O is for Ocean

Get ready, get set for a fun O is for Ocean Day. We did these activities while the baby was sleeping this morning (preschool is soooo much easier when I can use two hands) We usually start off on a blanket on the floor to sing songs, do our journal page and read a book!

• Ocean Song … sing a silly version of “Old McDonald Had a Farm”!

• Letter O Journal Page
  1. Write letter O and “Ocean” on your page
  2. Add ocean stickers! I used these stickers, but I would highly recommend getting them for much less at Michaels

• Read “The Abcs of Oceans” by Bobbie Kalman
  1. We really enjoyed this book. It is not a comprehensive book about the ocean, but it is informative and simple and colorful. The pictures are wonderful. It includes the basics you would hope you find to share with your preschooler … sharks, octopus, sea turtles, dophins. A great book.
  2. Talk about the pictures. What do the kids notice?
  3. We had fun matching the ocean animals in the book with the ocean stickers in our journal.

• Make an Ocean Aquarium … these turned out really cute.
  1. Cut the middle out of a paper plate (show the kids it makes an O!)
  2. Trace & cut out a blue circle the same size as the paper plate O.
  3. Ahead of time, I glued some plastic wrap inside the paper plate to make our “glass” aquarium. I used hot glue … quick & easy.
  4. Let the kids put ocean stickers all over their blue ocean water circle.
  5. They could add seaweed, bubbles, coral, etc with crayons.
  6. We also added small rocks (I put small dots of hot glue and they carefully, CAREFULLY put the rocks on.)
  7. Glue the paper plate “glass” aquarium top over their ocean!!
  8. We hung these on our back door and it was really cool to see the sunlight shining through. We had fun peeking inside trying to see all of the animals in their aquariums.

• Accordion Ocean book … a very cute and simple book from 1+1+1=1. Print it here (just scroll down!)
  1. I had the kids color these while I was helping the other one glue their aquarium. I love the repetition in this little book, so the kids can “read” it by themselves.
  2. Just print, cut apart, glue together, color & fold.

• Ocean Water Play
  1. I grabbed this TOOB of ocean animals at Micheals (with a 40% off coupon). You can also get them here.
  2. Fill a shallow tub with water. Add a drop of blue food coloring.
  3. Place the tub on a towels (cuts down on the water being splashed everywhere!)
  4. Add the animals and a few little scoops. We turned some little bowls upside-down for the sea-lions to sun themselves

• Ocean Treat … here is an awesome in-my-fridge photo of our dessert
  1. Make a package of Berry Blue Jell-O.
  2. Fill individual dessert cups. Let set.
  3. When you’re ready to serve, add a couple of Swedish fish and a dollop of whipped cream. Mmmm.
  4. TIP: the Swedish fish get a little slimy if they sit in the Jell-O too long. That’s why I suggest adding them when you’re ready to serve.

Ocean

• Ocean Mural
  1. Tape a long piece of white paper on the wall (butcher paper or we always keep a roll of newsprint from the local newspaper place in town … very inexpensive)
  2. Use crayons to draw lots of fish & ocean life … fish, sharks, seaweed, starfish, seahorse, jellyfish. Or you can draw simple outlines and have the kids help color them in.
  3. Water down some blue tempera paint and use your brushes to paint over the entire mural. The crayon fish will pop out and look great!

• Go Snorkeling Indoors
  1. Print out several ocean creatures. All of the images above are from Microsoft Clipart.
  2. Cover your table with a large blanket (use a blue blanket!) to make an underwater ocean.
  3. Tape or pin all of the ocean creatures under the table and on the blanket walls.
  4. Give the kids goggles and a bendy straw for a snorkel.
  5. Dive under the table and explore all of the ocean creatures.

• Fingerprint Fish
  1. Print out the blank fish above (or draw your own)
  2. Give the kids a variety of paint colors on a plate.
  3. Dip your fingertips in the paint and make fingerprint scales all over the blank fish. Makes a very colorful ocean animal!
• Look at the oceans on a map or globe!

Snack Idea: Edible Octopus

1. Spread cream cheese or peanut butter on a bagel
2. Add 8 pretzel stick legs
3. Add 2 raisin eyes. Enjoy!