From exploring aquariums to fishing to taking trips to the beach, we love the water and all the excitement it has to offer. My boys love learning about sea creatures, and they especially love seeing them. Each summer we have special theme days at home, and due to their love of aquatic adventures, we knew an Under the Sea day was a must!
Like the other theme days we have shared, Under the Sea day started with the planning. My boys had so much fun looking for all their ocean related toys and deciding how we would play with them. We also drew upon ideas we had seen at carnivals, and, of course, explored what Pinterest had to offer. In this article, I will share some under the sea adventures we had along with some other great ideas I found. I have included some Amazon affiliate links to make your planning easier and faster!
Under the Sea Day Activities
Visit an Aquarium
What’s a better way to celebrate Under the Sea day than to get up close and personal with sea creatures? Visiting an aquarium offers a fun multi-sensory experience the entire family will love! Kids can learn all about sea life, and they may even get to touch creatures such as stingrays.
Jell-O Fish Bowl
For each theme day I do at home, I try to incorporate a meal or snack the kids can make. For our Under the Sea day, we made a Jell-O fish bowl. I had a glass vase that was the shape of a fish bowl that we used to make our yummy treat. First, we made blue Jell-O which is a fun learning experience itself as it introduces kids to scientific and cooking concepts. Then once the Jell-O was somewhat firm, we added Swedish fish. My boys had so much fun making AND eating this Under the Sea snack!
Go Fishing
Whether it’s at a lake, ocean or stream, fishing is a fun family activity that not only teaches kids about fish, but also about patience, determination and hard work. When my boys recently participated in a fishing derby, they learned that fishing is a sport that takes a lot of practice to master. My son gained so much confidence with each fish he caught. He also learned about each fish he reeled in like a rock bass, sun fish and perch.
Sensory Bin
There are so many options for sensory bins that can fit the Under the Sea theme. A simple one is using a water table and throwing in some toy fish and sharks. Another option is to add cups of varied sizes and allow kids to experiment with scooping up the water and pouring it out. This builds fine motor and visual skills. If you don’t want them splashing around in your house, then try out water beads. They are a wonderful tactile tool perfect for any Under the Sea sensory bin. Add some boats and sea creatures, and the kids can play for hours!
Boats floating in blue water beads are fun for everyone.
Kiddie Pool Fishing
Not everyone has access to a lake or stream for real fishing but you can still build those important visual and motor skills by making your own fishing space. Just take a small kiddie pool (some are only $5), add water and fish, then the fun begins. You can have kids use a fishing net or purchase a fishing set that comes with a rod and fish. You can find some fun options on Amazon.
Here is an example of a kiddie pool fishing pond that we played with at the Warren County Fair.
Crafts
My kids LOVE making crafts, and there are endless amounts of projects that fall in the Under the Sea theme. From paper jellyfish to origami fish to sand art, there are so many options to keep the kids busy. When we did our Under the Sea day, I had my boys make a cute craft using paper plates, gold fish and rocks. I cut the plate in half and had them paint it blue. Then we glued the rocks on the bottom and fish on the top. It looked like their own fish bowl. You could also use sand instead of rocks. Check out another fun fishing craft here.
Spend Some Time with Dory
If you are a Disney fan like me, then you are really excited for the release of Finding Dory. We were so excited to receive some amazing toys from Uncle Milton to celebrate the release of this new movie. For your under the sea day, you can light up the room with 3 new products: Dory Wall Friends, Light Up Sign and Under the Sea Projector. Each item offers a unique learning experience. They are also a fun way to light up the room during under the sea story time or game night!
Visit the Beach
Whether it’s a lake or ocean, the beach offers endless amounts of brain boosting fun, and it is the perfect way to kick off or end your Under the Sea day. Let the kids use sand toys shaped like sea creatures to make their own aquarium in the sand. You can also dig a giant hole, fill it with water then add some fish toys like the ones offered by Safari Ltd. Toobs. Visiting the beach also inspires great conversations about the ocean and the world!
I hope you enjoy your next Under the Sea Day!
You may also enjoy:
So excited to do Kiddie Pool fishing with our son this summer!
LOVE THIS!!! We did something similar and hung blue steamers from the ceiling, filled the ‘tspace with stuffed aquatic animals, and gave the kids sunglasses for “goggles” – can’t wait to try some of these ideas next