Holding a blue-handled magnifying glass up to his little eye, 3-year-old Caleb Munoz scrutinized his mother yesterday.

Young Caleb then examined the fruit and some geckos in a glass cage at the Hawaii Children's Discovery Center as part of Countdown to Kindergarten, an event to help launch the new kindergartners in the right direction.

"He doesn't go to school yet, so it's good for him to come and interact with children and learn to play," said Caleb's mother, Alma Munoz, of Kalihi.

About 750 people attended the program, designed to help young children get ready for kindergarten, said Liane Usher, the center's director of exhibits and programs. Countdown to Kindergarten was sponsored by Toyota of Hawai'i and the Institute for Native Pacific Education and Culture.

"A lot of our center has to do with early learning — birth to 5 years of age — and we like to support early learning," Usher said. "Anything we can do to help get ready for milestones in their life — like kindergarten — we're all about empowering kids."

Tables were set up around the center in Kaka'ako with different activities for kids and parents. One table had stickers, foam letters and construction paper.

In the doctor exhibit, kids dressed up in lab coats, read eye charts and got weighed.

Jerny Mahuka pushed his younger sister in a wheelchair at the You Can Do It exhibit. "Come into my house, Mommy," said 5-year-old Jerny. "I have something for you."

The Mahukas came from Nanakuli to explore the exhibits and to participate in the InPeace program, which gave 100 families a free pass into the center, T-shirts and a backpack stuffed with school supplies.

InPeace is a program designed to improve the quality of life for Native Hawaiians through community partnerships that provide educational opportunities and promote self-sufficiency.

The group focuses on early childhood, higher education and leadership development within communities, and offers several free programs for families with young children.

The promise of a backpack stuffed with school supplies brought out Nana'i Stephenson and his mom, Keline Stephenson.

A friend with the InPeace program encouraged Stephenson to make the drive from Ma'ili. She came last year and got a similar backpack for her daughter, who was going into kindergarten, and this year she got one for Nana'i.

"It's a good program," Stephenson said. "It really helped get my daughter prepared for kindergarten. I have five children. There is so much stuff in the backpack, it really starts them off with the right foundation."