Ocean and Ocean Animals Activities, Lessons, and Crafts

Free Ocean and Ocean Animals preschool and kindergarten activities and printables

What is an ocean? What do you know about the ocean?

Language Activities
Show a large globe and ask children to identify the oceans. Also ask them how they know that they are oceans. Point out that most of our planet is covered by water and that this huge amount of water is called oceans and seas, and they are all joined together. The oceans and seas are salty. There are five oceans: Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Arctic, and the Antarctic. Smaller areas of the oceans are called seas. The largest two seas are the Caribbean and the Mediterranean. Talk about the differences between oceans, lakes, and rivers.

Ocean Rhyme

Five Oceans
We have five oceans
that cover the earth, you see,
Can you name them all with me?
Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Arctic,
and Antarctic make five,
I can't wait to discover the ocean.
I'm ready to dive!

NEW Finding Dory and Nemo Preschool Crafts and Activities

Preschool Activities: 

Media Root

Finding Nemo and Dory crafts, activities, games, and worksheets for preschool and kindergarten.

Ocean Science Activities

Why Is the Seawater Salty? 
Most of the salt comes from rocks on land that got washed into the oceans by the rivers.

Salty Ocean Science Activity 
Discuss with children that ocean water is salty. Have two plastic containers filled with water. Show children the salt and add a large amount of the salt to one of the containers. Let children stir until the salt is dissolved. Let children smell and taste the difference by pouring the two waters into small paper cups and use craft sticks to taste. Ask the questions: "Do they taste the same? Why not? Which one tastes like ocean water?" Next, place a raw egg in each container. The egg in the unsalted water should sink and the one in the salted water should float. Ask children what they think made the egg float?

Ocean facts: http://warrensburg.k12.mo.us/ocean/oceans.html

Free Ocean Animals Printables, Coloring Pages, and Worksheets

Pearls Counting Activity	Under the Sea Coloring Page	F for Fish Writing Worksheet

Theme: Under the Sea 

Preschool and kindergarten children will have fun learning about all kinds of animals that call the ocean their home. 

Ocean Craft

Ocean Bottle 
You need: plastic water or pop bottles, blue or green food coloring, baby oil or vegetable oil, tiny shells, and sparkles or gold glitter for sand.

Fill the water bottle 2/3 full with water and tint it with the food coloring and add oil. Fill bottle to about 1/2 inch of the rim. Add tiny shells, glitter, or other sea-related items. Glue the bottle shut and place tape around the top to seal the bottle to prevent the oily liquid from leaking out. When you tip the bottle it will look like rolling ocean waves. 

Ocean Theme in the Classroom

Block Center
Place pictures of coral reefs and ocean life on the wall around your block center. Add plastic ocean animal toys and let children build a coral reef for the animals to hide.

Reading Center
Blow up a large kiddie pool and place it in your reading corner. Add stuffed ocean animals. 

Ocean Theme Snack Idea

Go Fishing!
You will need: Celery stalks (cut into 4-inch pieces), cream cheese or peanut butter, goldfish crackers, plastic knife, two bowls

Place cream cheese or peanut butter in a bowl and goldfish in the other bowl. The children dip or spread the cream cheese or peanut butter to one end of the celery stick. Then, they go fishing for goldfish crackers. 

Banana Dophins
You will need: Bananas, grapes, knife, small cup or bowl, black marker

Cut banana in half. Make a cut to the end with the stem and place a grape inside the opening (mouth). Use some of the banana peel to cut out fins and add it to the dolphin. Draw the eyes with the black marker. Add some grapes to a small cup or bowl and place the banana dolphin inside. 

Preschool Activities: 

Media Root

Starfish Snack
You will need: Bread, peanut butter, grated coconut, star-shaped cookie cutters

The children use the cookie cutter to cut out a star shape from the bread. Then, they spread peanut butter on their star and sprinkle with coconut.

Other Great Ocean Online Activities and Links:

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