Seeking Ideas for 1 Yr Old on Kauai

Definitely PoiPu beach.... great little kid area and good snorkeling, just beware of all the roosters. Also, Lydgate Park...there is a big breaker reef, so a great swim area for kids, also a huge playground. When you get there just head to the WalMart or grocery store and pick up buckets and shovels! On the South end there is a (can't think of the work) conservatory of flowers and plants, AMAZING.... and a spot near there to look for whales.

Lucky you! We go to Kauai just about every year. Best protected beaches are poipu beach park, 'anini and lydgate which also had the "worlds best playground" according to my kids. If your toddler is toddling around already, we find nice shells on 'anini and tunnels beach, if you get there when the tide is going down. We like to visit the sunshine (farmers) market for crazy treats like starfruit and coconuts, which they will open for you. And we can't get enough of guava juice and papayas. There can be lots of wind, if so pick up a kite, there is a kmart, walmart, even a costco. There are tons of neat bugs, geckos and plants to see. We discovered one plant that folds up its leaves when you touch it! And don't forget the shave ice - yum! I pack a picnic since our favorite spots don't always have food, plus little kids and restaurants are too much work for me. If you're hikers, you may want to bring a kid backpack, the trails can be steep. Have fun!

The beach is great, and in my opinion that is the way to spend your time in Hawaii anyway, but we also loved our helicopter tour of the Napali coast. We wanted to do a boat ride but they wouldn't allow us to take the kiddo on that. They did let us bring him on the helicopter, though--but he was actually 10 months, so young enough to just sleep through the whole ride.

Beach! That's about it. When we lived there we didn't have kids, my daughter was born on Maui, and the beach is about as fun as it gets for iddy-biddy kiddos.
Just being outside & exploring is usually entertainment enough for them!

I lived in Hawaii (on Oahu) for 5 years, and visited Kauai twice. The best things to do on Kauai are hiking, snorkeling, boat tours of the Na Pali coast, and beach time of course. A 1 yr old is not really going to be able to participate in any of that. If you've got a backpack carrier you can bring you child on hikes with you, and of course they can enjoy beach time. You might want to check out a Hawaii tour guide book at a local book store or library to see if they have any recommendations for little ones, but most of the activities are related around enjoying the outdoor beauty.

NX -

Not sure if you have taken your trip yet, but I have one idea that saved me when we traveled with our one year old to St. John last year. Although I have never been to Kauai, we have done Maui many times with our 4 kids - so I have been there and done that. I would highly recommend you purchase a high quality baby carrier. I took my Ergo with us to St. John and it was a life saver! We hiked, did beach and pool time - the works. It was great. Much better than a stroller, which can sometimes be challenging at the beach. It is very light weight and packs well. Also washable so if you get it wet, its not a big deal. By far the best baby item I own.

I know that is not your exact question, but I thought I would share.

Aloha!
S

As others have stated, the beach is the most fun thing on Kauai to do for the whole family with a little one. Poipu Beach has a little kids/baby swim beach and so does Lydgate Park Beach.

We were there about 3 weeks ago and spent most of our days with our 3-yr old at Poipu Beach.

It's a beautiful island - have fun! And don't forget the sunscreen and lots of water when heading to the beach :)

Aloha!

I think you should leave the baby with a sitter and take me instead! lol Sounds like a fun trip! How about just making sand castles and playing with a bucket and pail on the beach. That's what my kids all love to do!

Enjoy the vacation!

www.thosecrazybeans.blogspot.com

Hi! How fun! Queen's Bath on the north side of the island is fun for kids. It's a little contained, natural sea pool on the side of the ocean. We saw a sea turtle swim right up next to the pool while we were there--very cool--and it's a fun area for kids to swim. There's also a farmer's market on Saturday mornings in town. I can't remember exactly where it is, but as you're heading south toward Ka'paa it's on the west side of the road. There is a sign for it. We bought yummy fruit and trinkets--would be fun for the rest of the family, and your little one could explore textures and tastes you share with him/her. As mentioned before, Poipu is a great beach for little ones. IF you're up for hiking, and can carry your little guy in a pack or something, the 2-mile hike from Ke'e beach to 2-mile beach along the Napali Coast is great (a little muddy/slippery, so wear good shoes). We saw wild goats, feral kittens, and surfer boys on the beach there. And, Ke'e beach is some of the best snorkeling on the island--just be careful not to stand up on the coral reef. Try going around 2:00 in the afternoon, when the sea turtles come into the reef to feed.
Have fun! I'm jealous!
S.
Have a great time!

There are a lot of things to do in Kauai - have you ever been there? I've been several times, and the last time I took my then 4 month old son & 2 yr old daughter. It cramped our style a bit - no snorkeling, helicopter rides, horseback riding or kayaking. But we took them to do a ton of other things. If you have a baby backpack, take it - it will be very useful. There is a ton of hiking - either in the north past Princeville or in Waimea Canyon. You can take them to the Fern Grotto - it's a little boat ride and small hike - more like a walk. We went to the Spouting Horn - down by Poipu...kids think that's really cool. I don't know how old your other kids are, but if they are older & a bit adventurous, Kipu Falls is great. It's a pool of water with a waterfall and is a popular place for cliff jumping and there is a rope swing that is a ton of fun. When we went, one of us stayed with the kids & splashed in the shallow pools up above while the other one went and enjoyed the more big kid activities and then we switched. And of course, beach time is fun for everyone. We really didn't let the whole kid thing slow us down much -there's a ton to do & it's a really beautiful island. Enjoy yourselves!

Well if you were in Hilo/or Kona I could tell you a few things. I hope you find some fun things to do.

Hi,

My husband and I were there when our little guy was 6 months old and these were some of the activities we did:

pool time
ocean time of course!
Smith's Tropical Paradise Luau
sightseeing drive to the huge waterfalls (Waimea Falls)
breakfast at Casablanca's (the banana crepes are the best!)
another island tour through the mountainous terrain
shopping
trip to the Kilauea Lighthouse (absolutely breathtaking!)
shave ice is a must on any Hawaiian island!
an afternoon at the Princeville Hotel
much of our time was spent taking walks and exploring the island

It's really low-key so just enjoy being together as a family in one of the most beautiful places to vacation!

J.