Kuli‘ou‘ou Beach Park: A Keiki-Friendly Beach on O‘ahu

Iit is (almost) always beach season in Hawai‘i! And taking your baby to the beach is like a rite of passage for any Hawai‘i-based family.

Oʻahu alone has dozens of family-friendly beaches along its 112 miles of coastline. Plus, there’s lots to do for keiki of all ages. You can take surf lessons in Waikīkī, camp at Waimānalo Beach Park, snorkel at Hanauma Bay or explore tide pools at Makapuʻu. One of our favorite keiki-friendly beaches is Kuli‘ou‘ou Beach Park.

SEE ALSO: ☀️ 8 Great Beaches on Oʻahu for Families

Playing in the sand at Kuli‘ou‘ou Beach Park, Photo: Jasmine Chagnon

Kuli‘ou‘ou Beach Park has a lot to offer in regards to safety, sensory and exploratory play and overall strengthening. Even though it’s not a great beach for swimming, this beach park can serve as a place to engage in purposeful family play. The beach park features outdoor showers, restrooms, picnic tables, a basketball court and a lot of space to enjoy the beach line.

Exploring at low tide, Photo: Jasmine Chagnon

Activities To Do at Kuliʻouʻou Beach Park

• Play on grass: If your baby is sensitive to sand or you are worried about your baby eating sand, hang out in the large grassy section. Place a thick beach blanket down if your baby is not keen on being in grassy areas. Having an added layer between baby’s skin and the grass can slowly acclimate your baby to new textures.

• Sensory play: There are plenty of opportunities to engage in sensory play at Kuliʻouʻou Beach Park. You can dip baby’s toes in the small water pools close to the shore to expose them to varying water temperatures. If your baby is starting to sit, you can let them sit in the shallow water and let them splash around. If your child is walking, let them stomp around! Let their hands and feet explore the grass, dry sand, wet sand and the water.

Splish splash, Photo: Jasmine Chagnon

• Water play: If you are nervous about taking your keiki into the water, Kuliʻouʻou is a great place to practice. The water is calm and shallow, so you can practice using any water gear with your baby to make sure everyone is comfortable without the risk of a big wave crashing.

• Strength exercises: If your little one is walking, you can practice walking through the water. This is a great strengthening activity for your baby’s legs and tiny feet muscles.

• Explore: Walk around the beach and park area and encourage your child to identify items in nature (shells, crabs, sand, etc.). Talk about ways that nature makes you feel and what you like about being at the beach.

Of course, beach play activities should always be closely supervised by an adult.

SEE ALSO: Kuli‘ou‘ou Beach Park: A Keiki-Friendly Beach on O‘ahu