Learn Some Trivia About the Cook Islands!
Every parent wants to make sure the whole family gets the most out of a trip to a new country. The Cook Islands is a fascinating nation with a captivating culture, breathtaking landscapes and wildlife that kids love. Get your children excited for their family holiday to the Cook Islands, and create some fun trivia, by sharing some interesting, random and even funny facts about Rarotonga and the Cook Islands with them!
5 Things to Do in the Cook Islands with Kids
What could you be getting up to with the kids on holiday? Check them out:
- See turtles and a shipwreck on the Raro Reef Sub
- Have a swim at the Papua Waterfall
- Be entertained at an “island night”
- Head out on a family kayaking excursion
- Learn the history at the Te Ara Museum.
Don’t worry, there are far more than five things to do, as shown in the 40 Best Things to Do in the Cook Islands with Kids!
© Alisha Street - Cook Islands TourismFun Facts About the Islands
Learn something new, interesting and perhaps a little random in this list of fun facts about the islands of the Cook Islands – ideal for sharing with kids!
- The Cook Islands has 15 main islands
- The capital of the Cook Islands is Avarua on the island of Rarotonga
- Rarotonga is a volcanic island, while the rest of the Cook Islands are coral atolls
- Takutea and Manuae are two islands only inhabited by birds and sea turtles
- The Northern Group of the Cook Islands is closer to Tokelau, Samoa and Kiribati than they are to Rarotonga.
Learn more facts about each of the islands in What are the 15 Islands in the Cook Islands?
© PixabayFun Facts About Cook Islands Wildlife
The Cook Islands is also home to an abundance of interesting wildlife, from a small selection of birds to countless marine creatures. Check out some fun facts about them in the list below!
- There is a bird on the island of Atiu that lives in a cave and behaves like a bat, called the kopeka
- There are around 650 species of fish in the Cook Islands
- There are no poisonous snakes or spiders in the Cook Islands
- Manihiki is the only island in the Cook Islands that has black pearl oysters
- There are lots of dogs on Rarotonga, but dogs are banned from Aitutaki.
Learn more interesting things about animals in Wildlife in the Cook Islands: Animals in the Cook Islands & Where to See Them.
© Turama Photography - Cook Islands TourismFun Facts About Cook Islands History
Ok, not all kids are into history, but they might just like these fun facts about things that have happened in the Cook Islands.
- Rarotonga was first settled around 500 to 800 AD
- The Cook Islands are named after the British explorer, Captian Cook, but he only ever set foot on the island of Palmerston
- Rarotonga’s ancient coral road, Ara Metua, was built sometime in the 11th century. You can still travel on the road to this day and visit all of these spots – 10 Best Historical Sites on Rarotonga
- Many New Zealand Maori can trace their heritage to the Cook Islands Maori of Rarotonga, whose “vaka” (canoe) migration site can be found in Avana
- The Cook Islands became an official country in 1965.
Learn more about the history in A Brief History of Rarotonga & the Cook Islands.
© CookIslandsPocketGuide.comFun Facts About the People of the Cook Islands
And what would a visit to the Cook Islands be without people? Here are some interesting facts about the people of the Cook Islands.
- Cook Islands Maori is the language of the Cook Islands
- “Kia Orana” is how you say hello in Cook Islands Maori
- A high chief in the Cook Islands is called an “ariki“
- The population of Palmerston all descend from the same British guy, William Marsters
- Out of the 17,000 people living in the Cook Islands, only 1,000 live in the Northern Group – that’s across six of the 15 islands!
Check out Who are the People of the Cook Islands? and A Traveller’s Guide to the Cook Islands Culture to learn more about Cook Islanders.
More Fun Facts About the Cook Islands for Kids
That’s it for our list of fun facts about the Cook Islands for kids, but the funniest of facts are those that you learn on holiday. Check out the below articles to learn more about making your island trip a reality:
- The Complete Travel Guide to the Cook Islands for Families
- 20 Tips for Your Family Rarotonga & Cook Islands Vacation with Kids
- 21 Fun Facts About Rarotonga & the Cook Islands
Finally, find a place to stay in the Cooks using the 20 Best Family Resorts & Accommodations in the Cook Islands.
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