Snorkeling with my son

I%26#39;m looking for suggestions for where I can take my 4 year old snorkeling. He does know how to swim and will be in a vest plus attached to me at all times.

I%26#39;m looking for calm waters that it will be easy to be with him and let him look down every once in a while to see fish and whatever else.

I%26#39;m just looking for something easy for him to do and have a little fun at. Basically something to get his feet wet in the experience.

Snorkeling with my son

We only went snorkeling through a boat tour (to molokini and turtle town), so someone else will have to help w/ the ';where';. But my 8yo daughter, who has snorkeled previously, used a board with a built-in mask for part of this trip and loved it - it was like a mini boogie board with a viewing hole. Let her really enjoy the fish and turtles without the work of breathing through the tube (she still used her fins though). Now, if your goal is to have an intro to snorkeling and coordinting the breathing/swimming/viewing, then that doesn%26#39;t help, but if you want to get him used to floating in the water and watching life under the sea, then maybe it would be good for him.

Snorkeling with my son

kvgraber: Which season are you planning on going, and do you have an idea of where you%26#39;ll be staying?

The area north of Black Rock, Kahekili (but sometimes referred to as the North Ka%26#39;anapali), generally has calm waters with a partial sandy bottom, so it can be good for kids. There is also some okay snorkeling a little further north (right in front of Ka%26#39;anapali Villas). If you take the suggestion of mom2travel about the board with the viewing mask, your son would have a great time while you snorkel and he sees some various fish and reef formations.

Hope you and your son have a great time.

We are leaving this Saturday. We are staying at the Grand Wailea.

Anyone know where I could pick up this board you are talking about?

Maui Dive Shop in Kihei has the boards, although ours have always been full size boogie boards with windows.

Also Ullua beach has a good reef (one or two beaches north of you think - you can walk easily). this is where both of my boys learned to snorkel.

Thank you guys so much for the info. I know my son is going to love this.

I think a boat tour would give BOTH of you a great experience. The Maui Prince beach is nice at the south end in calm--easier in summer than winter. Boats go to snorkelable places year round. Kapalua south end can be good but depends on conditions/time of year,

The reefs at Ulua Beach and Maluaka Beach (in front of the Maui Prince) are pretty far from the shore. I don%26#39;t know that I would take a 4 year old out that far into the ocean with no lifeguards at these beaches. If you can make it up to Kapalua Bay, he would be able to see fish just a few feet from shore. No lifeguards here either. This is a protected bay and at this time of year should be very calm. South shores have been very turbulant as of late so unless they calm down before you arrive it would be best to go north!!

My grand daughter went on a snorkel boat when she was 3. She was on a boogie board with her daddy the whole time. She is 6 now and still talks about it to this very day!! A boat is a good option in that the crew is trained for emergencies and very helpful with children, if you take the right one.

I%26#39;m wondering if I%26#39;m confused about Ullua beach? Where the boys learned to snorkel (at four and younger) was right at the shore, no need to swim far at all. Maybe my description was bad and I should have said there are lots of fish at the rocks (rather than reef). My DH likes to go all the way out to the end, but the boys stayed very near the shore. We always stay at Ekahi, so this is our base beach - we go there every day! It is so close to the OPs hotel, I think they should check it out. Of course conditions at the ocean can change, so do what makes sense to your family!

Also, it is always most calm and flat in the AM before the winds come up.

Have fun!

Airport Beach is a favorite of my family. The reef is close to shore and it usually pretty calm there. My nephew found it very easy to snorkel with his lifejacket on this summer. I guess the wy it floated him helped keep the snorkel from going under water.

The boards with the masks in them are great for younger kids who aren%26#39;t expirenced swimmers. We%26#39;ll probably rent one for our three year old this fall.

The view boards are probably available from the towel shack at the resort...I know they have them at the resorts on Kaanapali.