31 Ocean Themed Arts & Crafts for Kids
Image Credit: WorldOceansDay.org
On June 8th we celebrate World Ocean Day, which is a a day for celebrating the oceans, the fish, birds, animals and plants that live in it and to think about ocean conservation. It's purpose is campaign to reduce the amount of waste that goes into our seas and to work towards cleaning up the ocean for all sea life.
Worldoceansday.org is the official website of World Oceans Day, and it has information about events for World Oceans Day and it's campaigns to help the oceans and conserve the wildelife that lives there.
Here is a whole raft of fun ocean-inspired crafts and activities.
Ocean Craft Activities For Kids
Ocean themed activities - make your own ocean in your backyard, try a ocean webquest or try out lots of oceanic crafts!
- World Ocean Day Colouring Poster Print off and colour this free Save the Oceans themed colouring picture for World Ocean Day.
- The Octonauts love World Oceans Day The Octonauts have supported World Oceans Day for several years, and there is a super kit of resources including colouring pictures, printable posters and face painting ideas.
- Exploring the Ocean Blue: A Webquest is an internet based activity for schools or homeschoolers, which includes fun facts, comprehension questions and extension activities.
- Ocean Sensory Bin Adventure shows you how to make your own mini-ocean in a plastic storage box using items you might have around your house and garden. Use shells, plants and any ocean-themed waterproof toys such as boats, fish, turtles etc.
- World Ocean Day Wordsearch is a free printable PDF filled with the mammals, fish, plants and birds that rely on the ocean for life.
- Make Rainbow Jellyfish A swarm (is that the collective term for jellyfish?) of these cute and colourful jelly fish would make a cool mobile, from styrofoam balls and pipe cleaners.
- Oceans of Fun There are lots of craft how-tos in this article. My favourite are the Sock-to-puses - make an octopus from those odd socks that always collect on laundry day!
- Cupcake Liner Octopus Kids Craft You can make this cute octopus collage with a coloured cupccake liner, coloured paper and stick on Cheerios for decoration.
- Suncatcher Jellyfish Kids Craft Make these colourful jellyfish sun catchers to hang in the window. Made from tissue paper and ribbon they are fun for all ages.
- Aquatic Finger Puppet Set This craft is alittle more involved and might make a good group project. Make a set of fish finger puppets with a seaweed home for them to swim around.
- Button Fish Picture Reused and recycled materials are used to make this cute wall picture.
- How to Make Seashell Fish a fun fish collage using just various seashells and googly eyes! Collect shell from a trip to the beach, otr they can be purchest cheaply from craft shops if a beach trip is a long way off for you.
- Fish Photo Frame Make a fish-shaped picture frame using modelling clay. When it is dry you can decorate it with paints or stick on decorations.
- Paper Plate and Tissue Paper Tropical Fish Make these pretty, colourful fish from a paper plate, collaged with tissue paper. Googly eyes finish it off.
- Mini Koinobori - Japanese Flying Carp Make your own Japanese Windsock-style decoration based on a toilet roll tube.
- How to make a Fish from Crayola Model Magic This craft is made using the non-toxic modelling material Crayola Model Magic modelling clay. Suitable for older children but could be adapted for younger children using age-appropriate modelling tools.
- 12 Paper Fish Craft Ideas A lovely collection of fish-themed printables for colouring and crafting. You can colourinf in fish and make 3D models with some of these printable ideas.
- Whale Activites Some thoughtful educational ideas for using whales as a starting point for lots of learning activities. Aimedd at teachers and home educators.
- Make A Whale Make your own whale toy from an old sock. Suitable from pre-school age.
- Printable Whale Masks Print out and pretend you are a whale! This page also includes in structions on how to make a whale scooper from an empty plastic milk bottle and how to draw fingerprint whales.
- Some Lovely Whale Colouring Pictures Some very cute pictures of whales to print out an colour in.
- Simple Whale Colouring Pictures Simple outline pictures suitable for toddlers and younger children, including a narwhal, humpback, beluga and orcas.
- Paper Plate Whale Make a whale out of a paper plate - a nice easy craft for younger children.
Things To Do At The Beach
- Build a Sandcastle - Always the most fun on the beach!
- Printable Beach I-Spy Game This is a sort of beach scavenger hunt - can you find all the items on the card? Free printable to download.
- Printable Beach Scavenger Hunt for Kids This scavenger hunt printable has a list with pictures as well as words, so that younger children can join in too.
- Make Some Beach Art Check out these cool beach art ideas using shells and pebbles, then collect your own beach finds and make a picture in the sand yourself.
- Decorate Seashells with Sharpies These are rather beautiful.
- Seaside Printable Puzzles Easy and harder wordsearches on a seaside theme. Free downloadable PDFs.
- Make a Seagull out of a Paper Plate Cute, easy and it won't try to nick your chips either.
- Crab Toilet Paper Roll Craft Make this adorable crab from an old toilet roll, pipecleaners and card.
Something Fishy
A collection of fish themed crafts and activities.
Image Credit: Jeremy Bishop
Having a Whale of a Time
Whale-inspired crafts and activities.
Image Credit: Ferdinand Stöhr
Image Credit: Claude Piché
Have more ocean-themed fun with this World Ocean Day Wordsearch which is a free printable PDF puzzle with lots of ocean inspired vocabulary to find.