Things to Do With a 3 Year Old in Maui

Maui Ocean Center, located in Maalaea, is a marine park specializing in ocean life found in the waters surrounding Hawaii. During your visit, you'll watch green turtles swim by, see the United States' largest collection of live coral and watch sharks, rays and fish up close. The center also offers a restaurant and café.

Hawaii's large waves are great for surfers but are not so safe for little ones. Baby beach, located at the east end of H.A. Baldwin Beach Park in Lahaina, offers calm waters because of a reef that prevents the bigger waves from reaching the shore. You'll find restroom and picnic facilities available at this guarded beach.

Maybe you didn't come to Maui to play miniature golf, but it might be just the activity your 3-year-old would enjoy after a day of sight-seeing. Maui Golf and Sports Park, located in Maalaea, offers miniature golf, bumper boats, rock climbing and a trampoline, and it is open every day.

Catch the free hula show at the Lahaina Cannery Mall in Lahaina on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. Afterward, visit the food court for a quick snack or pick up essential items you forgot to pack. If you are staying at one of the larger hotels, ask if classes are offered in hula dancing or lei making. In addition to being fun for the whole family, classes provide great opportunities for photographs.

Learn about Lahaina's history as a whaling town at the Whalers Village Museum, located in the Whalers Village shopping center. The free museum has a full-size model of the forecastle of whaling ship, displays of antique utensils made from whale bone and ivory and other exhibits dedicated to whaling. You can't miss the sperm whale skeleton that marks the entrance to the museum.

During the Maui Gold Pineapple Tour, you will learn about pineapple farming and history. The tour includes a trip to the pineapple fields, where you'll walk among the pineapple plants and be given a free sample. Children 2 and older can take part in the tour, but you'll need to bring a car seat for your child, as part of the tour takes place in a tour vehicle. The plantation is located in Kahului, and tours are available every day.