Do you plan on visiting the beach with your preschoolers this summer? The beach offers a wide variety of fun and learning experiences for kids! Even if you don’t live near one, the beach theme activities below will help your children explore, play, and learn!
Sand Pail Math Activities – Blank Sand Pails
Materials needed: One Blank Sand Pails Template (linked above) and assorted shells or other beach-themed counters (suggestions: miniature umbrellas, rocks, or beach-themed stickers).
Print the sand pail template to heavy paper and laminate if you plan to reuse (when laminated, the numbers can be made with a dry erase marker and changed as often as necessary.) Write any numbers on the sand pails that have been introduced to your children. Have the children practice one-to-one correspondence by placing the same number of shells (or other suggested counters) on the sand pails.
Extensions for older children: Use larger numbers on the sand pails or have the children practice basic addition and subtraction. For elementary children, the sand pails can be used for multiplication and division facts, too.
Literacy Extension: Write letters on the sand pails and have the children find real beach-related objects or pictures from magazines that correspond to the letters on the sand pails. For example: Write the letters F and G on the sand pails. The children must then look for a picture or an object that begins with the letters F and S (flip flops, fish, fishing pole or starfish, sand dollar, and sun).
Describing Sea Shells – Describing Seashells
Materials needed: One Describing Sea Shells Game Board pdf file (linked above)
Assorted sea shells, counters or plastic counting chips
Print the game boards for each of the children and laminate for durability. Give each child a game board and 9 counters or shells to use as markers on the squares. An adult begins by physically describing one of the shells on the game board. For example: I am round, white, and have a star in the middle (Sand Dollar). The children then find that shell on the game board and cover that square with one of their counters or shells. Continue the game until all the squares on the game board are covered.
Extension for older children: Have the older children take turns describing the shells for their peers or for the younger children.
“Shark” Cookie Food Craft for Kids – Shark Cookie Food Craft
Materials needed: Any butter or sugar cookie, craft sticks or plastic knives, scissors, blue tube cookie frosting (or white frosting tinted blue with food coloring, and the Shark fin template linked above.
Print the shark fins to heavy paper and laminate if you plan to reuse them. Have the children spread the blue frosting on the cookie with a craft stick or plastic knife (supervise younger children if using knifes for safety.) Have the children cut out one shark fin per cookie and place the triangle on top of the cookie to resemble a shark. These are simple and FUN treats to make with the children during your beach theme lessons.
For more FREE Resources for your Beach Theme, visit us on Squidoo!