Punta Cana with young children: best resort, beach?

Paradisus is a nice family oriented resort with calm beach, great kids' area and kids' pool. I heard Moon Palace is too big, hard to move from place to place, especially with young children. Enjoy your trip!

Catalonia Bavaro is excellent for young ones

Catalonia Bavaro is in an area called Cabeza de Toro - very calm waters all year round, and shallow for a long way out which is perfect for the little ones. In the same area is Dreams Palm Beach (not to be confused with Dreams Punta Cana) which is kiddie friendly too. Both resorts are about 20 minutes drive from the airport.

Moon Palace/Hard Rock Hotel - the sea is rough there.

I think you'll have a great time at any of the better resorts. RIU, Dreams, Iberostar, etc. etc. Some of the "brands" have multiple properties of varying price points adjacent to each other, (RIU does). In those cases, you'll find the amenities are better as the price goes up. (i.e. RIU "Palace" is better than the less expensive "Bambu", etc.) The bottom line is that they're all pretty good though. Dreams Palm Beach is nice, and the water there was VERY calm, (was there last Jan.), but a little more skewed towards guests from U.S. My suggestion is to watch the websites of the various travel agencies, (Apple Vacations, Cheap Caribbean dot com, et.al.), and scoop up the best deal you can get.

Don't know how old your daughter is, or how rough is too rough for the waves; but you have to remember ocean conditions change all the time, even day to day.

Bon Voyage and enjoy the D.R.!!

I can recommend the Iberostar Punta Cana. The beach is Arena Gorda it is beautiful and great for kids. But as CaptnGlenn said, conditions do change.
Iberostar also has good kids club.
I worked with boats in Riviera Maya in Mexico for three years and the north winds regularly grounded our boats - I have been here three months and no such problems. You should be fine.

the Hard Rock Moon Palace provides most time of the Year rough Conditions.
the Area around the Iberostars and Rius depends on the Season.
Paradisus been mentioned, heer you need to clarify which One.
the Paradisus Punta Cana Hotel is often quiet tough on the surf, the Paradisus Pakma Real is located on a great all year round calm beach.
if you take a Map that shows the Punta Cana Resorts, look for the NH Real Arena Hotel, from there on and Southwards on that Map you are on all around the Year calm Waters with Powderwhite Sandy Beaches, the further North from there the rougher the Surf.

Mike