Hello again! I would rather be in school but under the circumstances I do enjoy putting together these virtual packets for my preschoolers! Enjoy some ocean activities along with us!
Ask your
child if they know how to swim. Spend some time talking about fun that you have
had in the water. Can anyone float? How do you float? Can anyone float on your
back? Stomach? Knees? Can anyone float in the water standing up? Of course not!
But someone in today’s bible story could stand up and walk on top of the
water. Let’s find out more…
Bible
Story – Jesus
Walks on the Water color page and story. This story reminds us that we need to trust
Jesus in everything that we do!
Sink/Float
experiment – This simple experiment will encourage your child to
make predictions and observations about whether certain items will sink or
float. You can fill up the sink with
water, do it while taking a bath, fill up a plastic shoe box, pot or even a
cup! Suggested items to use… SINK: metal
utensils, coins, stones, toy car, keys, marbles. FLOAT: Duplo/Lego, popsicle stick, corks,
foam shapes, crayon, rubber ball, bathtub toys.
After you have gathered your items and filled up your water source, have
your child guess whether each item will sink or float before placing it in the
water.
Ocean animals –
Print this ocean animal worksheet. Have
your child cut apart the numbers along the bottom of the page. Then have them count the items in each
line.
Trace
circles – Draw some circles in pencil on a piece of paper and
have your kiddos use a marker or crayon and trace the circles. This is good prewriting practice.
Jellyfish craft –
This is one of our favorites to do in class!
You will need an empty fruit cup or applesauce container and something
for the tentacles. You can use
laminating sheets, page protector sheets, wax paper, tissue paper, bubble wrap,
construction paper, etc. Draw lines on
whatever you are using for the tentacles.
Have your child cut the strips.
We use two different types or material so we can create a pattern. Then help your child tape the tentacles
inside the fruit cup, making a pattern as you go. NOTE…At school we observe that a
jellyfish is a kind of animal that doesn’t have a face. It uses its tentacles to find food and its
mouth is under its body. Here is a video of a jellyfish moving – it’s really beautiful!
If
you don’t have any fruit cups to use, try it with half a paper plate.
Tape the tentacles to the back in a pattern. They can even paint the plate if they
want.
Count & Clip –
Here is another count and clip activity to use with clothespins. Just print the free activity, cut apart and
have your child count the ocean animals.
Ocean Foil Painting – Attach
of piece of aluminum foil to some cardboard or poster board. Then let your child finger paint with blue to
create the ocean. Draw some circles and
triangles on construction paper and let your child cut them out. Then they can glue together to make fish for
their ocean. Put a circle and some paper
strips together for a jellyfish. If you
have ocean stickers you can add those too!
Crab Shape Match –
Print the crabs with shapes and cut out the shapes at the bottom. Then have your child match the shapes. If they want to color the crabs first, go for
it!
Counting Fish – Sometimes it is good to
have some technology time. Here is a fun
counting game on ABCya.com. They will
have to count the fish and click on the correct number.
Color by Number –
Beach balls always make me think of going to the beach and the ocean. This is a fun color by number beach ball that
will help your kiddos with coloring in the lines and number matching!
Sand
writing – If you have sand to use, that is amazing. But salt, flour or sugar work great too! Just put enough to cover the bottom of a tray
or plate. Then have your child use their
finger to write in the sand. They could
draw shapes, numbers, letters, whatever they like. If they have a sensory issue and don’t want
to touch the “sand”, have them draw with an unsharpened pencil or pen with the
lid on.
Play
dough – Use play dough to create ocean animals. See if you can make a jellyfish, sea turtle,
or crab.
Make your own play dough –
If you are in need of some new play dough, why not try out this recipe using
only corn starch and conditioner!
Action
game
– If you have a beach ball, write actions on each different section. Then have your kids throw it and whatever
side lands up, do that action. (walk
like a crab, swim like a fish, jump up and down, twirl around, hop on one foot,
etc) If you don’t have a beach ball,
just make some action cards. Have your
child draw one, then do that action.
Ball
pop
- Use a beach ball or blow up a balloon and hit it in the air, try to keep it
from hitting the floor.
Book Ideas…
Fun Songs…
