Free and Cheap Stuff to Do With Your Keiki

We got to go with Seporah on Friday to The Children’s Museum with Seporah’s class. It’s super fun, we go there all the time. We were surprised to find out we were the only ones who had been there out of her class. It was the same when we went to the zoo, no one else had gone. Not exactly sure why no one else is going there, but thought I’d make a list of free and cheap things to do with your short stops, especially on Oahu:

FREE
-Mondays at the Mililani Town Center at 10:30am, Bungo the clown comes for toddler time.
-Tuesday mornings at Pearlridge Mall and Wednesday mornings at Kahala Mall there’s toddler time at 10:30AM.
-Tuesdays at 10:30AM at Mililani Library there’s story time with a craft.
-The beaches, KoOlina, Aweoaweo and Waikiki are the 3 that we’ve found that have the calmest waters for the keiki.
-Parks, parks, and more parks.
-Free movies this summer at Regal Theaters, check out http://www.regmovies.com/nowshowing/familyfilmfestivalschedule.aspx for more information.
-Bike rides, the girls LOVE the bike and it’s good exercise too.
-Walks/hiking. Depending on where you go, this could cost some for admission or parking, but very minimal. There’s Wahaiwa Botanical Gardens, Waimea Falls, Manoa Falls, Diamondhead.
-At least once a month there’s a Family Fun Fair somewhere. Usually free admission with crafts for the kids and entertainment. They happen downtown and at the colleges and universities and just all over.
-You have to be on the lookout, but quite frequently Museums have free days.
-Tutu and Me. This is a traveling toddler time that’s all over the islands.

Cheap Stuff
-Annual passes to the zoo are $25 for the ENTIRE family! Passes get 20% off gift shop and eatery.
-Annual passes to the aquarium are $60 for the family. Plus 20% off at the gift store
-Annual passes for the Children’s Museum/Discovery Center are a little bit more at $200, but if you average it out it’s sooo worth it. Plus 20% off at the gift store and cafe.
-Annual Passes at the water park are also more expensive, but right now if you buy them online they’re $70 each and they’re good for a whole 12 months, the place doesn’t close for the winter. And they do special events all the time.
-Jamba Juice, we always find these buy 1 get 1 smoothie free coupons. Then we have them put part of each of ours into a keiki cup and we end up getting 4 drinks for the price of one.
-McDonald’s, really for the price of a happy meal you get food, a toy, a playground, and a little peace and quiet. Not bad I’d say.
-The Baby Expo comes around twice a year in May and October. It’s called the BABY expo, but it’s got activities for up to about 6 or 7. It’s only $4.50 for adult, kids are free. There’s always snacks and stuff to do.
-Baby Hui, you have to sign up for it, but it’s Mommy and Me playdates that’s pretty cool. They hook you up with families with kids about the same age.

There’s ALWAYS stuff to do, you just have to look for it. And really this list doesn’t even touch the touristy stuff you can do here on the island. Maybe it would be different if we lived in a huge house with a huge backyard, maybe then I wouldn’t feel the need to do something. But we live in an 800 sq ft place on the 4th floor and we have got to do something everyday.