KIDS TO PARKS DAY: KEIKI AND ʻOHANA INVITED TO EXPLORE LĒʻAHI DIAMOND HEAD STATE MONUMENT

Free Community Event Highlights Outdoor Learning and DLNR's Year of Our Coastal Kuleana.

HONOLULU - Families and keiki across Oʻahu are invited to step outside and connect with ʻāina at:

Kids to Parks Day
Saturday, May 16, 2026
9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Lēʻahi (Diamond Head) State Monument

Hosted by the Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) Division of State Parks, this free community event brings together more than two dozen community partners and agencies to offer hands-on activities including crafts, games, sports and environmental education experiences designed to inspire the next generation of park stewards.

This year's event is part of DLNR's Year of Our Coastal Kuleana campaign, emphasizing the shared responsibility to care for Hawaiʻi's coastlines and the places that connect us to them. Many of the day's activities will highlight coastal ecosystems, stewardship practices, and the cultural significance of these environments.

"Kids to Parks Day creates an opportunity for our community to come together in a meaningful way through exploration, learning and connection to place," said Kekai Mar, DLNR Division of State Parks interpretive program specialist for Oʻahu. "At Lēʻahi, keiki and ʻohana can experience the importance of caring for this landscape while building a deeper relationship with the ʻāina. This is how we begin to grow our shared kuleana."

Hosted in partnership with Pacific Historic Parks and the National Park Trust, Kids to Parks Day is part of a nationwide movement now in its 16th year, engaging more than a million participants annually. Hawaiʻi State Parks oganized the first event at Lēʻahi in 2018, connecting families with community organizations and agencies dedicated to preserving public lands and waters.

"Events like Kids to Parks Day help foster a lifelong appreciation for our parks and the natural and cultural resources they protect," said DLNR Division of State Parks Acting Administrator Alan Carpenter. "By bringing families into these spaces in a fun and welcoming way, we're helping to inspire future generations to care for Hawaiʻi's unique landscapes."

There is no charge for Hawaiʻi residents to participate. Visitors who make their regular park reservations are welcome to join at no additional cost.

For more information about DLNR's Year of Our Coastal Kuleana campaign, visit: https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/coasts/

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Media Contact:
Andrew Laurence
Communications Director
State of Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources
Phone: 808-587-0396
E-mail: [email protected]