20 Awesome Family Activities

1 Step Inside the Game 2 Play Sports 3 Pick Plumeria  4 Channel Your Inner Firefighter 5 Catch Fish in Wahiawā 6 Get Your Glow On 7 Meet Baby Animals 8 Fly a Fighter Jet Simulator 9 Care For Hawai‘i’s Coastlines 10 Be Mesmerized by Magicians 11 Battle With Foam Darts 12 Learn Ninja Moves 13 Tour a Honeybee Farm 14 Try Goat Milk Treats 15 Catch a Wave and a Movie At the Same Time 16 Take a Doggy Day Trip 17 Jump at the Gym 18 Go Roller Skating 19 Pick Seasonal Produce 20 Swim in a Waterfall

1 Step Inside the Game

The new Dave & Buster’s at Ala Moana Center takes gaming to the next level with its immersive attractions. You’re the claw grabber in The Human Crane, where you’re lowered into a pit to snatch a prize. At The Hungry Hungry Hippos Game, act fast to gobble up as many balls as you can. For a 360-degree experience, challenge friends and family in The Arena’s two high-tech rooms with interactive walls, floors and ceilings. Tip: Plan your visit for a Wednesday when games are half price. —LD

Game cards start at $27, 1450 Ala Moana Blvd., Ala Moana, (808) 470-1600, daveandbusters.com, @dnbhonolulu

2 Play Sports

Step up family game night at Sports Box, a sports simulator with 14 activities, including baseball, bowling, dodgeball, golf, Frisbee golf, hockey and soccer. Reserve a room, lounge on the sofa and cheer each other on. Each bay holds up to six people and runs $45 per hour on weekdays and $75 per hour on weekends. Pint-sized equipment is available for nearly all sports. And we love that you can book multiple side-by-side bays for a large group. It’s BYOB, so bring your favorite snacks and drinks, too! —LD

Multiple locations, (808) 341-2964, sportsboxhi.com, @sportsboxhi

3 Pick Plumeria

There’s something magical about reveling in nature with your kids and seeing flowers in bloom. That’s the lure of Little Plumeria Farms, a 20-acre farm in Hale‘iwa that was named USA Today’s Best New Attraction of 2024. Renowned photographer Clark Little serves as co-manager of his family’s farm, which grows the largest collection of rare hybrid plumerias in the world. The hourlong tour runs through October. —DS

$21 for keiki kama‘āina, $37 for adult kama‘āina, Hale‘iwa, (808) 367-4119, littleplumeriafarms.com, @littleplumeriafarms

4 Channel Your Inner Firefighter

Here’s a chance to get up-close and personal with community heroes. At the Honolulu Fire Museum, active firefighters lead free monthly tours on the third Saturday of each month. You’ll find out what a day is like at the firehouse, see historic fire engines (yes, they used to be red!) and learn important fire safety tips. A highlight of the experience is dressing up in full uniform and tactical gear—coat, pants, helmet and all. —LD

620 South St., Kaka‘ako, (808) 723-7139, eventbrite.com, @honolulufiredepartment

5 Catch Fish in Wahiawā

If the kiddos have been wanting to try fishing, there’s a spot in Wahiawā where you’re just about guaranteed to catch something. Ali‘i Agriculture Farms near Whitmore Village has ponds of freshwater tilapia, catfish and prawns open for fishing year-round. For $20, you get a pole and bait to catch and release. If you hook something particularly tasty, you can pay by the pound and take it to the food truck for cleaning and cooking in the style of your choice. —TO

680 Whitmore Ave., Wahiawā, (808) 690-0558, fishingfarmshawaii.com, @aliifarms

6 Get Your Glow On

Ready for out-of-this-world illuminated fun? Enter cosmic bowling and golf. The weekend vibe at ‘Aiea Bowl is always electric with rainbow lights, Top 40 hits and food from The Alley Restaurant. Kid-friendly amenities include a video game-like scoring system, automatic bumpers and ramps, and bowling balls as light as 6 pounds. Or visit Olomana Golf Links’ glow-in-the-dark driving range in Waimānalo on Friday and Saturday nights. It’s the closest thing O‘ahu has to Top Golf, and families love the chill atmosphere. There’s music, food and keiki-friendly golf games like Angry Birds, based on the popular video game. Plus, golf clubs are provided. —LD

‘Aiea Bowl, $45 to $65 per hour per lane, 99-115 ‘Aiea Heights Drive, ‘Aiea, (808) 488-6854, aieabowl.com, @aieabowl

Olomana Golf Links, $50 per hour per bay, 41-1801 Kalaniana‘ole Highway, Waimānalo, (808) 259-7926, olomanalinks.com, @olomana.golflinks

7 Meet Baby Animals

Interactive animal experiences are a great way to teach keiki about caring for the earth’s creatures. And of course, they’re just plain adorable. Get ready to squee at these zoos, parks and farms. —BT

Lawrence Lovestock: At this rescue petting farm keiki can give belly rubs to pigs and interact with ducks and goats. 47-581 Mapele Place, Kahalu‘u, (808) 777-8297, lawrencelovestock.com, @lawrencelovestock

Nalo Keiki Paniolo: Meet mini goats, baby doll sheep, a mini pig and alpaca at this family-friendly ranch. 41-631 Mokulama St., Waimānalo, (808) 497-8537, nalokeikipaniolo.com, @nalo.keiki.paniolo

Sea Life Park: Little hands can discover, touch and feed native sea life, including starfish, yellow tang and baby honu at the Discovery Reef touch pool. 41-202 Kalaniana‘ole Highway, #7, Waimānalo, (808) 259-2500, sealifeparkhawaii.com, @sealifepark

Keiki & Plow: Visit with chickens, ducks, bunnies and goats and join in on morning feeding time at this educational farm. 587 Pākalā St., Hawai‘i Kai, (808) 208-2740, keikiandplow.org, @keikiandplow

8 Fly a Fighter Jet Simulator

Future pilots can live out their Top Gun dreams at the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum. You and your wingman will take the controls of the Fighter Ace 360 Flight Simulator located in an authentic World War II-era hangar. There, you’ll engage in a virtual air battle that will leave you dodging, dipping and even looping upside-down. The first Saturday of the month is PHAMily Fun Day with discounted admission for local families and extra, hands-on activities for kids. —LD

$20.99 adult kama‘āina admission, $10.99 child kama‘āina admission, plus $10.99 additional per person for the simulator, 319 Lexington Blvd., Pearl Harbor, (808) 441-1000, pearlharboraviationmuseum.org, @pearlharboraviationmuseum

9 Care for Hawai‘i’s Coastlines

Give back as a family via local volunteer opportunities: —BT

Mālama Maunalua: Pull invasive algae out of the water of Maunalua Bay during monthly cleanups. Keiki will love seeing how much they can remove while chasing crabs and spotting fish. Age 5 and older, malamamaunalua.org, @malamamaunalua

808 Cleanups: The nonprofit hosts year-round cleanups, removing litter from beaches all around the island. All ages, 808cleanups.org, @808cleanups 

Mālama i Nā Honu: Help protect the sea turtles that bask at Laniākea Beach by educating beachgoers and keeping them away from threatened honu. All ages, malamainahonu.org, @malamainahonu 

10 Be Mesmerized by Magicians

You’ll be in awe at the sleight-of-hand that happens right in front of your eyes at this show featuring some of the world’s best illusionists. Set in an opulent and eclectic Victorian-inspired theater, “The Magical Mystery Show!” dazzles with card tricks, seemingly impossible stunts and plenty of audience participation. We love that keiki tickets include a magic kit to take home. If you’re a wannabe magician—or just fascinated by the magic of it all—reserve a spot in the preshow magic class, free for kama‘āina. —LD

$79 for adult kama‘āina, $49 for keiki ages 4 to 12, free for keiki under 4, Hilton Waikīkī Beach Resort & Spa, 2500 Kūhiō Ave., Waikīkī, (888) 624-4202, hotel-magic.com, @themagicalmysteryshow

11 Battle with Foam Darts

Think paintball, but with a softer side. At Pups of War Arena at Pearlridge Center, fire foam darts and balls with Nerf blasters in an indoor “combat zone” outfitted with forts, tunnels and lots of hiding places. Kids will get a kick out of choosing from various types of blasters, and don’t worry, protective eyewear is provided. Prices start at $25 for a half hour and include all the ammo you can shoot. Keiki must be at least 4 years old to play and those under 5 years old must be accompanied into the zone by a parent. —LD

98-1005 Moanalua Road, ‘Aiea, (808) 913-3023, pupsofwararena.com, @pupsofwar808

12 Learn Ninja Moves

Have you heard of parkour? Technically, it’s the art of movement where athletes string moves together fluidly from point A to point B. In kid speak, it is jumping, spinning and balancing through an obstacle course like a ninja. Set In Motion is an outdoor mobile gym offering 60-minute parkour classes tailored for kids ages 6 to 13 at Ala Moana Beach Park. They’ll learn safety, control, focus and discipline through fun physical challenges like ladder runs, hurdles, rail balancing and vault jumping. And expect some silly games sprinkled in, too. —LD

$28 drop-in class, $99 monthly membership for one class a week, 1201 Ala Moana Blvd., Ala Moana, (808) 320-4224, setinmotion.xyz, @setinmotion.xyz

13 Tour a Honeybee Farm

Talk about a buzzy experience! Beekeeper and Hānai Hives founder Katie Metzger offers family-friendly tours of her picturesque North Shore honeybee farm. You’ll don a bee suit, get up close to the hives, and see the worker bees building honeycombs filled with honey, pollen and baby bees, all while learning about the important role the tiny pollinators play in our ecosystem. —BT

$50 for keiki kama‘āina, $75 for adult kama‘āina, Sunset Beach, hanaihives.com, @hanai_hives

14 Try Goat Milk Treats

Take a mini road trip to the North Shore to Sweet Land Farm, where you and your family can feed goats and enjoy goat milk-centric treats while picnicking on the serene property. Most menu items are kid-friendly, including the mac and cheese, blueberry panna cotta and vanilla gelato, all made with goat’s milk. It’s a delicious way to unwind in the country. And don’t forget to take home a jar of the velvety goat milk caramel. —DS

Free admission, 65-1031A Kaukonahua Road, Waialua, (808) 228-6838, sweetlandfarmhawaii.com, @sweetlandfarmhawaii 

15 Catch a Wave and a Movie at the Same Time

If you think watching a movie alfresco sounds nice, try watching one while floating on an inner tube in a wave pool. A Wet ’n’ Wild Hawai‘i Dive ’n’ Movie screens nearly every Saturday (weather permitting) at noon and at dusk. The waterpark features a 20-foot high-definition LED TV wall screen in front of the Hawaiian Waters Wave Pool, making it easy for the whole ‘ohana to enjoy a family-friendly film. —JC

Free with admission, 400 Farrington Highway, Kapolei, (808) 440-2914, wetnwildhawaii.com, @wetnwildhawaii

16 Take a Doggy Day Trip

Shelter pups need all the love we can give. I live in a place that doesn’t allow pets, but I can still do my part by hosting a doggy day trip with one of the pups from the O‘ahu SPCA or Hawaiian Humane Society. Your buddy comes ready for adventure with a bag containing a towel, treats, water and poop bags. The rest is up to you: Take your new friend shopping, on a hike or for a romp around the neighborhood. Whatever you choose, it’ll be a mental health boost for both doggo and hooman. —TO

$25, 823 Olive Ave., Wahiawā, (808) 754-1519, oahuspca.org, @the_oahu_spca

$50 for kama‘āina, multiple locations, hawaiianhumane.org, @hawaiianhumane

17 Jump at the Gym

Instead of bouncing off the walls at home, take your kids to Hawai‘i Academy’s Fun Nights where they can cartwheel, leap and tumble to their hearts’ delight. The gym, with 15 trampolines, a balance beam and rings, is a great place for kids to practice their favorite tricks. And on select Fridays from 6 to 9 p.m., parents and children ages 6 and up can participate in mini gymnastics lessons. Parents are also welcome to drop off their kids and enjoy a much-needed date night. —LD

$10 per hour, 1314 Mo‘onui St., Kalihi, (808) 842-5642, hawaiiacademy.com

18 Go Roller Skating

Introduce your family to this nostalgic sport at Kiha Public Skating, an indoor rink complex in Kapolei. On Saturdays, you can take skating lessons from 2:45 to 4 p.m., and then come back to practice your skills under disco lights till closing time at 11 p.m. Kids love the colorful rental skates that come in vibrant, retro hues, as well as organized games such as limbo and the Hokey Pokey dance. Thank goodness, walkers are available to help keep first-timers upright. —LD

$20 per person includes rental skates, a one-hour class and a two-hour open-skate session, 1057 ‘Ōpakapaka St., Kapolei, (808) 682-5442, kihapublicskating.com, @official_kiha_public_skate

19 Pick Seasonal Produce

A trip to a local farm is a fantastic way for keiki to learn about where their food comes from. Back home, use your fresh picks to whip up a yummy meal. —AL/BT

Aloun Farms: Pick ‘Ewa sweet corn, string beans and pumpkins during the Pumpkin Festival, held the last three weekends in October. 91-1440 Farrington Highway, Kapolei, (808) 677-9516, alounfarms.com, @alounfarmshawaii

Keiki & Plow: On the second and last Saturdays of the month, fill a “U-pick basket” with root veggies, herbs and edible flowers. 587 Pākalā St., Hawai‘i Kai, (808) 208-2740, keikiandplow.org, @keikiandplow

Lokoea Farms: Pick fruit during orchard tours on Friday mornings. 62-394 Joseph P. Leong Highway, Hale‘iwa, (808) 228-8865, lokoeafarms.wixsite.com, @lokoea.farms

20 Swim in a Waterfall

Explore cultural and natural wonders in the lush rainforest of Waimea Valley on the North Shore. Don a life jacket and take a dip (safely) in the waterfall-fed pond as lifeguards watch over you. Warning: The water is cold! Kids can also earn a Ho‘okipa Cultural Ambassador Certificate and pin by visiting three cultural sites in the valley: Hale Hō‘ike, Kauhale and Kahua Pā‘ani. Several discounts are available to help local families save some cash: For kama‘āina, admission is free on Thursday afternoons; keiki get in free on Wednesdays; and on the third Sunday of the month, admission is 50% off. —LD

$10 kama‘āina admission, $6 kama‘āina keiki admission, 59-864 Kamehameha Highway, Pūpūkea, (808) 638-7766, waimeavalley.net, @waimeavalleyoahu