HI State Homeschool Organization
Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaii (CHOH)
CHOH promotes, protects, and provides support for Christ-centered homeschool families in Hawaii.
Hawaii Homeschool Association (HHA)
HHA is an inclusive support group for the homeschool families of Oahu. We are not linking to them right now, as there is a problem with their website. We’ll update this as soon as that is resolved.
HI Homeschool Law
Homeschool families must file a notice of intent to the principal of their local school, ensure the curriculum they are using complies with the state statute, keep records, and submit annual progress reports. More information can be found at the Hawaii Department of Education, the Home School Legal Defense Association, Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaii, and Hawaii Homeschool Association.
HI Homeschool Events
There aren’t any homeschool conventions scheduled in Hawaii for 2024. There are homeschool classes and homeschool days at some of the field trip sites below.
HI Field Trip Destinations
Hawaii’s most recognized landmark is known for its historic hiking trail, stunning coastal views, and military history. Diamond Head State Monument encompasses over 475 acres, including the interior and outer slopes of the crater.
The park facilities on the crater floor of Diamond Head are fully accessible to those with disabilities. The hiking trail to the summit is not ADA accessible, it is very steep and uneven in some areas. The last 1/10 of a mile is all stairs and especially steep. Allow 1.5 to 2 hours for your hike; wear good walking shoes, bring water, and wear a hat and sunscreen! FYI: no bikes or animals are allowed.
Hawaii Children’s Discovery Center
The Center provides an environment that encourages children to use their senses of touch, sight, hearing, and smell to better understand the world around them, plus offers a “window to the world” beyond the island shores. Its three levels house 45,000 square feet of high-tech, interactive exhibits, divided among four major themed galleries.
Check the calendar for special art, STEAM, and outdoor adventure activities.
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
From wilderness adventures to short walks and scenic drives, there’s plenty to do in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Check the calendar for ranger talks.
The Volcano House provides beautiful lodging right in the park.
This is a volcano park; the Mauna Loa Trail above Red Hill Cabin is currently closed due to hazards from a recent eruption.
Visit with your family, schedule a group tour, or take advantage of zoo camp programs, twilight tours, and morning safari tours. Be sure to download the map, as they no longer offer paper maps.
Honolulu Zoo also offers free online wildlife learning with Zoo Niele, an educational series showcasing animals found at the Honolulu Zoo and how viewers can make a difference to help their species in the wild, Wild Wednesdays, Talk Story Thursdays, and Sustainable Saturdays.
A fun, interesting stop on your way to the Kalaupapa Lookout, Molokaʻi Museum and Cultural Center offers a glimpse of what life on Molokaʻi used to be like. Through newspapers, photos, short videos and personal accounts from island locals, you’ll learn about the island’s history over the last 150 years.
Hear the stories of patients with Hansen’s disease who were sent to live out their days in the infamous leper colony on the isolated peninsula of Kalaupapa. Learn about Molokaʻi’s agricultural history and catch a glimpse of the sugar process including a mule-driven cane crusher and a steam engine. The museum also features eclectic exhibits on everything from petroglyphs to plantation-era furnishings.
While admission is only $5, be aware that the museum is cash only.
National Tropical Botanical Garden
This network of botanical gardens, preserves, and research centers is growing a brighter tomorrow for plants and all they sustain. NTBG has thousands of species from throughout the tropical world have been gathered that form a living collection that is unparalleled. It includes the largest assemblages of native Hawaiian plant species and breadfruit cultivars in existence. Many of the species are threatened and endangered or have disappeared from their native habitats.
You can schedule a group tour for pre-k through 12th grades or book your child for a kids’ camp.
Virtual learning includes FREE downloadable tropical plant colorig books and research tools like recorded webinars, plus tropical plant and herbarium databases.
Groups of 15 to 45 can schedule a 45-minute group presentation on the science of tsunamis, historical info. about the Hilo event, and personal accounts of survivors, followed by time to explore the museum.
Online explores can surf the Hilo Bay Web Cam and a whole page of learning resources.
The Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum offers three field trip options: 1) History Encounters combine World War II and aviation history in the unique way only this site can; 2) the Aviation Learning Center that encourages an appreciation for aeronautical science; and 3) a combo program of both experiences. Content is available for pre-k all the way through 12th grade.
Individual programs include flight schools and explorer’s clubs. Check their calendar for special events too!
Pearl Harbor National Memorial Hawaii
Experience the site of one of the most pivotal moments in US history: the attack on Pearl Harbor and the subsequent entry of the United States into World War II.
The website has a great collection of historic photos.
42 acres of rich Pacific Island heritage full of tropical splendor and the adventure of traditional hands-on activities. Visit authentic villages and mingle with natives from six Pacific cultures as they demonstrate their arts, crafts, and traditions. Dine like royalty at an authentic Polynesian lūʻau and top it off with the most spectacular evening show in the islands.
Sand Island State Recreation Area
14-acre Sand Island is an arid, urban coastal park with picnicking, camping, walking, shore fishing and board surfing. It fronts a small sand beach and has good views of Honolulu Harbor and ocean sunsets.
Sand Island offers weekends-only shoreline camping within a heavily industrialized area very close to the urban core of Honolulu and the flight path of the Honolulu International Airport. If you have not camped under the flight path of an international airport, it is a unique experience!
Special rates are available for admission and all programs for groups of 10 or more.
The Sea Life Park presents inspirational hands-on educational programs for all ages focused on conservation, the marine ecosystem, and its inhabitants. They offer guided tours, education presentation activities, and trainer talks, plus a self-guided tour for those who prefer to experience the park on their own.
The Hawaii Army Museum Society helps your students to explore military historical education and understand our history to navigate our present and future. The museum is a treasure trove of military artifacts and exhibits, as well as a center of learning where history comes alive with the tales of bravery, sacrifice, and resilience that have shaped the course of history.
The museum also offers educational programs and JROTC tours.
You can learn about Service Cross recipients and Medal of Honor inductees and citations on their website.
USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park
Did you know most WWII submarines were named for fish? Nicknamed “The Pearl Harbor Avenger,” the USS Bowfin takes her name from a hard-fighting, aggressive freshwater fish, and in some ways, the USS Bowfin really does resemble the bowfin fish!
You can get a group rate on a self-guided tour. Dive into the history of submarines and see how confining and demanding the life of the undersea warrior was.
Monthly STEM homeschool days spotlight project-based STEM learning—the similar engineering and science that built the museum’s submarine. Topics include historical artifact handling, photographs of submariners, and live demonstrations. Students and their families explore the museum and can go on a self-guided scavenger hunt.
Internships are available for junior and senior high school students.
Homeschoolers often combine a tour of the Bowfin with tours of the Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum, the Arizona Memorial, the Battleship Missouri Memorial, and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum.
The Waikiki Aquarium is next to Kapiolani Park and the Waikiki Natatorium War Memorial. There are a lot of opportunities for homeschoolers. In addition to annual and special events, there are weekly behind-the-scenes tours plus classes and activities like Private Aquarium Tours, interactive Hawaiian Reef Animal encounters, Aquarium After Dark, or Fish School for groups of 6 to 45 people. Your family could qualify as a group!
They also have a nice webpage for virtual experiences.
Is homeschooling for you?
The community of homeschool families is diverse. One study reports that 41% of homeschool students are Hispanic, Black, Asian, or other non-White/non-Hispanic groups (2). Homeschoolers come from all faiths – Christians, Jews, Muslims, agnostics, atheists. Teaching parents have a range of formal education, from high school diplomas to graduate degrees, and cover the array of household incomes.
How do you homeschool?
While laws regulating home education vary from state to state, homeschooling IS legal in all 50 states. Many states offer more than one option. One of the first steps in your family’s homeschool journey is to become familiar with the laws in your state. Then the fun begins!
Click on your state below for resources on homeschool regulations, state homeschool organizations, homeschool conventions in your area (here’s why these are amazing for new and experienced homeschool parents), as well as other homeschool perks in your state.
Information pages are being added for EVERY state. Subscribe so you don’t miss the resources for your state.
Disclaimer: Please note that the information on this page is provided for your convenience as a research tool and resource as to where to find the information you need to homeschool in your state. The team at 3 Moms Blog are not attorneys. This content has not been reviewed by an attorney. It is not legal advice.
Brian D. Ray. (2017) A systematic review of the empirical research on selected aspects of homeschooling as a school choice, Journal of School Choice, 11:4, 604-621, accessed April 7, 2023 at https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15582159.2017.1395638
US Department of Education. (2019) Homeschooling in the United States: Results from the 2012 and 2016 Parent and Family Involvement Survey (PFINHES: 2012 and 2016). Accessed 4/7/2023 at https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2020/2020001.pdf