A great way to infuse summer into your preschool lessons is with beach-themed literature, games, and activities.

"Who Lives in the Ocean?" Matching Game

Search online for colorful pictures of sea life. You'll need about 20 different pairs so brainstorm before you hit the net. Animals you may wish to include:

Rainbow Fish
Octopus
Squid
Jellyfish
Star Fish
Sea Horse
Shark
Whale
Clam
Sea Turtle
Coral

And the list could go on and on. Print the pictures onto 3" x 5" pieces of card stock and laminate them to protect against wear and tear. Not only will your students learn about the different creatures that live in the ocean, they'll be testing their working memory as they try to make matches during the game. If you don't have the time to make your own card game, you could also purchase a pre-made set of cards. "Crabby" Hands

During art time, invite your students to make hand print crabs. You'll need light blue construction paper, orange or red tempera paint, kids paint brushes, wiggle eyes, sand, and sea shells. Ask your students to fold their piece of paper in half (hamburger style) then, using a paint brush, instruct your students to paint their right hand and press it firmly in the middle of the paper to the right side of the crease (fingers pointing toward the right edge of the paper, thumb pointing to the top). Have them repeat the process with their left hand ensuring that their second print is placed beside the first (to the left of the crease with fingers pointing to the side, thumb pointed up). Once the paint has dried, complete the scene with wiggle eyes glued to the thumbprints, sand glued to the bottom edge of the paper, and seashells scattered throughout the "beach".

Themed Sensory Table & Story Time

For directions on creating a beach-themed sensory table, as well as related books your students will enjoy during this unit, be sure to check out our previous post, Preschool Goes to the Beach. You're students will feel as if they've gone on a 'mini-vacation'!

Ramblings of a Crazy Woman: Ocean Theme at Preschool

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