting. Check out their web site.

Our kids love what ever we are excited about so I think it is important to bone up on Hawaiian history and not skip this while in the islands. You can learn about ancient Hawaiian stories as relates to specific areas like the volcano, menahune in the forest, not so ancient but fun perceptions (good luck) of geckos made our kids happy every time they saw one. Bishop Museum, Heaus on different islands, alii birthing grounds, city of refuge (BI), Waimae falls park (soon to be owned by Audubon society) all family friendly and educational.<BR><BR>Environmental learning (Dad is very enthusiastic about science and so are the kids): Bishop Museum, Kilauea light house (Kauai), Alaka swamp, Kokee State park and visitor center. We always have star, bird and plant books on hand for easy references. First morning we were identifying every plant!!! Some challenge. Kids also liked taking in the water with them a waterproof guide to reef fish. It is just a simple color card with various common fish and names.<BR>Mixed these visits with snorkel trips, swimming, hikes of course.<BR><BR>Some books and movies to read before hand to enrich your stay.<BR><BR>Concise Version of history in the Hawaiian Islands (86p)<BR><BR>The Hawaii Story (Queen liloukilani (last reigning Monarch of Hawaii)(she will also tell you Hawaiian ideas about some areas, Waikiki she calls the healing place, Volcano at mid-night best experience to have on the islands. Be sure to see this at minimum at dusk better when it is completely dark.<BR><BR>Movies I love about Hawaii both are really for Adults<BR>"Picture Bride" How many Japanese settled in Hawaii, gives you an understanding of one the cultures that shapes modern Hawaii. <BR><BR>Hawaii (based onJames Michener novel) with Julie Andrews, drags a bit a bit in the beginning but picks up and is a provocative look (for 1962) at what the<BR>

of what happened to the Hawaiian culture after exposure to western influence, historically accurate.

ttt

My daighter is 8 and a smart 8 too. Take my advice and skip the Bishop Museum (its a vacation...the kids will not want to much educational pursuit ...mine sure didn't)!<BR>Have fun!

Kristen I have to agree with Pam if you are not interested and are not excited about what you find at the Bishop Museum than your kids won't care either.<BR>Did you read anything about the history of Hawaiians or the state of Hawaii before your trip?<BR><BR>I think it is the first Saturday of every month, it's kids day and that museum is absolutely swamped with kids. I hardly believe people would go at all if it was boring. My kids love the bishop Museum but I love history, I am excited a different exhibits. If Mom is excited than the kids will be excited. I can also put different installations into context of life stories or whatever the kids need to appreciate it. Kind of think this is the job of a parent in any museum.<BR><BR>But the Bishop Museum usually has a children's learning center. I know some exhibit "aliens and bugs" I think it was called, made it all the way to the Smithsonian. <BR><BR>The Bishop Museum probably houses the most information on the development of Hawaii, a land with a culture of 1000 years of History. A kid however bright is not going to get how significant that is, it takes a smart parent to help them with this concept. <BR>

Debbie, we took our two sons (ages 7 & 9)to hawaii back in Feb 2002. We flew from NY to LA and then onto Kona. We left at noon our time (est) and arrived in Kona at 8:30pm their time (i.e. 1:30am our time). We found this to work out extremely well, because we all went to sleep upon arriving at the hotel at 9:30pm (hawaiian time). This seemed to adjust us to their time from the start of the trip without suffering the time change. We have been to Hawaii twice before and arrived during the day and found that we wanted to be asleep by 6:00pm hawaiian time. As such, I would highly recommend arriving at night and going to sleep to acclimate to the local time. unfortunatley, we have not figured out a good time to fly back home without suffering from jet lag and time change. Would be interested if anyone had a recommmendation.

"its a vacation...the kids will not want to much educational pursuit" says something about the vulue of knowledge in Kristen's house.<BR><BR>My kids also enjoyed the Bishop Museum but I am a teacher and I also know the importance of making knowledge fun. I don't think this is exclusive to a museum though. <BR><BR>There are historical sights all over Hawaii. You are showing them a completely different eco system if you are coming from the mainland U.S. Ever bend down and see the grass that bends to touch. It is all over Hawaii.You can't go to Hawaii and not bring a plant and flower guide as Pam suggested but that does make it fun for us. Otherwise you are just looking at a lot of new, pretty stuff. Get a magazine in that case you have an opportunity in Hawaii to expose your kids to so much. That is exciting for me but I am teacher so perhaps it is my nature. I just don't see gifted students who don't have this guidance at home.

Hi Debbie, I love the lei needle idea, also agree with a trip to Bishop Museum.<BR>Went last summer with my nieces 12, 8, and nephew 8, last year I have to say we did much of the stuff save for the leis that Pam mentions. I am a former teacher and love love love introducing stuff to kids. Think you should take a look at Hawaiian history so that you can put stuff into context for your kids throughout the trip. This is also true with the science/nature end. We had an eco travelers guide that told you were to find birds, plants ect. Don’t have exact title on me will come on later. Nice to have everything in one book and for several islands if memory serves.<BR><BR>Mark VERRRRY INTERESTING. We arrived evening late last year and I just hated wasting that day but I remember from other trips that you are right you arrive exhausted anyway. You can however squeeze in a sunset. What we decided on this year was flying into California kids and p’s for three days prior to Hawaii, meeting me night before morning flight then jumping straight to Kauai. On the return flight we also elected a stay in California to skip that grueling red eye. I just hated watching my young niece squirm in the night on the plane ride back. Also on that last day I am in such anticipation of the flight I just can't enjoy what I am doing. Hope this plan will help with jet lag.<BR>

PS nephew was 11

Our kids loved Sealife Park on Oahu and this would have been an easy skip as we are not big on entertainment parks. I did not anticipate this place would be so educational thought it was more of performance park. There are many many interactive exhibits here but you must book way in advance for interactive stuff. Our kids swam with sting wrays.<BR>I have to admit the park does go over board on exploiting the marine life but our kids just loved it. And if your little one is just really annoying you there is a swim in the shark tank too!

Bike rentals North Shore of Oahu, there is a 3 mile bike path that wraps around the coast line, book rentals in advance. Waimea Falls Park, Heau, alii birthing grounds all on the North Shore.<BR><BR>Kauai has a museum also, in Lihue. I would certainly buy leis in one of the many farmers markets if you don't make. Shave ice sampeling around the island is fun! Our favorites in the trailer in Hanalei and the Waimea town, on Kauai.

Think the Waimea location is Jo-Jo's

Hi. We are going to Kuaui (sp) and Maui in July with our two boys (9 and 7). We are staying at Kapaulua in Maui and the Hyatt in Kuaui. Any suggestions on where to take the boys would be great!

Hikes all over Kauai we liked the Kahala trail, easy but beautiful. Waimea canyon hikes will probably be great also. I also enjoyed Alakai swamp. You have a million options in the way of paid activities in and around poipu area everything from dirt bikes to surf lessons will be fun for kids. Standing on long boards can be fun for any kid that has not done it before and anyone can do it with the longboards. Hyatt I think has Haiku Lei (head lei)making which I plan to look into on my summer stay just a fun easy pass time at the beach.

Hilton Waikolao is fun for kids just don't stay at the hotel the whole time. City of refuge is in a beautiful location and a very interesting ancient site.

Traveled to Maui last year with several families and children ranging from 9 months to 9 years. All ages loved the Maui aquarium, the Sugar Cane train and of course the beach. The 7 and 9 year olds loved renting boogie boards with little "windows" in them for viewing marine life without snorkeling. One of the malls (I think it was Lahaina cannery mall) does a free hula type show performed by children. The show is about 45 min long and the kids are darling. Our kids were very interested since children were performing. <BR>For flying ideas, I would definitely ask for children's meals for the kids. They are much more appealing and adults sometimes wish they had them as well.<BR>Reusable sticker books, travel magnadoodle, travel board games and colorforms were all very popular airplane items. Another idea for the return flight (esp. for 8 yr old is to purchase a small scrapbook, buy postcards of places you've visited and let the kids fill in the scrapbooks. Glue sticks are non-messy, and they can write about their experiences while they are still fresh in their memories.<BR>Have fun.

Ditto Volcano at night