It’s no wonder that sea-themed activities are a popular choice for early childhood education.
Exploring the underwater world is a thrilling experience that captivates the imagination of preschoolers.
We’ve compiled 20 under the sea activities that are perfect for preschoolers, ranging from art projects to sensory play and science experiments.
Ocean sensory bin:
Creating a sensory bin is a great way to engage preschoolers in hands-on exploration. For an under the sea theme, fill a large bin with blue water beads, sand, seashells, and plastic sea creatures. Encourage children to dig, scoop, and pour while identifying different textures and objects. This activity also provides opportunities for learning about the ocean’s ecosystem and how different creatures interact with each other.
Related: 20 Shark Activities for Preschoolers
Shark tooth necklace craft:
Preschoolers will love making their own shark tooth necklace with a simple craft activity. Cut out shark teeth shapes from white craft foam and have children color them with gray markers. Next, attach a piece of string to each tooth and let the children string them together to create a necklace. This activity can be a great opportunity to discuss shark anatomy, habitats, and the importance of marine conservation.
Ocean-themed obstacle course:
Set up an obstacle course using various props and objects that represent different aspects of the ocean. For example, children can crawl through a tunnel that represents a coral reef, hop over pool noodles that represent waves, and walk on a blue tarp that represents the ocean floor. This activity promotes physical activity while also providing opportunities for learning about ocean features and creatures.
Jellyfish science experiment:
Create a jellyfish science experiment by filling a clear plastic bag with water, a few drops of blue food coloring, and a squirt of dish soap. Add a few plastic straws to the bag and seal it tightly. Have children gently move the bag to see the straws move and simulate the movement of jellyfish tentacles. This activity can teach children about the anatomy and movement of jellyfish, as well as the properties of liquids and soaps.
Ocean animal matching game:
Create a set of ocean animal cards and a matching board with corresponding pictures. Have children match the cards to the pictures on the board, or play a memory game by turning the cards face down and having children turn them over to find matches. This activity promotes memory skills and helps children learn about different types of ocean animals.
Underwater painting:
Provide children with blue construction paper and various shades of blue and green paint. Encourage them to create an underwater scene by painting seaweed, fish, and other creatures using their fingers, sponges, and other materials. This activity promotes creativity and fine motor skills, while also providing opportunities for learning about ocean habitats and creatures.
Fish Crafts:
Provide materials like paper plates, construction paper, googly eyes, and glue. Help the children create their own colorful fish by cutting out shapes and decorating them with markers or crayons. They can also add scales using tissue paper or sequins.
Ocean in a Bottle:
Fill clear plastic bottles with water, blue food coloring, and glitter. Add small sea animal toys or seashells. Securely seal the bottles, allowing the children to shake them and observe the “ocean” inside.
Sand & Water Play:
Set up a sand table or a large container filled with sand. Provide buckets, shovels, and toy sea creatures. Let the children dig, build sandcastles, and create their own underwater scenes using the sand and toys.
Ocean-themed storytime:
Read ocean-themed books to children and encourage them to participate by asking questions, making predictions, and identifying different creatures and objects in the illustrations. This activity promotes literacy skills and provides opportunities for learning about different aspects of the ocean, including habitats, creatures, and conservation.
Sea turtle craft:
Create a sea turtle craft by cutting out a turtle shape from green construction paper and adding details such as eyes and a shell pattern using markers or crayons. Children can also add texture to the shell by gluing on green tissue paper squares. This activity promotes creativity and provides opportunities for learning about sea turtle anatomy, habitats, and conservation.
Ocean sensory bottles:
Create sensory bottles by filling clear plastic bottles with water, blue food coloring, and various small objects such as shells, beads, and plastic sea creatures. Children can shake and turn the bottles to observe the movement of the objects and the water. This activity promotes sensory exploration and provides opportunities for learning about the properties of liquids and the movement of objects in water.
Fishbowl counting game:
Create a fish bowl counting game by cutting out fish shapes from colored paper and adding a number to each fish. Provide children with a bowl filled with water and small plastic fish or beads. Children can match the numbered fish to the corresponding number of objects in the bowl. This activity promotes counting skills and provides opportunities for learning about different types of fish.
Ocean-themed snack time:
Create an ocean-themed snack by making a fruit salad with blueberries, kiwi, and other fruits that represent different aspects of the ocean. Use a star-shaped cookie cutter to create starfish shapes from slices of watermelon or other fruit. This activity promotes healthy eating habits while also providing opportunities for learning about the different types of creatures that live in the ocean.
Related: 20 Penguin Activities for Preschoolers
Seahorse art project:
Create a seahorse art project by providing children with a seahorse template, colored paper, and various materials such as tissue paper, sequins, and glitter. Children can decorate their seahorses by cutting and gluing the materials onto the template. This activity promotes creativity and provides opportunities for learning about seahorse anatomy and habitats.
Ocean-themed music and movement:
Create an ocean-themed music and movement activity by playing music with a water or ocean theme and encouraging children to move and dance in ways that represent different aspects of the ocean, such as waves, fish, and seaweed. This activity promotes physical activity and provides opportunities for learning about different features of the ocean.
Ocean-themed dress-up:
Create an ocean-themed dress-up area by providing children with costumes and props that represent different aspects of the ocean, such as a mermaid tail, pirate hat, and snorkeling gear. Children can use their imagination to create stories and role-play different ocean-related scenarios. This activity promotes creativity and provides opportunities for learning about different ocean creatures and environments.
Sandcastle building:
Take children to a sandy area, such as a beach or sandbox, and encourage them to build sandcastles. Provide children with tools such as shovels and buckets to help them build and decorate their sandcastles. This activity promotes creativity, and hand-eye coordination, and provides opportunities for learning about different ocean environments.
Ocean-themed scavenger hunt:
Create an ocean-themed scavenger hunt by hiding objects such as shells, sea glass, and plastic sea creatures around a designated area. Provide children with a list of items to find and encourage them to search for and collect the objects. This activity promotes observation skills and provides opportunities for learning about different objects that can be found in and near the ocean.
Jellyfish craft:
Create a jellyfish craft by providing children with a paper plate, streamers, and googly eyes. Children can decorate the paper plate and attach the streamers to create jellyfish tentacles. This activity promotes creativity and provides opportunities for learning about jellyfish anatomy and habitats.
Ocean-themed yoga:
Lead children through ocean-themed yoga practice by incorporating poses such as the dolphin pose, boat pose, and tree pose (to represent seaweed). Encourage children to use their imagination and visualize different ocean environments as they practice the poses. This activity promotes physical activity, and mindfulness, and provides opportunities for learning about different aspects of the ocean.
Ocean animal charades:
Create a game of ocean animal charades by providing children with animal cards and encouraging them to act out the animals without speaking. Other children can guess the animal based on their actions. This activity promotes physical activity, and creativity, and provides opportunities for learning about different ocean animals and their movements.
