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Hawaii Children's Discovery Center
Categories: Arts & Entertainment Museums Event Planning & Services Venues & Event Spaces Museums, Venues & Event Spaces [Edit]
111 Ohe StreetHonolulu, HI 96813
(808) 524-5437
- Hours:
Tue-Fri 9 am - 1 pm
Sat-Sun 10 am - 3 pm
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
L W. said: "Stayed here for almost 3 months while finding housing for our move back to HI. Was in a 1-bedroom condo style. Chose here because we KNEW we didn't want anything to do with staying in Waikiki, but needed to be close to town (not out in…" read more »
38 reviews for Hawaii Children's Discovery Center
Review Highlights
"Dress up areas are super fun."
(in 8 reviews)
"The rest of the first floor is dedicated to providing a..."
(in 7 reviews)
"There are TONS of hands-on activities and centers within..."
(in 3 reviews)
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38 reviews in English
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Review from Julie B.
New York, NY
1/29/2012
The Hawaii Children's Discovery Center is an absolutely gem - hands down, the best of its kind anywhere. The space is huge with so many different areas and activities to explore. There are lots of caring staff throughout who quietly and invisibly set everything back to its starting position for the next child to learn and enjoy (although we always try to help and see that many other families do, too), and it is simply a super fun way to spend many a morning with a young child. We went literally dozens of times in our 3 months here and my son discovered new things each and every time. We will miss the Discovery Center dearly and hope to return soon. Mahalo for your wonderful hospitality.
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Review from Antonette H.
Mililani, HI
1/20/2012 1 Check-in Here
Great hands on place for the the little ones. Lots to do, and explore. Both my 3 year old and my 2 year old really enjoyed themselves here, although they didn't quite understand a lot of the activity spots.
Downside is the price. WAY too expensive I think.
A nice little cafe is located on site, which is great for the kiddies.
I didn't interact much with the staff, so I'm not sure what to say about them, other than they walked around without smiling and were cleaning up after the kids. They hate their job? Maybe. I don't know.
Either way, I'll probably go again later once the kids get a bit older. -
Review from Jack C.
San Jose, CA
10/30/2011
Pleasantly surprised with a vast variety of activities for pre-schoolers. A lot of hands on practical activities. There's a mini town on the first floor, with service vehicles (TheBus, fire engine, bank, grocery, etc.)
Also have educational theme surrounding how food is digested (not a fan here). Adds a Thomas train along with a train track table. Not bad.
Upper floors have a multicultural center that teaches kids about the various regions that helped shaped Hawaii to what it is today (including the US Navy).
The entrance fee is a bit on the high side, for $10 per person with toddlers 1 and under being free (babies?). Locals ($8) and military members ($6) get a larger discount for the entire family.
Curious George exhibit is towards the exit. -
Review from Joe H.
10/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
The Discovery center is a great concept and very well done. Someone obviously had a vision for making a very kid friendly place where kids could learn in a very open, tactile and fun environment.
The place is perfect for kids ages 2 to 6 or so. The older kids get bored quicker, especially if they've been there before. We've been three times, but they don't update it much so once you've seen it the first time it loses a bit of its luster. On school breaks it gets REALLY crowded.
My main suggestion is that they expand the age group some by including some older activities... maybe robotics or something. -
Review from Ranell M.
Mililani, HI
1/29/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Great for kids. Kamaaina gets in for $8.00 each (2 years & up)! One suggestion: i think they should offer adult kamaaina admission prices for $6.00 & $8.00 for kamaaina kids since it's mainly for the little ones. Parents are pretty much there for paparazzi!
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Review from Juliann C.
Kaneohe, HI
8/16/2011
Can you guys please make a Hawaii Adult's Discovery Center?!?!
and no, I'm not talking about a strip club. -
Review from Emily L.
Honolulu, HI
8/8/2011 1 photo
I've been to the CDC twice and each time was just as fun as the last!
Every time I've come here it seems like the adults are having just as much fun as their kids. It's the perfect place to let your inner kid play with other kids.
What I like about the CDC is that it's very educational and it sparks curiosity. The perfect place to take your kids away from the TV and internet. In their "Fantastic You" section, the CDC recreates the human body in playground form. Kids can crawl inside a "mouth" and through a "digestive system". Be prepared to answer all those "Why?!" questions from your kids. "Why are there so many teeth?", "Why do we have tongues?", etc etc. Exhausting!
In the first floor you'll find a set up of a mock court room, auto repair shop, post office, bank, etc. I've seen kids pretend to be lawyers, doctors, veterinarians, you name it.
Everything is interactive, they're allowed to touch everything. There's a giant toothbrush for your kids to brush the giant teeth. They can jump around the squishy "stomach". Just...make sure you clean and wipe yourself after... as we all know children can get sticky and tend not to cover their mouths when they sneeze or cough.
The staff there are very friendly and are situated throughout the CDC to watch your kids in case something happens so you can sit and relax on the benches too if you want. I really wish I was small enough to jump, climb, and crawl on their play equipment... or small enough to play dress up and try on their cool costumes.
They close pretty early so get there sometime before lunch. Guarantee you'll spend about 2 hours there. It can also be pricey... about 10 dollars per persona and 8 for kamaaina. However, it's a place you HAVE to take your children at least once. :)
Yelp 365 008/365Listed in: Yelp 365 Challenge!
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Review from Lori I.
I've been accused of writing long reviews, writing a "wall of words" as someone told me. So here is my shortest review:
1. If you have a child between 1 and 5, this place is pretty cool!
2. At $200/yr, the family membership seems expensive to me...
3. During Christmas, Spring and Summer breaks, send your kid to the all day (9a-4pm) camps.
4. Read Shandis C.'s review for all the juicy details!!Listed in: GOT KIDS?
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Review from Cynthia H.
Honolulu, HI
6/28/2011
O.M.G !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If you want to make your kids take a nap, take them here! This place is nuts! I would recommend this place for pre-school and up. Your toddlers might get trampled by the old kids, and you'd have a hard time keep an eye on them.
Weekends are nuts, and they close of Mondays and by 1pm, which is really weird for a kids place.
Dress up areas are super fun! I enjoy the dressing up areas myself:0) They have a make believe police station, car mechanics garage, court house, grocery store, and much more on the floor level! Upstairs they have the more cultural stuff like the Chinese dress up, and Japanese tea house etc.
Lets just say by the time we went through this place, I was ready for a nap.
Parking is free, kamaaina rate is 8 bucks kids under 1 are free. -
Review from Kaliko P.
2/17/2011 14 photos
Children's Discovery Center is a great way to spend an afternoon if you want to 1) get out of the heat and into some cool A/C 2) let your kid play and touch things and learn about different things at the same time 3) want an affordable place to take your kid for the day.
Three floors to choose from:
First floor has displays about the human body and kids can play in a giant stomach pit or sit in a huge mouth and watch cartoons about dental hygiene. There's a huge wooden puzzle of the brain you can put together. You can also pretend that you are a judge, a policeman or work in grocery store or go fishing for magnetic fish in the N. Pole.
Second Floor is mostly a marine theme and and old Hawaii theme where children can pretend they are sailing a boat, making shaved ice from an old machine, learn about old Hawaii and watch a DVD about ocean life.
Third Floor has many different cultural themes and buildings where you can "visit" places such as Japan, China, India, etc. Each little display is a room where kids can enter and learn about that particular culture. I'd say Japan was my favorite, because you can actually sit in the tatami tea room and pretend like you are eating.
Admission is $8.00 for locals with ID. You can stay as long as you like until closing time.
Free parking outside. -
Review from Keri B.
Ewa Beach, HI
11/3/2011
The ammenities are great for kids! Te facility is educational and career oriented for all young aged kids. They dress up and get to play the part at each station. Only bummer part if you have a little one they don't allow strollers. A "kid friendly" spot should incorporate that.
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Review from Darin O.
Honolulu, HI
3/29/2011
Really only good if you have 3 or 4 year olds that need to have a new setting.
If you are a parent that likes to help your child in a hands on touch musuem type setting then this is the place for you. There are docents but they can not help all of the kids all of the time so be ready to not just sit back but to help your child learn learn learn. -
Review from Carmen G.
Kailua, HI
10/6/2011
I would love to go the Discovery Center but the hours of operation are so limited that we have never been been able to go. For young children who generally nap in the middle of the day, it is especially bad- they close at 1pm on Mondays and aren't open past 3pm ever. Clearly it's set up for stay-at-moms and preschool groups, not working parents.
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Review from zachary j.
Kapolei, HI
10/5/2011
I love live animals . California Oakland Fairyland has has so much more.
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Review from Troy M.
Honolulu, HI
1/26/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Awesome place for kids plan on spending at least an hour here. Very educational, Fun, & Clean.
I have been hear several times. They are closed on monday. Weekends are very busy. Best time to go is in the morning during weekdays.
Bring a camera for some great photos. -
Review from D C.
Honolulu, HI
8/9/2011
This Place Is AWESOME!!! If you have a high spirited, energetic 5 year old....this is the place to be!! My son can run around like a screaming banshee and have a blast playing and talking to new friends ALL WHILE LEARNING SOMETHING....and No one bats an eye at the loud little haole boy screaming at Mommy that he is the captain of a ship!! I really don't know what else to say about it.....It's just awesome. I love that he can touch everything and be himself, and as high spirited as he wants to be without any repercussions or dirty looks.....reminds me of the Children's Science Museum in London.....International Fun Time There....IF You Are Traveling With Your Little One.....Jussayin!!!
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Review from Annie K.
6/21/2011 12 Check-ins Here
Children's Discovery Center - slightly hidden in Downtown, a fun-filled learning experience for kids. Your child could read a Korean fairy tale and have some sushi with their friends in Japan or go grocery shopping and star in a broadway show all in one day. Kids learn about eating healthy, exercising, and brushing their teeth. The staff are polite and great with kids. They even offer Spring and Summer camp. It's pretty pricey but if your kid enjoy being there, it's a summer experience you could consider.
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Review from beth i.
6/1/2010 1 Check-in Here
My son always enjoys himself at CDC. He's been here a bunch of times since he was 2 years old, but I think he is enjoying a lot more of the activities now that he's 4. He spent a lot of time in the stomach exhibit which you can climb into it and lay around on a bunch of bean bags and stick felt pieces of food on the walls. He also really enjoyed the firetruck, auto shop and library. They can wear a fireman's helmet and coat and jump on the truck. My son loved the auto shop where you can remove the tires and put the bolts back to hold them on. You can also get under the car and look under the hood to see all of the parts. The library is very whimsical and fun. There is a gigantic sofa and a large tree and castle. My son was captivated by the fireplace and the amount of books on the shelves. It's a nice break after exploring all the activities in the place.
Hours of operation are a little difficult and the workers seem to hover a little especially around the little toddlers. They do this with a smile on their faces, but it seems like they want to put everything back as soon as you move it.
Overall, it's a lot of fun for the preschool age and lower elementary kids. Lots of learning and things to see. You can spend hours here exploring.Listed in: Family places and festivals
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Review from Peter J.
Mililani, HI
8/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
Fun for the family
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Review from Justin H.
Pearl City, HI
5/13/2011
I had no idea this place existed until I went here for a 1st birthday party. Most of the party was made up of families with children so I just went around the facility with my parents. I am in my 20's and I gotta tell you, this place is FUN!!! The exhibits are well put together and educational for children. This place makes me want to have kids so I have a reason to come here again! It's also sooooo HUUUUUGEEEE!!!! I spent hours there and there was never a dull moment.
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Review from Sara L.
7/29/2010
Awesome place for children. A bit pricey for my tastes.
Ok, I took the boys here on Tuesdayt for a bit of indoor fun. I had never been here before so I relied on the Google Maps attached to Yelp. Talk about going in a round about way, once I realized where it was, I could have gotten there about 15 mins. faster.
Its in the back by the water and a nice park. My oldest commented on the small homeless camp that we past in an abandoned parking lot and honestly I felt bad going to spend money when they were right across the street.
Anyway we got there and my goodness the price! $24 for one adult and 2 kids, 1 of them being under 2?!?!? And thats kamaina rates. Anyways the center itself, was nice. 3 floors of fun for the boys. It was a bit crowded but thats understandable since its the week before school started. It took about an hour to get through everything. I have to say I enjoyed the refugee exhibit because it helped my son understand seeing the homeless we passed.
Even though my oldest was 8, he still enjoyed himself. The baby did too although he was often overwhelmed with the crowds. All in all it was A-OK. Just be sure you bring some cash for the cafe in case you get hungry since they don't accept credit cards. Or bring a bag lunch and eat outside at the park across the street. -
Review from Leilani Y.
Palo Alto, CA
8/15/2010
We decided to take a break from the beach and get the brain juices flowing again at the children's discovery museum. As a parent of a 6 year old and almost 3 year old, I would say this was above average but I personally wasn't overly impressed with the exhibits which were a little run down and old school -- you can see this a bit on their website pics. We paid $30 for 3 of us. I was expecting there would be a discount for kids under 3 but they pay full price. I would say a kid older than 6-7 may get bored here unless babysitting younger siblings or cousins...
That said, my kids had a fun time interacting with the exhibits. Both kids really enjoyed shopping and checking out at the grocery store. My 6 yo girl had fun dressing up as a mailperson, sorting and delivering mail while my son built a fort with giant legos. The other popular exhibit for both of them was the bubble maker and my daughter was able to blow footlong diameter bubbles while my son chased and popped them. Beware of the mannequins on the 2nd floor -- my son was completely terrified of them! (they are kinda scary) ;)
Lastly my daughter really liked dressing up in traditional garb from the Philippines, Japan and China (there are Korean outfits too) and we have cute pictures of her dressed up in front of a mini jeepney, drinking tea and stir frying fabric noodles, respectively.
They have a special exhibit on refugees around the world which is great for an older kid's awareness but probably a pass for toddlers.
They have a kids cafe and a store but we didn't check them out. You can't drink, eat or chew gum in the museum so any snackage will have to take place outside or in the cafe! There is also only one set of bathrooms down on the first floor so keep in mind for your potty-trainees!
As a many-time Oahu visitor, this was good and different for us (after getting our fill of beach time). We hit this museum in the right age window! -
Review from Brian W.
10/29/2008
I totally agree with La L.'s review. We went here on a rainy day and spent a few hours here. What a fun place! The top floor lets you discover different countries. You can see what a typical home might be like in each of India, the Phillipines, Japan, China, and Korea. Each of the little homes is filled with authentic details. We enjoyed having a little sushi meal in the Japanese house. There is an American house as well and of course it has a picket fence and apple pie!
The role playing area is really neat as well. There is a theatre and you can dress up, control the lights, or sit in the audience. You can go to the TV studio and control the cameras or sit behind the desk. The auto mechanic area is really neat. There is a car up on a hydraulic lift and you can change the air filter, the muffler, or the tires, with kid sized hand tools.
The first floor is all about the body. You can go into a model "stomach" which is a round room filled with bean bags and "food" that you can stick on the walls, then go down a slide to get out. There is a little doctor's office where you can weigh yourself. Oh, and there is a little store with a working scanner. When you check out and scan the juice it says "Oh no, too much sugar!"
There is just so much here to do! Couple more things of note:
- The folks who work here really like it when you put everything back where it belongs
- The Kahana, the boat from Lost, is moored near by, I saw it on the way out -
Review from Emi H.
10/24/2009 1 photo
If you've got kids then you'd better put this on your list of where to go when you're sick of the beach and you can't stay at home a moment longer! The Children's Discovery Center is great for kids and for parent's too! They've got large scale educational displays such as a theatre, a news station, the body parts, a kitchen, courthouse, bus and pretty much anything else you could think of. The best part is that kids can play dress-up and touch pretty much everything. As a parent of a three year old and a five year old, watching their every move and making sure they don't break things can get pretty exhausting. The CDC (no it does not stand for the Center For Disease Control! Although I'm sure a good # of germs is passed through here) is an interactive experience where kids can be kids, explore and learn lots of fun stuff.
The only downside to the CDC is that the admission can be a little steep ($10 non-kamaaina, $8 for kamaaina) so if you're committed to going at least once a month it would worthwhile to buy a yearly membership. Hours are short on weekdays (9am-1pm) & a little longer on Sat/Sun (open til 3 pm), closed on Mondays. Parking is free! -
Review from Will L.
2/8/2010 1 photo
Besides the Punahou Carnival (coincidentally I didn't tell them that the Carnival was going on as I didn't want to deal with the parking and traffic so I took them here instead) and perhaps the other EK Fernandez Carnivals going on at various times, this is the closest thing to Disneyland for kids on the island.
I have a 6 and a 3 year old and bought the annual family membership they offer: $200 per year for two parents and two keiki. Usually either my wife and I go, and I was the lucky one to chaperone the kids on this particular Saturday, but at the $8 per kama'aina rate for 3 people, it takes us only 9 times going there to break even -- it's pure house money after that.
On weekends they open from 10am to 3pm and let me tell you, between a 6 and a 3 year old, they could easily be occupied for the full 5 hours. I made the mistake of going at 11am and basically wound up staying the rest of the opening hours. I think going there at 1pm is the best idea, so as to have a forced closure at your disposal ("sorry kids, aunty says we gotta go and everyone is leaving").
They did do a lot of remodeling which seems to have made the bright and shiny place even more clean, bright and shiny. However, I didn't really notice any new content since the last time I was here - about 2 years ago. I heard they are still remodeling so perhaps another wing is opening up. They did open a nice little kid's cafe where the kids and parents can have a break. They have all the keiki goodies like spam musubi, mac & cheese (straight outta the Kraft box tho), veggie snacks, pizza and soup (the chicken and wild rice soup I had was not bad at all). The cafe was only opened in September and it still has that new place smell. Parents can also re-invigorate themselves to match the energy of the second wind of their keiki, as they also sell coffee.
The content itself, I think are sufficiently described by the other reviews here but again, a pre-schooler and 1st grader could stay there all day if allowed to. Not sure what the cut off point is where kids get bored of this, but I can confidently tell you we're not close to that point yet. They also have this toddler/infant wing where the little tykes can amble around. I also saw this couple with their infant in this little confined circle with toys in it - they were just hanging out and the infant seemed to be completely content - I realized I saw them 30 minutes later and they were all in the same pose.
Sometimes also they open the carousel ride for special events @ $1 per ride. It's much bigger than one of those Fun Factory mini-carousels but not as big as the full fledged ones you see at EK Fernandez carnivals. But it's got to be the only stand alone real carousel on the island. Call in and ask when they will next have the carousel operating, as there is only one guy that can operate the thing and he seemingly only does it certain days.
Finally, being in the Kaka'ako Beach Park area, there is plenny parking. In the past, you used to have to use the beach parking but now they even have their own dedicated parking lot.
It's a fun place to spend a Saturday or Sunday with your kids. Besides the cafe, you can also break up the fun by going outside and having lunch in the area (I would suggest Hank's Haute Dogs on Coral nearby) and coming back in. They give you a stamp on your hand for all day in and out admission.Listed in: Keiki friendly (and not so…
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Review from La L.
Santa Clara, CA
5/17/2007
Of the four Children's discovery museums we have visited (San Jose, CA; Berkeley, CA; Chicago, IL; and Honolulu, HI), this museum is our favorite. It has three levels, and each level is full of hands-on activities that encourage kids to explore, imagine and role-play. This museum is best for the younger child--anywhere from toddler to pre-school and maybe a little older.
The first floor has a baby/pre-walker area, a mini basketball court, an educational exhibit about the body, and a miniature town. The town has a T V station, firehouse, garage, grocery, post office, court, construction area and various other areas I can't remember. There's a separate reading room that is full of books.
The second level is a combination of transportation (commercial airplane and a boat) and old Hawaiian artifacts (a general store, a pineapple field in honor of the farm workers, and a traditional imu underground oven).
The third level has little villages representing the different cultures that make up Hawaii's unique ethnic mix--Hawaiian, Filipino, Chinese, Portuguese, etc. Kids can dress up in traditional costumes and imagine that they're eating ethnic food. My daughter (who is half Chinese) couldn't get enough of the fabulously crafted felt dim sum and tea in the Chinese section.
The museum has odd hours (it's only open a few hours a day), so make sure you check before venturing over. They're also not a member of the reciprocal children's association, so they don't honor reciprocal memberships. -
Review from Jac G.
Kailua, HI
4/8/2011
My daughter would live here if she could! There is so much to do and see! My daughter had so much fun! My husband and I have to take her again!
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Review from Cherie A.
Ewa Beach, HI
I am a stay at home mother with three children. 2 out of 3 are toddlers. So being cooped up in the house all day is no fun, and sometimes being at the park for long periods of time is difficult because one child can be climbing on the playground while the other will be running away from me! So we come here to the Discovery Center!
I love that my children can come here and explore and be able to do hands on activities. The toys, games and play areas are also educational and age appropriate (which I absolutely love!), so no video games here! They even have a small play area designated for children under 5.
Couple of down sides to this place is that their operating hours are a bit short. Especially since we come all the way from Ewa, but it's not that a big of a problem. Being a mother to 3 young children and having to deal with multiple colds and how germs circulate through our family, I am a HUGE gem freak! So another thing I don't care for is the cleanliness of the place. It's pretty clean, don't get me wrong, but my problem is that they have areas to play dress up (like a police officer, firefighter, etc.) that includes hats!!! I'm sure they disinfect them but what happens if the child that used it before mine had head lice?! So I don't let my kids don't wear any of the dress up clothing or hats there and we always wash our hands when we are done playing. Another sad down side to this place is that some parents think this place is a day care where they can just let their child run free without supervision! I once even saw a mother sleeping on a bench while her son was yelling in another boys ear!! My youngest child is 23 months and he's gotten toys thrown at him by older kids and my other son (age 3) has gotten toys grabbed right out of his hands and yelled at by other kids whose parents were not watching them!!! So people if you bring your kids here watch them!!! You are not dropping them off to a babysitter!
Other than that I love this place! We got our family of 5 an annual pass for $250! Sounds like a lot, but it's not. The regular kama'aina price is $8 per person over 1, and I have a family of 5=$40 per visit. So divide that by $250 comes out to a little under 7 visits to the center. So for us the annual passes are worth it! Also parking is free and there is lots of it! Just keep your kids close to you while outside because there are a lot of crazy homeless people that live and linger around the area. -
Review from Kelly G.
3/17/2010
I took my nephew who is 10 and my daughter who is 2 here today .... I swear my vertigo is back with all my spinning around trying to keep track as both went in their own direction !!! i would recommend having another adult or kids of similar ages to really enjoy each mini exhibit. Time sure did fly and I literally had to carry out my daughter as she cried to stay ... like every other reviewer stated it is a cool place and was a nice way to spend this voggy day ..... where else do you go that they say "touch everything" upon entry ?? kid heaven !!!
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Review from Marissa T.
Coronado, CA
11/10/2011
what a great place!! i have a 1 1/2 yr old and she literally could stay here for several hours. i just bought a membership for $100, not bad considering we plan on going few times a month. they have an art class for just $1 on wed's and storytime on thur's. there are so many rooms and areas for her to explore that definately do not get through the entire thing in one visit. we usually go early mornings when it opens at 9 until her nap time around noon, there are usually a couple school groups but usually isnt that busy since we go midweek. first time we went my daughter was 16mo and she had a blast, so the age range is really wide.
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Review from Shane V.
Kaneohe, HI
8/27/2010
I've brought my daughter with my wife and we absolutely love this place. Great environment for toddlers and kids to play and interact with each other. As soon as my daughter is older, I'm going to buy a yearly pass. My only complaint is that they are closed on Mondays.
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Review from Margaret w.
Ewa Beach, HI
12/31/2009
First off, this place is in a terrible area, especially since it is an establishment for kids. I was shocked and deeply saddened to see so many homeless people, including many children and toddlers, on the street and in the park next to the Childrens Discovery Center. That really was stike one in taking the fun out of my day. We paid $16 total to get in, $8 for 1 military adult and $8 for 1 military children. Normal price is $10 a person, regardless of age. They make you leave your strollers up at the front which I found a little annoying. The play areas inside really are fun and exciting for the kids. My son jumped right into the activities and had a great time. All was well until we headed over to the Kids Cafe. I was so happy to see all the great choices they had for kids including juice boxes, mac and cheese, hot dogs, edamame, veggies and dip. My son was excited too and happily picked out some veggies and a juice. Then we walked up to register where it says CASH ONLY!!! Of course, I don't carry cash and since I paid with a car to get in, I was a little surprised. My son was then disappointed and did not understand why he had to put all the food back. I really put a damper on our day and we left shortly after to get lunch.
Overall, I think the place is a good learning opportunity for the kids but the location and the strange policies frankly just bugged me. -
Review from Shandis C.
Honolulu, HI
2/24/2010 1 Check-in Here
The first time we took our daughter to the CDC she was under a year old. Back then, if I were to rate it, it would've gotten 3 stars. It seemed small, not AS clean as I'd like, and in comparison to mainland Childrens' Museums, it seemed really "rinky-dink". But now that my daughter is 20 months, and is quite the rambunctious, curious little wonderful creature that she is, this place gets 5 stars from me!! Any place that can keep her entertained for hours on end with minimal effort on my part gets 5 stars from me!
I see this place with different eyes now that everything is age and developmentally appropriate for a toddler. The neat thing too is that it can appeal to kids of all different ages and stages. There are TONS of hands-on activities and centers within CDC. The activities are also educational, and can allow your child to have constructive free play. They have a special section for toddlers (under age 5), a vehicle center, play houses, a library with over-sized furniture and books, theaters, and upstairs mini cultural homes. You could literally spend all day there and still not see, touch and play with everything. There are also friendly staff that walk around and scaffold the children's learning. I LOVE that about the center. I hear too, that the people who work there are all volunteers (but I'm not completely sure about that, so don't quote me on it).
I thought about knocking off 1 star for the very limited hours (T-F 9-1, and Sat/Sun 9-3 closed Mon) but I don't think that would be fair since the Center itself is so wonderful. I would suggest getting a membership though if you plan to come here often (and there certainly is enough to see and do that warrants repeat visits) because it costs $8 for adults (Kama'aina) AND for kids over 1 year old. The membership starts at $100, depending on how many people are in your family or that you plan to visit the center with. Also with membership come discounted prices on the various programs that they have at the center (Toddler Time, Holiday specials, art in the park, etc.) The Art in the Park is a GREAT deal, for $1 (members) on Wednesdays, your child can participate in an art program from 11-12. I thought about enrolling my daughter in Gymboree Art, but that would have cost me $80 a month, just for the art class, and with the CDC membership, I can pay $100 for the whole YEAR and get art classes for $4 a month for four classes PLUS the center admission! I knooow, right?!
Whether you visit this place once, or every week, or heck, everyday, it is THE place to be with your toddler or young child! Maybe we'll even run into each other one of these days! -
Review from Margaret D.
San Diego, CA
8/22/2009
A wonderful kid's play museum. Inside the warehouse are mini stores where kids can pretend to be cops, mechanics, farmers, and so on. There's a working stage where my daughter danced in the spotlight as a little boy worked the lights and music (one burlesque tune sounded like it was meant for Gypsy Rose Lee, ha ha). There's also an exhibit where you can go inside a giant fake mouth with giant fake teeth (a monitor tells you about brushing) and a giant fake tummy. The tummy one upset my kid, because it intones, "WELCOME TO MY STOMACH! COME IN!" or somesuch, and it's freaky.
Upstairs they have mini houses from different countries. The China house has pans and "noodles" so kids pretend to cook and serve food. My daughter's fave was the English garden house.
It's slightly more expensive than a movie at $8 a person. Also, no snacks are allowed nor do they sell any. I was there 3 solid hours and was starving-- could not tear my kid away.
I would buy a membership, but at $250 a year for my family I would have to go 6 times to make it worthwhile. I wish they'd make the membership a better deal to entice people to buy it.
It's best for young kids. I think the older kids in there were moderately amused, but for ages 5 and under it's the best. I wouldn't bother taking my 7 and 10 year olds here.
ALSO:
The cafe inside DOES NOT take credit cards, though the museum does. I found this out the hard way today. The nearest ATM is at Borders. They do not allow food inside, so either pack a picnic to eat outside or bring cash for the food. It seems odd that they won't take credit, considering there are two credit card machines within 50 feet (at museum admissions and in the gift shop) so I'm docking a star.
Cafe serves spam musubi ($2) mac & cheese ($3) hot dogs ($3) sandwiches ($6.50) and a chef's salad, plus a few assorted snacks like chips, granola bars, small fruit salads, and drinks. Had musubi and mac & cheese. It was alright. -
Review from D G.
Corona, CA
6/22/2009
An excellent place to go while visiting Oahu...not to be missed. Not only does it give your kids a break from the heat and humidity, the exhibits and activities are so interesting, even we wanted to be involved. From start to finish, all the sections/areas were engaging and culturally fascinating for both kids and adults. We have 3 active boys - two 2 1/2 year olds and a 5 year old. All three of them were running around going from station to station and interacting with all the materials and things that they had out. Strollers needed to be parked in the general lobby area, so it made it a little tough to keep track of all the boys, but I guess the philosophy behind the center is to have the kids touch and learn.
Upon walking in the first floor exhibits, there is a gated toddler area that have toys, puzzles, and a real sailboat that is set on top of a stage made out to look like a beach. There's also a hole in the ground with toy fish and fishing poles for kids to pretend they are fishing. Boys loved that! Outside of that toddler area, there are a few exhibits about the anatomy of the body -- heart, lungs, stomach, and mouth. There's this capsule-looking thing that is supposed to mimic the stomach. Inside are beanbags and felt cut-outs of food that can stick to the wall. To exit the capsule, kids can make their way down the slide. The rest of the first floor is dedicated to providing a setting of a small town or city. It is complete with a bus, hospital/clinic, grocery, diner, bank, police station, fire station, mechanic, post office, theater, and more. They even have a real ATM machine that dispenses paper money. The fire station has a upstairs that kids can venture to in order to get a sense of where firefighters sleep and rest. Our kids loved the grocery. They have mini carts and actually boxes , cartons, and bags of food that kids can load into the carts. They can then take it to the checkout and run them through a real scan. Each item has a real barcode that beeps. In front of each of the store fronts is a mail box. Kids can go to the post office and help deliver the mail around town. They also have a small recycle center where kids sort shapes that represent cans, plastic, and paper. Each of the places also have dress up clothes so kids can act like doctors, postal workers, firefighters, and mechanics. Also, the theater allows kids to direct, man the lights and curtain, do dress up, and act. I can go on and on.
The upper two levels are dedicated to exposing kids to other cultures. Of course a section is dedicated to the arts, lifestyles and history of Hawaii, including how pineapples are grown and sea life. The top level introduce us to the traditions and culture of Portugal, Japan, India, the Philippines, and China.
I completely love this place and would highly recommend those visiting Oahu with kids to check this place out. It's so worth the admission, which I thought was a little much ($10 per person, no matter the age). The staff are so friendly and walk around to help and watch the kids. We visited the center on a Wednesday at about 11 AM. It was not crowded at all. The only downside is that the center closes at 1PM. -
Review from L W.
Goldens Bridge, NY
12/16/2010
Out of the 5 or 6 children's centers I've visited with my two-and-a-half year old, this is the best! Tons of different things to do, complete with clothing, parts, etc.
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Review from Keromi K.
San Francisco, CA
11/17/2008
I totally agree with the previous Yelpers - this place is fantastic! I've been to the discovery museums in the SF Bay Area and this one is way better. They are currently doing some construction so I could just imagine how great it's going to look afterwards. I loved that there are workers walking around just to help out. The exhibits were well organized and I felt as though you can actually learn practical everyday things here. My husband and I enjoyed it as much as our 2 year old. We can't wait to come back on our next visit.
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Review from Terri H.
Ewa Beach, HI
8/26/2009
I took my grandson, who is almost two, he LOOOVVVVEEEDDDD it. He was squealing with delight. My husband and I had so much fun with our grandson there. Definitely a must do!!!!
