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National Health Standard (SHAPE America) 7 - "Students will demonstrate the ability to practice health-enhancing behaviors and avoid or reduce health risks"

The link below has resources for a sea-themed yoga activity, including poses such as the whale, the puffer fish, and the dolphin.  I have seen this used and the students seem to enjoy it very much.  As a class, we would practice each of the poses together and discuss the importance of exercising to stay healthy in addition to other healthy behaviors.

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This week we are talking ocean themed yoga and movements. In the past couple of weeks I've shared about zoo themed yoga and farm yoga and movements. The ocean is another great place to learn and play. Yoga can easily be incorporated into a sea or ocean theme along with other sea themed motor play and learning. Ocean themed yoga is perfect for toddlers through elementary school-aged children.

Ocean Themed Yoga

Ocean yoga is a fun way to add physical activity to your kids day. When you add ocean yoga to your day you can feel confident that you and your kids will love this activity! Save yourself time and effort and get Ocean Yoga Cards to use right now.

Deep Breathing - Put your hands on your stomach and fill it up with air (like a pufferfish) blow out all your air and repeat.
Turtle Pose
Dolphin Pose - Make dolphin noises!

Lotus Pose - Move your arms at your side like an octopus!

Tall Kneeling reaching above your head.
Fish

Fish Pose - Move your face to make a fish face!

Forward Bend - Let your arms swing side to side like a jellyfish.

Squat Pose - Move your hands in front of you like a lobster claw

Reverse Tabletop - Do the crab walk.

Upward Dog - Bark like a sea lion!

Bridge Pose - Think of ships going under the bridge!

Boat Pose - Can be done individually or with partners!

Get Ocean Themed Yoga Cards

Think about how great it would feel to have everything you needed created for you to make ocean yoga happen now! Not only will you have fun themed ocean movement ideas, but you can also feel confident knowing that you and your kids will love these moves and be so engaged in learning. This is the perfect way to combine movement and learning! Pink Oatmeal has everything you need ready to go. Buy Ocean Yoga Cards today!

Get The Ocean Movement Pack

Even better than Ocean yoga is when you can have Ocean Movement Cards to go along with it. You get all this when you purchase the Ocean Movement Pack. This is by far your best deal when it comes to adding movement with an ocean theme.

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This week we are talking ocean themed yoga and movements. In the past couple of weeks I've shared about zoo themed yoga and farm yoga and movements. The ocean is another great place to learn and play. Yoga can easily be incorporated into a sea or ocean theme along with other sea themed motor play and learning.

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This fantastic Pinterest board was created by teacher and educational consultant Vanessa Levin. There are nearly 300 pins on this board and the majority of them relate to the creative and expressive arts. This is an incredibly useful resource for the expressive arts portion of this unit, as well as the unit as a whole. Levin currently has 243 Pinterest boards, many of which are organized around a specific theme. Her effort in helping teachers with unit planning is invaluable.

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Ocean theme teaching and learning activities, crafts, ideas, printables and resources for young children in your preschool, pre-k, or kindergarten classroom. Sharks, whales, fish, dolphins, starfish, turtles and more! Visit me at www.pre-kpages.com for more inspiration for early education!

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Sayre, April. (2004). Trout, Trout, Trout!: A Fish Chant. Chanhassen, Minnesota: NorthWord Press.

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Sayre, April. (2004). Trout, Trout, Trout!: A Fish Chant. Chanhassen, Minnesota: NorthWord Press.

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Though this book appears to be fictional, it is actually a nonfiction book filled with fish names and hilarious but relatively accurate illustrations, as well as an appendix of a variety of useful facts about the various fish. The book is written in a chant format and it begs to be read aloud. This book could be used as an inspiration for children to create an oral poem of their own in a similar fashion to be performed in front of the class.

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Carle, Eric. (2004). Mister Seahorse. London, England: Penguin Random House Publishing.

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Carle, Eric. (2004). Mister Seahorse. London, England: Penguin Random House Publishing.

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This fictional book tells about the ocean fathers who play a part in caring for their young. The beautifully unique pictures could serve as an inspiration for children's artwork and creations of other sea animal projects. Eric Carle also has several other sea animal books that could be read as a mini author study focused on his unique illustration styles.

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Expressive Arts - Ocean Animal Movement Game

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Expressive Arts - Ocean Animal Movement Game

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Missouri Early Learning Standard - Language and Literacy A.1.B "Represents feelings and ideas through movement"

This crazy fun movement game gives students the chance to express themselves by moving like ocean animals.  A variety of sea creatures are listed on cards, and spread around the classroom or large play area.  We would first review each of the cards and discuss the animal, how it moves, and what letter it starts with.  I would then call out an animal, and students would find that animal while imitating it through movement.  Each child would express their own ideas about how that animal moved.  There are also many other variations of how to call the animals and how children can respond listed on the link below.

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We are heading to the beach later this week, so I thought it would be fun to do some movement activities that involved ocean animals. This was a big hit and I think we'll be doing it again this afternoon when my son wakes up from his nap!

Materials Needed: ocean animal action cards pdf file (download them here), colored cardstock, and painters tape. Optional: soccer ball and contact paper to use to laminate cards.

* I chose ocean animal names that started with a variety of letters and had actions that were easy and do-able.

(forgot to include the humpback in this picture)

Directions:
1. Print out the ocean animal action cards on colored cardstock. You can also color them if you'd like (or have your child color them), we opted not to color today.

2. Tape the cards on the floor. Try to spread them around the room so that you have space between each card for movement. This would work in a open room/space or on a patio.

3. Start the movement activities!! There are several variations you can try depending on the level of your child.

- Start by walking around (or running) to each card with your child. When you get to a card, point to the picture, say the name of the ocean animal, read the action statement, and then demonstrate how your child can do the action stated. Have them copy you and then move to the next card.

Opening and closing his clam's shell quickly

Swimming around the carpet with a fin on his head, like a shark

Digging in the sand like a crab

An octopus shooting water from his body

A lobster hiding at the bottom of the ocean

Singing like a humpback whale

Jumping in the water like a dolphin

Blowing bubbles and making faces like a fish

- Once I had introduced all the cards, I would say the name of an ocean animal and my son and I would try and find it, stand by (or on) the card, and do the action quickly... and then we'd move on to the next animal I would say.

- After he learned all the ocean animal names and actions, I would say, "Find the animal that... and I'd state an action (ex. sings under the water)" and he'd run over and stand on the humpback whale card and sing. We did this until he got bored.

- We also incorporated his soccer ball into the activity and I would say, "dribble your ball over and find the... (ex. fish)." He would kick the ball over and try and trap it on top of the correct card.

- When he was bored of dribbling the ball, I had him pick up the ball and bounce it on the card that I talked about. For example, "Bounce the ball on the card that tells you to dig"... or an easier one, "Bounce the card on the humpback whale." He would bounce the ball once on the correct card and we'd move on. He loved this and it helped him practice aiming the ball.

- Next we worked on letter recognition and I would say, "Find the animal that starts with the letter..." (ex. O... and he'd go find octopus). This activity was a lot harder for him since he is still at the very basic level of learning his alphabet letters. He needed some prompting to focus on the letters at the beginning of the words. For older kids this would be a great activity as you talk about initial sounds of words. You could have the kids tell you the letter at the beginning of the word and the sound that it makes.

- For older kids who can already read or who are learning to read, you can have them try and find the action words in the sentences. For example, "Find the card that tells you to... jump." They can go to the dolphin card, read the name of the ocean animal, do the action, and attempt to read the sentence about the animal.

- We also talked about colors during this activity. I tried to put each animal on a different colored piece of cardstock... so sometimes I would say, "Go find the... orange jellyfish." This was a very simple activity and would be perfect for younger kids who are learning their colors. Not only does it reinforce learning colors, but also teaches them some new vocabulary words.

The main reason this activity was so fun was because it provided for a lot of variation, which kept it interesting. It also worked on a broad range of skills- from color recognition to listening comprehension to letter and word identification, etc.

Additional Ocean Activities:

If you want to do some ocean crafts along with these movement activities, I love this book by Sally and Stewart Walton. It has some great ideas.

Other fun crafts can be found on some of these sites...

Toothpick Sea Urchin Craft at No Time for Flashcards

Egg Carton Sea Creatures at Family Crafts

Ocean Creatures at Totally Tots (lots of different ideas from several other websites)

We will probably be trying some of these out later this week!

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We are heading to the beach later this week, so I thought it would be fun to do some movement activities that involved ocean animals. This was a big hit and I think we'll be doing it again this afternoon when my son wakes up from his nap!

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National Arts Standard (NCCAS) 5 "Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work."

Through brainstorming and cooperation, children could work in the dramatic play area to design and practice an ocean-themed skit that had some sort of plot or storyline behind it.  They could make masks or costumes, such as those on the website below.  Each group would then have the chance to present these skits to the class, and families could be invited to attend.

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I'm not exactly sure why, but I'm in the mood for something fishy today! It could be the after effects of all the April 1 st fish pranks here in France, or perhaps it's the clear blue skies and the promise of long summer days ahead. One thing I do know is that I'm already counting the days to our family vacation at the beach!

I've yet to meet a kid who doesn't like the ocean or who isn't fascinated by sea creatures and underwater life. What an amazing, natural playground for young and old alike! Katya Kozlova's latest paper art is a perfect example of how inspiring the sea world can be, and I am delighted to be able to share a small selection of her work here today.

Crab mask

I have been following this über- talented Russian mum (and family) for years now and she never ceases to amaze me. I don't think there's anything she can't make from cardboard and paper - she's a magician, a maestro of the paper arts, a maker of bright new worlds. I find her so inspiring!

Starfish headpiece

Based in Moscow, Katya recently collaborated with Baldu Kids to organize a children's event with a nautical theme. As you can see from these few images, she designed and handcrafted the most wonderfully eye-catching costumes, headpieces, and masks for everyone taking part. What fun!

Jellyfish mask

Katya's outfits and accessories are bold, striking, and colorful. This isn't the first time that I've been blown away by her creativity (and I'm 100% sure that it won't be the last) but what I love here is the simplicity and playfulness of each design.

Seahorse headpiece

From coral to anemones, from sea urchins to jelly fish - Katya's imagination has no bounds. What's your favorite? I bet the kids loved wearing the big bright fish with a funny face flap!

Octopus mask

Katya's crafting is always an inspiration. She makes the most beautiful paper dresses, floral crowns, masks, hats and decorations. Her chess player headpieces are out of this world! I hope you'll enjoy following her blog and Facebook page in the future (you may want to use an online translator, although pictures speak louder than words). You might even get an idea or two for your little one's next birthday party... who knows!
Pictured at top: Fish headpiece

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Having Fun With Fish ⋆ Handmade Charlotte

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I'm not exactly sure why, but I'm in the mood for something fishy today! It could be the after effects of all the April 1 st fish pranks here in France, or perhaps it's the clear blue skies and the promise of long summer days ahead.

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Missouri Early Learning Standard - Expressive Arts B.2.b "Uses a range of materials and media to draw and create pictures or three-dimensional objects."

In this activity, children have the opportunity to create their own fish bowl or ocean scene using paper plates, animal figurines, a plastic bag, and clear or blue hair gel. The scenes then become a sensory toy as students squish the bags to move the animals around while exploring fine motor skills and sense of touch.

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I am so excited to share this squish bag fish bowl. They are fun to make and play with afterwards. By squishing the bag the fish "swim" around the fish bowl.
This post contains affiliate links. See my Disclosure Policy for details.
I was inspired by a squish bag project I recently saw on Dabbling Momma. When I saw Dabbling Momma's project I immediately thought about fish swimming in water, so we made a squish bag fish bowl.

Supplies:

Clear hair gel (I purchased it at the Dollar Tree)

2 White paper plates

Blue paint

Quart size storage bag (go cheap on the hair gel, but get a heavy duty baggie)

Glue (I used a hot glue gun)

Fish (I spotted the fish we used at Hobby Lobby. They are actually magnets, but they work for this project. They were part of their spring line and marked off 60%). Try this option: Kids Plastic Tropical Fish.

Directions:

1. Cut out center of one paper plate leaving the outside edge.

2. Paint outside edge blue. We did a couple coats of paint; letting it dry between each coat.

3. Fill a quart size bag with clear hair gel.

4. Add fish to bag filled with hair gel. Make sure the bag is sealed. You could even add a little glue or tape if you want to make it extra durable.

5. Lay bag on top of paper plate. If your bag has a label make sure you place the label side down.

6. Fold corners under bag and glue. I used a low heat glue gun.

7. Glue blue painted edge to the top, securing it with glue. I used the glue gun again to attach the top piece.

These squish bags are also called sensory bags. They help kids expand their sense of touch and adventure. They can also be soothing and relaxing for kids.

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I am so excited to share this squish bag fish bowl. They are fun to make and play with afterwards. By squishing the bag the fish "swim" around the fish bowl. This post contains affiliate links. See my Disclosure Policy for details. I was inspired by a squish bag project I recently saw on Dabbling Momma.

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Students have the chance to practice their math and technology skills at the same time with this online ocean-themed find and count game. Children are asked to find specific animals from a group of sea creatures and count them along with the game. The picture below displays a poor representation, but the game would be very engaging for students.

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Animal Ocean Find and Count Game - Preschool Animals

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Find and count the animals in the ocean.

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Hughes, Catherine D. (2013). National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of the Ocean. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society

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Hughes, Catherine D. (2013). National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of the Ocean. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society

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Vibrant colors and stunning pictures draw children in to the world of the ocean in this nonfiction, encyclopedia-style book. The information provided includes key math concepts such as size, depth, and patterns which could be emphasized through a shared reading or read aloud.

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Sherry, Kevin. (2007). I'm the Biggest Thing in the Ocean. New York City, New York: Dial Books.

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Sherry, Kevin. (2007). I'm the Biggest Thing in the Ocean. New York City, New York: Dial Books.

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This fictional book about a friendly giant squid emphasizes the mathematical concepts of bigger and smaller through a repetitive pattern that students could easily learn and begin to read on their own. The bright colors and fun story are very engaging for students, and they enjoy the surprise ending where the giant squid finally finds something bigger than he is.

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National Math Standard (NCTM) Algebra PreK-2 "Sort, classify, and order objects by size, number, and other properties"

The website below has an extremely wide variety of excellent ocean themed activities for multiple content areas, including an excellent example of sorting, classifying, and patterning with fish, seashells, and other ocean themed manipulatives. The fish and shells can be sorted by size, color, or type. They can also be patterned in many ways or used for counting and number recognition. These types of manipulatives could be used for direct instruction where the children are given a task to complete, or for more individual exploration and experimentation.

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Missouri Early Learning Standard - Language and Literacy D.3.a "Repeats rhymes, simple songs, poems, and finger plays"

The website below has a plethora of ideas for ocean themed counting and number songs and rhymes. Not all of the songs on the site involve counting, but there are many that do. Practicing counting forward and backward, as in the song "Five Little Fishies" is a very useful skill for preschoolers. Though these activities are simple, they incorporate both math and literacy, and the songs are easy for children to remember and repeat. The picture below does not present an accurate representation of the website, please click to view.

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shark swimming
mermaids plug nose and shimmy down

Original Author Unknownlittle fish swimming in the sea 5 Little Fish added 7-27-00

Sung to: "5 little monkeys (teasing the alligator)"

5 little fish swimming in the sea
Teasin' Mr. Shark
Now Mr. Shark is lonely can't you see. .
You can't catch me, You can't catch me!
along came the Mr. Shark as quiet as can be
Snap! The little fish right out of the sea.
Teasin' Mr. Shark
You can't catch me, You can't catch me!
along came the Mr. Shark as quiet as can be
Snap! The little fish right out of the sea.
4 little Etc...

One

Original Author Unknown 5 Little Fishes added 7-27-00

5 little fishes swimming near the shore
1 took a dive and then there was 4

4 little fishes were swimming out to sea
One went for food and then there was 3

3 little fishes said now what should we do?
One swam away and then there were 2

2 little fishes we are having great fun
One took a plunge and then there was 1

1 little fish said I like the warm sun
Away she went and then there were none!

Original Author Unknown The Octopus added 2-27-01

Sung to: "Little White Duck"

There are eight tentacles
Swimming in the ocean,
Eight tentacles making a commotion
Who could belong to so many feet?
The octopus does and they help him eat.
He has eight tentacles
Swimming in the ocean,
Swim, Swim, Swim.

Original Author Unknown added 4-29-01

Sung to: "I'm a little teapot"

I'm a humpback whale,
I'm very strong.
I leap about
And sing a song.
I like to eat my fill
In the Northern Sea.
But in the winter,
South I flee.

I am a beluga,
I'm all white.
From head to tail
I'm quite a sight.
You can hear me singing
Way up north,
Playing and swimming
Back and forth.

I'm a mighty orca
Black and white.
In the sea
I'm a beautiful sight.
I'm not very big,
But I am sleek.
I hunt for my food
Cause I have teeth.

Original Author Unknown I'm A Big Whale added 4-29-01

Sung to:"Clementine"

I am swimming, I am swimming,
I am swimming in the sea.
I'm a big whale and I'm swimming
I am swimming in the sea.

I am singing , I am singing,
I am singing in the sea.
I'm a big whale and I'm singing,
I am singing in the sea.

I am spouting, I am spouting,
I am spouting in the sea.
I'm a big whale and I'm spouting,
I am spouting in the sea.

"The Farmer in the Dell" added 5-6-01

We're little orange crabs
Who live down by the sea,
And where we do go
We're quick as quick can be.

We're little orange crabs
Who like to run and hide,
And when you see us walking by
It's always side to side.

Original Author Unknown Three Little Fish added 5-6-01

Sung to: "Three Blind Mice"

Three little fish, three little fish
(hold up three fingers)
See how they swim, see how they swim
(make swimming motion with arms)
Round and Round and fast they go
("swim" fast - sing fast)
Now they are going very slow
("swim" slow-also sign slow)
Three little fish, three little fish
(hold up 3 fingers again)

Original Author Unknown Down in the Water added 5-13-01

Sung to: "Down by the Station"

Down in the water, early in the morning
See the ocean creatures, swimming all around.
You can see the parents playing with their babies.
Under the sea is where they're found!

Original Author Unknown Creatures of the Sea added 5-13-01

Sung to: "Sing a Song of Sixpence"

Playing in the oceans, underneath the sea,
Snuggled in the waves is where we want to be.
We are all the creatures swimming happily,
This is where we live because we're creatures of the sea!

Original Author Unknown Once I Saw An Octopus added 7-21-01

Once I saw an octopus
In the deep blue sea. (Point downward)
I called, "Mr. Octopus,
Won't you swim with me?" (Cup hands around mouth)
Then out came his tentacles,
So very long and straight, (extend eight fingers.)
One and two and three and four,
Five and six and seven and eight. (count on fingers.)

Original Author Unknown added 7-21-01

Once I saw an octopus,
Deep down in the sea.
(Clasp hands together with thumbs inside.)
Out came her eight tentacles
To play and swim with me.
(Extend and wiggle eight fingers)

Angela Vargas Lions of the Sea added 2-19-02 Submitted

Sung to: "Sing a Song of Sixpence"

Playing in the ocean underneath the sea,
Snuggled in the waves is where we like to be.
We are all the sea lions swimming happily.
Ar Ar Ar Ar! (Doing arms in a flipper flapping motion together in front of the body) Fish for me!

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" Sticky, Sticky Starfish

Sticky, sticky little starfish,
How I wonder what you are,
Beneath the sea so cool and blue
Can you see me as I see you?
Sticky, sticky little starfish
Beneath the sea so cool and blue

Hokey Pokey" Fishy Pokey

Put your left fin in
Put your left fin out
Put your left fin in
You shake it all about
You do the fishy pokey
And you turn yourself around
That's what its all about

Then do other fishy part, back fin, right fin, head, gills, whole body.

Shoo-Fly" Down in the Deep Blue Sea

Down in the deep blue sea,
Down in the deep blue sea,
Down in the deep blue sea,
What will we see?

We'll see a swimming fish,
We'll see a swimming fish,
We'll see a swimming fish,
That is what we'll see

We'll see an octopus ......
We'll see a great big whale ...

Adam's Family Theme" Dolphin Family Song

When they get into the notion
They jump out of the ocean
With tail fluke locomotion,

The Dolphin family
Swim in the sea, eee eee
Swim in the sea, eee eee
Swim in the sea
Live in a pod
Swim in the sea, eee eee

I bet you didn't suppose
Their blow hole was their nose
And in and out the air goes

The Dolphin family
Swim in the sea, eee eee
Swim in the sea, eee eee
Swim in the sea,
Live in a pod
Swim in the sea, eee eee

Slippery Fish, Slippery Fish.... Slippery Fish
Swimming through the water ( use hands to act out fish swimming through the water)
Slippery Fish , Slippery Fish
Gulp, Gulp ( Each time you say Gulp...use hands on either side of mouth and slide down throat)
OH NO ! (When you say this, put hands on face)
He got eaten by........

A Tuna Fish, A Tuna Fish.....
Swimming through the water ( use hands to act out a tuna fish swimming through the water)
A Tuna Fish, A Tuna Fish
Gulp, Gulp
OH NO!
He got eaten by........

An Octopus, an Octopus....
Swimming through the water ( use arms and wave them up and down for Octopus arms)
An Octopus, an Octopus...
Gulp, Gulp
OH NO !
He got eaten by.......

A Great Big Shark, A Great Big Shark....
swimming through the water (use arms from elbows to hands to look like a shark mouth opening and closing)
A Great Big Shark, A Great Big Shark.....
Gulp, Gulp
OH NO!
He got eaten by....

A Big Fat Whale, A Big Fat Whale.....
swimming through the water ( Use a deep voice and hold arms out to your sides to look like a Big Fat Whale)
A Big Fat Whale, A Big Fat Whale....
Burp, Burp....
EXCUSE ME! ( use a higher voice to say this part)

A sailor went to sea, sea, sea
To see what he could see, see, see
But all that he could see, see, see
Was the bottom of the deep blue sea, sea, sea!

Sung to: "The More We Get Together"

If I could be a fishy,
A fishy, a fishy
If I could be a fishy
What kind would I be?
A swordfish, a guppy,
A goldfish, a molly,
If I could be a fishy,
I would be a (child fills in the blank)

Octopus, Octopus
In the Sea, In the Sea
To swim they use all 8 of their arms
Their color changes to hide them from harm
They live in the sea, not on a farm
The Octopus

I am swimming, I am swimming,
I am swimming in the sea.
I'm a big whale and I'm swimming,
I am swimming in the sea.

I am singing, I am singing,
I am singing in the sea.
I'm a big whale and I'm singing,
I am singing in the sea.

I am spouting, I am spouting,
I am spouting in the sea.
I'm a big whale and I'm spouting,
I am spouting in the sea.

Sung to: "Mary Had A Little Lamb"

I'm a little brown starfish,
Brown starfish, brown starfish
I'm a little brown starfish
Who lives under the sea

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Preschool Education Music & Songs : Animals > Sea & Ocean

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shark swimming mermaids plug nose and shimmy down Original Author Unknownlittle fish swimming in the sea 5 Little Fish added 7-27-00 Sung to: "5 little monkeys (teasing the alligator)" 5 little fish swimming in the sea Teasin' Mr. Shark Now Mr. Shark is lonely can't you see. .

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Missouri Early Learning Standard - Mathematics A.2.a "Uses language to compare number (e.g., more/less, greater/fewer, equal to)"

In this math game, preschoolers take turns rolling a numbered die. They then count out that number of shark figurines and place them in the aquarium (a tub of blue water). Then the students answer questions such as "Which aquarium has more?" "Which has less?" "Are they equal?" and "How do you know?" The game requires little set-up but still incorporates a key math concept in an engaging way.

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Counting objects and comparing more or less is an important math skill for preschoolers to learn. These shark figurines make great math counters and this shark aquarium math game is a fun way to inspire learning in young children who are interested in or to go along with an ocean theme!
This post contains affiliate links.
Shark Aquarium Math Game
Supplies:
To prepare this activity, set out two containers with a little bit of blue colored water, a dozen shark figurines and a number die. Then invite the children to come play and learn with this sensational shark aquarium math game!

This activity can be played by one child alone, with two children or with an adult and child. To play, roll the die once and count out that number of sharks and place them in one aquarium. Then roll the die again, taking turns as necessary and count out that number of sharks into the other aquarium.

Next, an adult can ask the child:

Which aquarium has more sharks?

Which one has fewer sharks?

Do the aquariums have an even amount of sharks?

How do you know?

This is a simple and quick math game to set up and play! It is a fun and hands-on way for preschoolers to practice counting to six, compare quantities and practice subitizing skills. It is also an opportunity to explain to what "even" means in terms of numbers.

Literature Extension

Looking for more ways to learn with manipulatives? Check out these related posts:

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Shark Aquarium More, Less or Equal Math Game | Stir The Wonder

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Counting objects and comparing more or less is an important math skill for preschoolers to learn. These shark figurines make great math counters and this shark aquarium math game is a fun way to inspire learning in young children who are interested in or to go along with an ocean theme!

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Dance 'n Beats Lab. (2015, March 18). Preschool Learn to Dance: Big Blue Whale [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Parej8Fi0es&list=PLH2VYA11c_E-A3GFbtjKz2OPvNaeuv5T1

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Dance 'n Beats Lab. (2015, March 18). Preschool Learn to Dance: Big Blue Whale [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Parej8Fi0es&list=PLH2VYA11c_E-A3GFbtjKz2OPvNaeuv5T1

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This high-energy, whale themed dance video would be an excellent movement break or exercise activity. I would emphasize the importance of daily exercise in maintaining a healthy lifestyle and discuss other ocean animals that students might be able to imitate through dance.

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Preschool Learn to Dance: Big Blue Whale

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Dance 'n Beats is a preschool learn to dance DVD program. Enjoy at home or in the classroom. This song invites children to build patterning and rhythm skills. Order all 12 Ocean Preschool Song and Dances at https://secure.mothergoosetime.com/shop_by_curriculum_list.php?cat=14 Each DVD includes a guidebook with choreography, creative movement ideas and DIY dancing props.

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Rotner, Shelley. (2016). Grow! Raise! Catch! How We Get Our Food. New York City, New York: Holiday House, Inc.

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Rotner, Shelley. (2016). Grow! Raise! Catch! How We Get Our Food. New York City, New York: Holiday House, Inc.

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This nonfiction book uses bright, engaging pictures and easy-to-read text to explain the process by which food makes it to our table. Farmers and fisherman alike show off their craft to help kids understand where our food comes from, and there is an emphasis placed on clean and sustainable practices. When using this book in the ocean theme, I would place specific emphasis on the portion that discusses fish and where they are caught.

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Palmer, Helen. (1961). A Fish Out of Water. New York City, New York: Random House Children's Books

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Palmer, Helen. (1961). A Fish Out of Water. New York City, New York: Random House Children's Books

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Written by the wife of Dr. Seuss in similar style, this book tells the fictional story of what happens when a little boy doesn't follow directions about feeding is fish. The fish grows so large that it eventually fills a swimming pool before the problem is resolved. This book could be used to make the point that we also need to follow directions about what we are supposed to eat. If done delicately, a correlation could also be made between the excessive growth of the fish and weight gain from overeating. However, this point would have to be made very tactfully. The safer point would be to relate this book to the directions about eating provided by the USDA in the form of the MyPlate model.

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Missouri Early Learning Standard - Physical Development, Health, and Safety C.1.b - "Knows and follows safety rules."

The website below has several suggestions for teaching preschoolers about water safety. The most useful one for the classroom setting is the idea of incorporating water safety concepts through dramatic play. This could include several examples of being safe in multiple situations involving water, such as the pool, a river, a lake, or the ocean. Children can practice putting on life vests, act out the proper way to act when near water or on a boat, and discuss safe areas to play around bodies of water like the ocean.

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Preschoolers, by nature, are very curious. I remember finding my preschoolers in situations where I wondered "What in the world are they DOING?". One particular situation involved a 3-year-old , trying to figure out HOW our cat's legs worked..... the cat (and my daughter's eyelid) didn't fare well in that situation.

One area where I do NOT want my preschoolers to be curious is in the water. The CDC shares that every day 10 people die of unintentional drownings. The highest rates occur in children ages 1-4. Keeping our preschoolers safe in the water is something all parents desire to do. Through the years, there are a few things we have done to teach preschoolers water safety.

Swimming Lessons!

Our local pool offers swimming lessons at a low-cost each summer. Starting at 3, all of my children have attended. They get a certificate of completion and learn how to swim, float, blow bubbles and more. We have done this program for years and the kids love it! Check local businesses to see if swimming lessons are offered where you live. Some businesses may start lessons as babies, and some may offer lessons year round.

Read Great Books!

Preschoolers love water, AND books! So, why not combine the two? One book we discovered that is great for teaching water safety is Barkley's Great Escape. Barkley is a curious dog and gets himself into trouble when he goes for a dip in the neighbor's pool. The book teaches young children the dangers of swimming unsupervised and includes comprehension and safety questions at the end of the book. My son loved hearing about Barkley, and it opened up the door for a great discussion on water safety. I encourage you to check it out!

Dramatic Play!

One great idea for teaching preschoolers water safety is to role play with your child. Use cardboard, or tape to make a "pool" . Practice walking near the pool, and show them what to do if they fall in. Do they reach into the pool for a toy? (no!). Show your child where the "safe" places are next to a pool (not along the edge). Show them how to properly put on a life vest, or floatation device. Let them practice climbing in and out of the "pool". These are all great ways of using dramatic play to teach preschoolers water safety.

Moms, summer is right around the corner, and NOW is the best time to teach preschoolers water safety. I encourage you to look into swimming lessons, find some great books like Barkley's Great Escape to help teach water safety, and get into role-playing with your child. These are all fun ways to keep YOUR child safe in the water this summer.

How do you teach preschoolers water safety?

*I received a free copy of Barkley's Great Escape. All opinions of the book are my own 🙂

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How to Teach Preschoolers Water Safety - Joy in the Journey

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Preschoolers, by nature, are very curious. I remember finding my preschoolers in situations where I wondered "What in the world are they DOING?". One particular situation involved a 3-year-old , trying to figure out HOW our cat's legs worked..... the cat (and my daughter's eyelid) didn't fare well in that situation.

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Missouri Early Learning Standard - Language and Literacy D.1.d "Comprehends and responds to text."

For this activity, children will work cooperatively to read a recipe for a healthy, ocean-themed snack and follow the procedures to create the snack to share. The link below has several healthy options that are simple enough to complete with preschoolers. As the teacher, I would rewrite the recipe to match the children's reading level and provide pictures of each step. Since there are so many recipes available on the site, each group could make something different to share with the other groups. We would also discuss why these snacks were healthy and what they might be able to eat at home that would also be considered healthy snacks.

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Coastal Decor Ideas Interior Design DIY Shopping

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Fun and decorative beach party foods. They're cute & clever. Everyone will love them!

These fun beach theme foods sure are entertaining and perfect for a beach theme summer party, or a beachy birthday party anytime of the year.

A Beachy Keen Party with sweet and salty treats.

The party includes a nifty crabby croissants from Family Fun. Baby carrots form the legs and the claws are red bell peppers.

Adorable flip flop sandwiches created with flip flop Cookie Cutters. Original source no longer available.

Goldfish are diving into an ocean of blue food colored onion dip. Original source no longer available.

The cutest crunchy octopus bell pepper dip. Original source no longer available.

Deviled egg boats with pepper sails. Original source no longer available.

Zucchini boats with a couscous filing and sails are made of carrots. Original source no longer available.

Serve carrot and pepper palm trees on ice for a refreshing vegetable snack. By Cute as a Fox.

Tropical with an Asian twist. A classic Thai pineapple fried rice. Jasmine rice is fried up with chunks of pineapple, cashews, and veggies. Sounds yummy and looks great. Original source no longer available.

The most delightful fruit kabob. It is the star of this Under the Sea Party.

Tropical fruit creations make for a healthy beach party snack. Original source of image unknown.

Yummy bites on sail skewers at Pizzazzerie for a 4th of July party.

And for an easy beach theme cookie treat, try Sand Dollar Cookies. All you need is refrigerator Pillsbury sugar cookie dough and a bag of slivered almonds.

Or how about cute Flip Flop Cookies as a Party Dessert, made from Nutter Butter Oval Shaped Cookies.

Great Cookie Tray/Mold from Williams Sonoma to crank out a batch of cute beach party cookies, mini cornbreads, mini Caribbean rum cakes, or whatever you can imagine. Made in the USA, durable cast-aluminum nonstick construction.

Make a Sandcastle Cake for the beach enthusiast. Works for a birthday and a beach summer party. Also see Sand Castle Centerpieces where you will find another recipe.

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Fun Beach Party Foods for Summer & Birthdays

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Fun and decorative beach party foods. They're cute & clever. Everyone will love them! These fun beach theme foods sure are entertaining and perfect for a beach theme summer party, or a beachy birthday party anytime of the year. A Beachy Keen Party with sweet and salty treats.

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This video is an interview with a Marine Biologist in which he explains his job and the things he enjoys about it. Another alternative option to this would be to invite a marine biologist into the classroom as a guest speaker. This video could be used as part of a social studies lesson about different occupations, specifically those that deal with the ocean.

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Pfister, Michael. (1992). The Rainbow Fish (1st ed.). New York, New York: North-South Books.

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Pfister, Michael. (1992). The Rainbow Fish (1st ed.). New York, New York: North-South Books.

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This popular children's book has a timeless message of sharing, selflessness, and making friends. This is perfect for a preschool social studies lesson about interacting with others and being a good friend. There are also many ocean animals throughout the book, so it incorporates well with the ocean theme.

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Frost, Helen. (2000). We Need Water. Mankato, Minnesota: Capstone Press.

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Frost, Helen. (2000). We Need Water. Mankato, Minnesota: Capstone Press.

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This nonfiction book discusses the many uses for water and its importance to human life. I would use this book as an introduction to a social studies lesson on the importance of water around the world. We would discuss the ease of access to water in the United States compared to other places in the world where water is scarce.

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Missouri Early Learning Standard - Language and Literacy E.1.b "Uses scribbles, shapes, pictures, letter-like forms and letters to write"

Journal writing would be used throughout the unit, but in this specific instance, the students will represent a habitat within the ocean that they have learned about and the significant features of that habitat. For example, the children might draw a tide pool with shallow water, a small area, and specific animals such as urchins and starfish. The students will be encouraged to use whatever form of writing they are capable of and will then explain their writing to the teacher (also integrates Literacy standard E.1.b).

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Missouri Early Learning Standard - Understanding the World C.1.b: "Successfully operates mechanical devices and uses them to advance learning."

This activity incorporates STEM by allowing students to be engineers while exploring and operating mechanical devices. After a lesson on boats and how they work, students will have a chance to create their own boat from recycled materials provided by the teacher. Then, students will test their boat using a kiddie pool and a straw for "wind." Teachers could ask open-ended questions to help students understand why their boat did or did not float. Students might also write or draw about their boat to incorporate a literacy component.

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Activity for ages 4 to 8.

Science Technology Engineering and Math {STEM} activities for kids are all the rage right now and junk boats rank at the top of our favorite projects under the sun. With just a pile of clean recyclables and a kiddy pool, little engineers can design, build and race their own batch of junk boats too!
This post contains Amazon affiliate links.
Building Junk Boats

After reading the book "Toy Boat" - a story about a boy who creates a boat out of a can, a cork, a yellow pencil and a white cloth - the kids were eager to build a boat of their own.

I pulled out our huge collection of clean recyclables, a roll of duct tape and scissors and invited them to get to work. After pairing up into teams of two kids dug through the pile and picked their supplies: empty paper towel rolls, old newspapers, plastic tubs, straws...

After 15 minutes or so, the mini engineers were eager to see if their boats would really float.

We headed outside to a kiddie pool I'd filled with water. I gave each team a straw to make "wind".

One person blew the boat across the water and then a second teammate blew it back. The first boat to touch the edge of the pool was the winner.

After one round, the kids were hooked!

They took their boats out of the water and, using what they'd learned from watching the other junk boats perform in the water, they made adjustments to their designs to make the boats faster.

Then they headed over to the pool for round 2.

More STEM Inspiration

Try out 40 of our favorite STEM projects under the sun!

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Activity for ages 4 to 8. Science Technology Engineering and Math {STEM} activities for kids are all the rage right now and junk boats rank at the top of our favorite projects under the sun. With just a pile of clean recyclables and a kiddy pool, little engineers can design, build and race their own ...

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Social Studies - Mapping Animal Habitats

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Social Studies - Mapping Animal Habitats

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National Social Studies (NCSS) Standard D2.Geo.3.K-2: " Use maps, globes, and other simple geographic models to identify cultural and environmental characteristics of places."

After discussing the differences in areas of the ocean and what animals live in these areas, the students will create a map which displays the distribution of animals within the ocean, similar to the map pictured below.  Students will discuss the effects that differences in temperature, salt content, and environment have on the type of animals that live in corresponding areas.

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Kids ABC International. (2014, July 29). Animals Ocean Movie Funny Educational Videos For Kids English [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YtofuJ-TL4

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Kids ABC International. (2014, July 29). Animals Ocean Movie Funny Educational Videos For Kids English [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YtofuJ-TL4

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This video, though poorly titled, would be very useful as an anticipatory set to the science portion of the Oceans unit.  Its bright colors and creative animals provide a general overview of many ocean-related facts in simple language that preschoolers could easily understand.

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Animals Ocean movie funny educational videos for kids English

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Cousins, Lucy. (2005). Hooray for Fish!. Somerville, Massachusetts: Candlewick Press.

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Cousins, Lucy. (2005). Hooray for Fish!. Somerville, Massachusetts: Candlewick Press.

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This science-related fiction book would be used in the library center. The book is simple and colorful and displays a wide variety of fish. With assistance and practice, students could begin to read this book on their own, which would promote literacy as well as reading confidence.

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National Science Standard (NGSS) K-ESS3-1: "Use a model to represent the relationship between the needs of different plants and animals and the places they live."

In this activity, children use paint color samples to depict the zones or layers in the ocean.  This activity would be used near the end of several lessons on the ocean zones, with the emphasis on why different animals live in different zones based on their needs.  The students will use the information learned previously to construct a model on the paint samples of the ocean zones and the animals that live in each zone.

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We have been enjoying learning about the Ocean and especially sea animals but we had never talked about the layers of the ocean until now. Paint samples work perfectly to represent the different levels, but if you don't have any on hand you can always use layers of paper. When we were finished with this activity we had learned what type of animals live at different depths, what the different zones are called, and had a cute craft to help us remember and decorate our wall.

To start this activity we put our hands on top of each other to make sure everyone understood what layers are. Then we watched this video about Oceanic Layers and Zones (Youtube video by ZorakGoesOn). Finally we went on a field trip to the aquarium I had my kids look at how much light was in the fish tanks, then we figured out which layer of the ocean the animal was from.

Information About the Oceanic Zones

Sunlight Zone 0-600 feet closest to top 90% of ocean animals live here, sharks, sea turtles, seals, jellyfish, plants

Twilight Zone 600-3300 ft no plants, animals live here like cold water and darkness, crabs, some sharks, lobsters

Midnight Zone 3300-13200 feet - not very much food, only light is made from animals, squid, eels

Abyss-near freezing, no light, very few animals, largest part of the ocean

Trenches-deepest part of ocean, temp barely above freezing, starfish and worms.

Learning About the Layers of the Ocean Craft

Supplies:
Paint samples (blue and brown-we used Dutch Boy samples)
Under the Sea Sticker Set (affiliate link) -similar sticker set to what we used.
Permanent marker

If you can't find stickers, you can always try drawing animals. I drew a little eel on each of our crafts.

Directions:

1. Cut a brown layer to make a trench and glue it onto the bottom of the blue paint sample but maker sure not to cover it completely.

2. Label the layers of the ocean with the marker starting with the lightest layer first.

We sounded out the words together by identifying the letters, then I wrote the name of the layer on the paint sample. If your kids are writers they could write the names by themselves.

3. Put the ocean animal stickers on the craft making sure to put them in the correct layer.

Some types of animals
can be found in more than one layer (like different types of sharks). When this
happened we just chose the layer we didn't have as many stickers for. First we
sorted our stickers into which layer the animals belonged to and then the kids
stuck them on their craft. If your child is older you could have them sort
while they are sticking them on. This would be a fun way to review and see how much
they learned.

More Ocean Activities

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Learning About the Layers of the Ocean (Paint Sample Craft for Kids) -

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We have been enjoying learning about the Ocean and especially sea animals but we had never talked about the layers of the ocean until now. Paint samples work perfectly to represent the different levels, but if you don't have any on hand you can always use layers of paper.

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Lindeen, Carol K. (2003). Life in an Ocean (Living in a Biome). Mankato, Minnesota: Capstone Press.

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Lindeen, Carol K. (2003). Life in an Ocean (Living in a Biome). Mankato, Minnesota: Capstone Press.

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This nonfiction science book will be used during a read-aloud to discuss and explore the ocean habitat, including the environment, plants, and animals. The detailed pictures are engaging and the text is simple enough that students could begin to recognize and read the book on their own in a library center.

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Missouri Early Learning Standard - Language and Literacy C2a: "Learns new words."

I will begin the activity by writing the word "current" on the board.  We will discuss possible meanings of the word and identify any background knowledge that the students might have, including connecting the word to the Pixar movie Finding Nemo. We will then complete the Ocean Currents activity linked below. In this activity, ice cold blue water and boiling red water are poured into a pan. The students can observe how the temperature affects the interaction of the water, forming currents. The students will then write about something that they learned about currents from their observations.

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Every child who has ever watched Finding Nemo has heard of ocean currents. Seriously educational stuff there folks! While Finding Nemo is definitely not the most educational movie of all time, it can really spark curiosity in kids to find out more about ocean currents, like the East Australian Current, and how they are formed. This ocean currents science experiment is a fun way to see currents form right before your eyes!

Materials needed for the Ocean Currents Science Experiment:
Cold Water Ice Boiling Water Red and Blue Food coloring Clear or white large baking dish
First, fill the clear baking dish about 1/3 full with cold water and add a few drops of blue food coloring. You won't want the blue to be too dark or you won't be able to see the currents forming.

Add a 1-2 cups of ice to the cold water and stir. Let it set for a few minutes for some of the ice to melt. Our goal is to have very cold water.
More STEM learning fun: Respiratory System Investigation
Lukewarm water will not give you the same results. (Trust me on that!)

While the ice is melting, boil about 4 cups of water. Add red food coloring to the boiled water, this one you will want to make darker.

Once both sets of water & dye are ready, gently pour some of the boiling water into a corner of the baking dish filled with cold water.
More STEM Learning Fun: Building Block Challenge Cards
Then, watch as currents form right before your eyes!

The hot water will push through the cold water creating currents. In the ocean these are faster moving strips of water (like the East Australian Current...)

As an added bonus, we got to see some eddies form! Eddies are circular moving currents and you can see them very clearly in this picture.

More STEM Learning Fun: STEM Density Investigation

Eventually the water mixed together to create lukewarm (and purple) water which is what it also does in the ocean.

Have fun exploring the ocean with this super fun ocean currents science experiment for kids!

More Marine Biology Activities to Explore:
Marine Mammals or Fish? from Still Playing School Ocean Animals Food Chain Printables from Living Life and Learning How Do Fish Breathe? from Parenting Chaos Why Can't Freshwater Fish Live in the Ocean? from Schooling a Monkey {FREE} Ocean Animals & Plants Cards from Preschool Powol Packets Ocean Animal Addition Cards from The Kindergarten Connection Ocean Animal Vocabulary Cards from The Letters of Literacy Super Simple Edible Coral Reef from Lemon Lime Adventures Coral Reefs Game from Line Upon Line Learning Number Bonds with Shells from Kidz Activities

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Ocean Currents Science Experiment - Life Over Cs

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Every child who has ever watched Finding Nemo has heard of ocean currents. Seriously educational stuff there folks! While Finding Nemo is definitely not the most educational movie of all time, it can really spark curiosity in kids to find out more about ocean currents, like the East Australian Current, and how they are formed.

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Missouri Early Learning Standard -- Science A3c: "Makes predictions based on experiences with objects and materials"

Students will be given an assortment of familiar objects, such as paperclips, buttons, erasers, etc. They will make a predictions about the buoyancy of the objects by sorting the objects into a "Sink" or "Float" category as pictured below. We will then test the objects as a whole class during group time and the students will decide whether their predictions were right or wrong.