We invite every keiki to get familiar in the water with us with the Na Opio Kai ("ocean youth") adventure consisting of Learn to Surf and Learn to Paddle lessons.
The multi-lesson adventures teaches kids the fundamental skills of surfing and paddle sports, along with the culture of the waterman lifestyle that will leave a lasting impression for years to come.
The lesson adventure packages also include a dry land component that focuses on water safety, weather conditions, and waterman etiquette.
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YOUTH ACTIVITIES
Hawaii keiki can learn how to surf or use various watercraft under the careful guidance of our experienced instructors. See below for available programs.
Learn to Surf
Instructors: Ikaika Kaulukukui & Julia Nichols
Learn to surf on the Wai Kai Wave, powered by Citywave! The Wai Kai Wave is an endless standing wave that makes surfing accessible to anyone. Water volume, wave height, and shape can be adjusted per channel on demand. The entire pool is soft padded to ensure safety throughout the pool. Instructors teach the fundamentals of surfing, surf safety, wave riding technique, proper stance, and turning.
Safety: Instructors hold the following Red Cross Certifications: CPR/First Aid/AED, Emergency Medical Response, and Shallow Water Lifeguarding. All Keiki must wear helmets during their surf session. Brightly colored rash guards will be provided for easy identification of students.
Objective: Successfully ride the Wai Kai Wave using surf or body boards.
Keiki Learning Outcomes:
- About the sport of surfing and what a surfboard and bodyboard is
- How to select a surfboard or body board: sizes and shapes
- Basic skills of surfing: stance, balance, turning and falling
- – Risks and safety rules for the surfing environment
- – Each keiki will have the opportunity to ride the wave on a bodyboard and a surfboard
- – Advanced keiki will receive coaching on technique and turns to enhance their skills
Learn to Paddle
Instructors: Madison Bauer & Rache Sapla
Learn to paddle on the 52-acre fully enclosed Wai Kai Lagoon! The dock is a waterman’s dream, outfitted with top-of-the-line stand-up paddle boards, kayaks, outrigger canoes, hydro bikes, pedal boards, and more. This is the perfect place to learn to use the watercraft or enhance your skills. All lessons include instruction, USCG-approved PFDs, and equipment.
Safety: Instructors hold the following Red Cross Certifications: CPR/First Aid/AED, Emergency Medical Response, and Waterfront Lifeguarding. All keiki and instructors must wear USCG-approved PFDs. Brightly colored rash guards will be provided for easy identification of students. Classes will always maintain an 8:1 Keiki to Instructor Ratio.
Objective: Participants will successfully learn to paddle Stand-Up Paddleboards, Kayaks, and Outrigger Canoes.
Keiki Learning Outcomes:
Outrigger Canoe
- – History of outrigger canoe paddling and its importance in Hawaiian culture
- – Proper names for each component of the canoe
- – Risks and safety of being on a canoe in the lagoon and in the ocean
- – Basic skills and technique of paddling strokes and different types of stokes
- – How to right overturned canoes (huli drills)
Standup Paddle Boards
- – About the different types of boards, shapes, and sizes of paddleboards and paddles
- – Understand weather/wind limitations and effects on paddleboarding
- – Proper stance and posture on the Stand-Up Paddle Boards
- – Different strokes and techniques of paddling
- – How to properly fall
- – Racing strokes and paddling technique
Kayak
- – Components of the kayak
- – Safety and risks of kayaking in the lagoon and ocean
- – Proper paddling posture and correct foot placement
- – How to size and hold a paddle
- – Various paddling techniques- forward, reverse, sweep, and draw strokes
- – How to overturn a flipped kayak
KEIKI LEARN TO SURF
Learn to surf on the Wai Kai Wave, powered by citywave®. The Wai Kai Wave is an endless standing wave that makes surfing accessible to anyone. Water volume, wave height, and shape can be adjusted per channel on demand. The entire pool is soft-padded to ensure safety throughout the pool. Instructors teach the fundamentals of surfing, surf safety, wave riding technique, proper stance, and turning.
KEIKI LEARN TO PADDLE
Learn to paddle on the 52-acre fully enclosed Wai Kai Lagoon! The DOCK is a waterman’s dream, outfitted with top-of-the-line stand-up paddle boards, kayaks, outrigger canoes, hydro bikes, pedal boards, and more. This is the perfect place to learn to use the watercraft or enhance your skills. All lessons include instruction, USCG-approved PFDs, and equipment.
Important Information
NA OPIO KAI FAQs
For the summer 2024 Na Opio Kai sessions, drop-off each morning is from 7:30 to 8:00 a.m. and pick up is at 2:00 p.m. sharp. Please bring your child to the Surfside Lawn for check-in each morning.
Currently, we are not offering early drop-off or late pick-up options. We hope to introduce these options in future Na Opio Kai offerings.
For the 2024 Na Opio Kai summer sessions, we are accepting a maximum of 20 participants for each session in each age group. Our planned participant-to-instructor ratio is 8:1 with a minimum of two instructors per group.
Yes, your child should be comfortable swimming, however they do not need to be an excellent swimmer. They should be comfortable with being in water where they cannot touch the bottom. All children will be required to wear PFDs anytime they are out on the Lagoon.
Parents will be notified if severe weather conditions are forecasted and if activities are cancelled.
At this time, you must submit payment in full to reserve a spot for your child. Please use the on-line registration system and you may pay by credit card.
Na Opio Kai is geared for local kids and the pricing is meant to already reflect discounted rates for Kamaaina. There are no other Kamaaina discounts currently available for Na Opio Kai.
Participants will be provided with a Na Opio Kai UV shirt. Kids are recommended to dress in light comfortable clothing that is suitable for getting wet. We recommend that participants do not bring any valuables to the lessons including cell phones, jewelry, and wallets. Participants can leave their belongings in a non-secure location by the registration tent. Lockers are available for an additional $20 per week.
Participants are recommended to bring the following:
Refillable water bottle. We adhere to a no single-use plastic policy and do not allow disposable plastic water bottles. Water fill stations are available throughout the property
Swimsuit
Wetsuit top (optional)
Towel
Hat
Sunglasses
Reef-safe sunscreen (non-aerosol)
Change of clothing (optional)
Please have your child’s name on all of their belongings.
Refillable water bottle. We adhere to a no single-use plastic policy and do not allow disposable plastic water bottles. Water fill stations are available throughout the property
Swimsuit
Wetsuit top (optional)
Towel
Hat
Sunglasses
Reef-safe sunscreen (non-aerosol)
Change of clothing (optional)
Please have your child’s name on all of their belongings.
Cell phones or any electronics are not permitted to be used during the lessons. If a participants must bring a cell phone for communications, it is recommended that a locker is rented to store the cell phone securely. Lockers are available for $20 for the week and can be activated by a special RFID wristband that the child can wear.
Any food allergies need to be communicated when booking the experience. We suggest booking at least one week prior to the start of your child’s Na Opio Kai session. During check in, please confirm your child’s allergies and/or any medical conditions.
Due to the prevalence of tree nut and peanut allergies we ask that parents NOT send their children with anything that contains nuts, peanuts, or nut products. This includes, but is not limited to, peanut butter, cookies or baked goods containing peanuts, trail mix, Nutella, or any Nutella-based items, etc. (Note: “soy nut” butter and sunflower seed butter are great alternatives to peanut butter). Nut products will not be included in any lunches or activities.
No. Please be aware that only the legal guardian may register participant. If a child is registered by someone other than a legal guardian, that child may be removed from the Na Opio Kai roster.
No. Due to confidentiality concerns, we cannot provide the names or registration information of other Na Opio Kai participants.
Once you register for the lessons bundle, Na Opio Kai and The LineUp at Wai Kai adhere to a strict cancellation and refund policy. If for any reason you need to cancel your registration, you must do so prior to the cancellation deadline.
If parents/guardians cancel:
Two weeks or more before the first day of your registered session = full refund minus $25 processing feeWithin two weeks of the first day of your registered session = 50% refund minus $25 processing feeWithin one week or less of the first day of your registered session = $0 refund
If the LineUp at Wai Kai cancels Na Opio Kai:
If lessons have not yet begun = full refundIf lessons have already begun = full refund minus the pro rata amount for the days spent at Na Opio KaiTwo weeks or more before the first day of your registered session = full refund
If parents/guardians cancel:
Two weeks or more before the first day of your registered session = full refund minus $25 processing feeWithin two weeks of the first day of your registered session = 50% refund minus $25 processing feeWithin one week or less of the first day of your registered session = $0 refund
If the LineUp at Wai Kai cancels Na Opio Kai:
If lessons have not yet begun = full refundIf lessons have already begun = full refund minus the pro rata amount for the days spent at Na Opio KaiTwo weeks or more before the first day of your registered session = full refund
Our surf and waterfront staff are first-aid and CPR certified. First aid kits and AEDs are located throughout the property.
If you have an emergency or an urgent question while your child is attending Na Opio Kai, please call (808) 900-3529. For all other inquiries, please call (808) 515-7873.
Your child’s safety and well-being are our top priority. Our Na Opio Kai staff must submit to background checks and are trained to work with children. For their safety, we ask that your child wear the Na Opio Kai t-shirt everyday so they can be clearly identified. Na Opio Kai Instructors, Counselors-in-Training, and additional staff will also wear easily identifiable T-shirts and carry radios to keep in contact with each other. Check-in and check-out procedures are specifically designed with your child’s safety in mind. If you have additional concerns, please feel free to contact us.
Parents are welcome to stay on property and enjoy themselves, however parents will not be permitted to participate in the activities with the children. On the property we have The LookOut restaurant, the Wave Deck, as well as surf sessions and lagoon activities that parents may purchase separately from the Na Opio Kai programs. Please see the website for pricing and options.
Parents are welcome to stay on property and enjoy themselves, however parents will not be permitted to participate in the activities with the children. On the property we have The LookOut restaurant, the Wave Deck, as well as surf sessions and lagoon activities that parents may purchase separately from the Na Opio Kai programs. Please see the website for pricing and options.
The LineUp at Wai Kai and Na Opio Kai are all about respect. We expect that all participants will respect themselves, other people, the surf park and lagoon facilities, and nature. Respectful behavior will help to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone. At the beginning of every session, each Na Opio Kai group will further discuss the group’s expectations for good behavior. The LineUp at Wai Kai and Na Opio Kai reserves the right to suspend any participant that does not abide by our expectations for good behavior.
Prior to participating in Na Opio Kai, all children and their parent(s)/guardian(s) will need to review and agree to the Na Opio Kai Code of Conduct.
Prior to participating in Na Opio Kai, all children and their parent(s)/guardian(s) will need to review and agree to the Na Opio Kai Code of Conduct.
Yes, all participants in Na Opio Kai and any of the lagoon or surf activities at The LineUp at Wai Kai will first need to have their parent(s) or guardian(s) complete a waiver on their behalf. Please complete this waiver.
The Na Opio Kai program has been running since Summer of 2023 and has been available for Hawaii keiki year-round.
Food during the program will be determined by the Executive Chef at The LookOut, and will be a healthy mix of foods that will appeal to most children. Some options may include sandwiches or roll-ups, pizza, chicken fingers, fruits, vegetables, juice, and a healthy snack mid-day.
Special dietary needs can be accommodated with advanced notice.
Special dietary needs can be accommodated with advanced notice.
