Playgrounds and things to do with kids in Honolulu

A shallow lagoon held in by seawalls, so the water stays calm enough for small kids to wade and float.

A mini zip line and plenty of shade, so kids can keep going after the sun gets high.

Ramps, sensory panels and accessible swings, built so kids of every ability can play together.

Lake paths and picnic lawns with the mountains right behind, so there's room to spread out and let kids wander.

A working goat dairy where kids meet the goats and you all try the goat-milk gelato.

Walk the deck, the crew spaces and the bridge of a battleship, with a scavenger hunt to keep kids looking.

Hawaiian Hall and the natural history collections, with a planetarium and a hands-on science center for when kids want to touch things.

A train ride through the fields and a giant garden maze, each its own ticket, so you can pick just the one your kids want.

Three floors of hands-on exhibits where kids decide where to go next, so you mostly follow.

Elephants and komodo dragons, with a keiki zoo inside for the smallest kids.

Ball pits, pretend play and climbing structures under one roof. Grip socks are required for grown-ups too.

Four rock-sheltered lagoons with calm, shallow water. There are no lifeguards and the small public lots fill early, so arrive with the sun.

Two walls out into the ocean make a calm swimming enclosure in the middle of the beach, so small kids can paddle away from the surf.

You climb right through a real submarine with an audio guide. Under-fours can't board, so there's a virtual tour for them instead.

Planes parked inside old hangars, plus hands-on exhibits. You ride the shuttle out from the visitor center and bags are restricted, so pack light.

Dolphins, sea lions and native Hawaiian sea animals in a marine park right on the ocean.

Compact tanks of giant clams, frogfish and reef life, so a short attention span still makes it to the end.