11 Amazing Ocean Crafts for Preschool Activities

| Last Updated: February 19, 2023

Spend this summer exploring the great blue sea and doing some amazing and fun ocean crafts together with your little ones! From stingrays to jellyfish, and tissue paper to recycled paper plates, this article has all that you’re looking for! 

Use these awesome and simple ocean craft projects to enhance your lessons These ocean-themed crafts are excellent for kids of all ages, including your preschool students!

Doing ocean crafts supports youngsters in improving their imaginative and interpersonal skills. It’s also a perfect chance to impart some additional knowledge about the adorable sea creatures and big ocean to your kids.

Great Ocean Crafts for Preschoolers

Tracing | Shapes | Printables

1. Lively Underwater Ocean Craft

Photo credit: messylittlemonster.com

Let’s dive into the huge, wide ocean through this adorable and entertaining ocean craft! 

Creating the lively underwater ocean craft is a great physical and visual activity since children can draw and trace with this task. Additionally, it surely helps them recognize shapes and colors which are crucial in their development because youngsters, in general, learn better by doing, experiencing, and exploring.

This is perfect for summertime and developmentally appropriate for youngsters ages 2 to 7!

Note that the craft includes templates that you can print to make the activity much simpler for you. To do the lively underwater ocean task, you need to gather items like:

  • Colored craft papers
  • Craft glue
  • Scissors
  • Pencil and marker pen (or black sharpie)
  • Googly eyes

Begin by making your underwater waves. You can do this step for your preschoolers. Then, have your kids glue them on the lower area. 

Now, let’s do the underwater plants and sea fishes. Be sure that you have cut all the plant and sea creature (such as starfish, jellyfish, and turtles) patterns so the kids can help you trace them! Once all the tracing is done, cut them. 

Be creative to arrange your underwater plants. Encourage your kids to arrange each in their favorite way in the underwater layers. After that, you can add your sea creatures! Make them prettier by making eyelashes and freckles with the use of some googly eyes and a sharpie!

Check out messylittlemonster.com to have more details on the ocean craft!

Photo credit: redtedart.com

The easy swinging paper plate submarine activity for children is a great way to bring a little bit of the ocean to the fun crafting table! This visual activity is perfect to further enjoy the summer season with the kids.

This craft is an easy task that teaches kids aged 4 to 5 shapes and colors while also reinforcing their senses! Besides, tearing tissue paper improves flexibility and fine motor skills!

Note that you should allow the children to personalize their own submarine unleashing their creative side while having tons of fun! If you’re working with a large group, you may prepare for this submarine activity in advance. 

It would be perfect if you had the things below: 

  • Paper plate
  • Scissors
  • Pens (assorted)
  • Glue
  • Yellow paint
  • Colored and plain papers
  • Tissue papers

To make your own underwater submarine, fold the paper plate in half to create a submarine shape. Then, you cut the outline of your propeller and submarine cabin. 

Get the yellow paint and have the kids color the whole submarine yellow. Now, have them rip up all the tissue paper and help them glue it on half of your paper plate’s rim. 

Draw some windows for your submarine. Let the kids color all the windows and add tiny dots for “bolts”.

Next, draw some beautiful fish and shells on your colored paper using a black pen! Glue the windows and seawater creatures on your swinging submarine.

More info about this art project can be found at redtedart.com.

Creative | Fine Motor Skills | Colors

3. Glittery Ocean Suncatcher

Utilizing glitter glue in this craft activity makes the most gorgeous ocean that the kids will fall in love with!

This glittery ocean suncatcher is a great way for children to show their creative side while also learning visually which will definitely enhance their color recognition ability and fine motor skills. It is perfect on sunny days. 

Plus, it is truly great for preschoolers aged three and above!

The process of making this activity introduces the kids to different textures and the concept of patience because this craft takes time to dry. 

Before doing the craft, remember to tell a story, making it both a visual and auditory activity for young children!

To create the craft, just collect things like:

  • Round plastic lid
  • Sea creatures made of foam stickers
  • Classic glitter glue (blue)

Begin by allowing your kids to enjoy squeezing the bottle of glitter glue on your plastic lid! Once the bottle is empty (you can use less), make sure that your kids will not touch them… just let them observe. 

Now, gently add little sea creatures into your ocean suncatcher with your kids! 

Finally, place them in a safe area. let them dry for a few days. Have your kids take a look at the glitter suncatcher and see the changes each day!

If you need more information, go to fantasticfunandlearning.com.

Sensory | Counting | Cutting

4. Fun Button Fish Art Activity

Photo credit: iheartcraftythings.com

Making ocean crafts during the summer months is so much fun for young children!

This fun button fish art activity undoubtedly supports kids 4-7 years old with their shapes comprehension, counting skills, and cutting abilities!

While doing the activity, remember to have the children count the buttons or fishes aloud (use the repetition technique here), making it both a visual and auditory activity for young kids!

The buttons offer a nice texture to the project since they can easily pop off the paper, and the hole reinforcers are ideal for youngsters who enjoy playing with stickers!

For this fun art craft, you’ll require the following supplies:

  • Buttons (in varying sizes and colors)
  • Brown paper bag and colored cardstock papers
  • Green tissue paper
  • Hole reinforcement labels
  • Small googly eyes 
  • Black marker
  • School glue and scissors

First, make the rectangular ocean sand by cutting the brown paper bag and having kids glue them to the lower area of your craft. 

Next, make your adorable fish! Cut triangular tail fins for the fish out of your colored paper. Allow the kids to attach them along with the buttons (make sure to use extra sticky glue). Also, crinkle up green tissue paper and glue them on for your bright ocean plants!

Once this is done, it’s time to make your craft more adorable by having the kids add small googly eyes and smiley mouths on each cute fish! Further, add bubbly bubbles using the hole reinforcers. 

For some additional details, do visit iheartcraftythings.com.

Bigger and Smaller | Shapes | Fine Motor Skills

5. Adorable Pufferfish Craft

Photo credit: ourkidthings.com

Everything about the pufferfish is so adorable! Kids truly love their cute eyes and very round bodies!

This adorable pufferfish craft is indeed fun to do for summertime! The craft is a visual activity that greatly aids and trains the kids’ fine motor skills while understanding shapes. This is perfect for children ages 3-6!

Remember to add benefit by accompanying this craft with some excellent ocean books! Also, you can teach the concept of bigger and smaller by comparing bubble sizes.

Grab these materials for this adorable pufferfish craft project which are:

  • Cardstock (in different colors)
  • Paper (black and white)
  • White marker 
  • 1.5”, 1”, and 2” circle hole punches
  • Glue stick
  • Stapler
  • Scissors

Have kids fold the blue cardstock and cut for your ocean background. 

Have fun making the pufferfish and draw their circular mouths at the center of your 3-inch strip! Roll it to make a loop and attach them using a stapler. 

Let’s move on to the eyes. Use a hole punch in varying sizes here. Make some eyeballs and fins, then have kids assemble them by gluing them into the pufferfish. Also, let them draw white lines on the fins using markers. Finally, draw some white bubbles around the pufferfish with your kids!

Don’t skip some important information, go to ourkidthings.com.

Tracing | Shapes | Printables

6. Simple Red Crab Art Activity

Photo credit: craftplaylearn.com

Tracing is an excellent way to make young kids learn how to draw!

Doing this crab craft is perfect for kids ages four and five! The simple red crab art task is a visual activity that especially improves children’s fine motor ability and hand-eye coordination through tracing lines and shapes. 

Make sure to include making this art and craft as part of your study lesson to make it more educational. With this, you can effortlessly strengthen your children’s cognitive function.

Also, it would be great if you can incorporate any crab-themed book or preschool children’s book with the craft.

This ocean art task needs the following items:

  • Paper mache or wooden eggs
  • Paintbrush
  • Acrylic paint
  • Cardstock
  • Hot glue
  • Permanent marker or black paint pen 
  • Pencil
  • Scissors

To create your own crab craft, start by printing the template first (you should cut the claws, feet, and eyes beforehand), as well as the paper mache eggs. Then, have the kids trace them on the red cardstock. Also, let the kids glue these parts in their designated areas. 

Now, draw a smile and eyes using a pencil. Once satisfied, have them trace a black marker over the pencil. 

Have fun making more and you’ll have a happy family of crabs!

Check out the crab project by visiting craftplaylearn.com.

Hand-Eye Coordination | Social | Printables

7. Wonderful Tissue Paper Seahorse

Photo credit: craftsonsea.co.uk

Organizing an ocean-themed craft with your little ones will be a blast! They will be happy to see one of their favorite animals come to life this summer!

Creating this exercise can empower them to show their originality and social skills because it can be used as part of their pretend play! They can make other animal characters too such as whales, turtles, and fish!

Scrunching and tearing tissues is a wonderful finger workout that aids the development of fine motor abilities at an early age. Tearing reinforces the fingers and the entire hand.

In addition, the youngsters can learn visually with this seahorse task, which is perfect for kids ages three to five. 

For this wonderful seahorse craft, you will require supplies such as:

  • Card
  • Glue
  • Tissue paper
  • Seahorse template

Start by downloading and printing the seahorse template, then you should cut it out. 

Have the kids scrunch some tissue paper (in different colors) and let them glue these colorful tissues onto the seahorse-shaped base. Make sure to fill them to make them more appealing! You can make this in other different sea creatures such as turtles, jellyfish, and starfish, just make sure to cut out their shape into the card respectively. 

With that, you’ll have an amazing collection of sea creatures that your kids will truly love!

For more instructions about the seahorse craft project, go to craftsonsea.co.uk.

Shapes | Creative | Fine Motor Skills

8. Upcycled Jellyfish Craft

Ocean-inspired artwork is best created during the summertime!

Learn how to create this vibrant upcycled jellyfish craft with just a few things ideal to do in schools or homes! This craft is terrific if you’re going to the beach or exploring ocean species!

Also, this is a creative approach to introducing shapes as well as strengthening the fine motor skills perfect for youngsters ages 4 to 6! 

Plus, this visual activity is a nice addition to your animal collection!

When you do the craft, you can let older kids be independent while younger ones need your utmost guidance. 

To make your own jellyfish craft, you will need the following items: 

  • CDs
  • Curly ribbon
  • Tissue paper 
  • Giant wiggly eyes
  • Black permanent marker
  • Glue
  • Sponge brush

First, have your kids brush a lot of glue all over the CD. Make sure to guide your kids through this part. Then, let them press some small tissue squares on top of the glue. Allow The craft to dry. 

Now, glue two wiggly eyes onto the CD. Encourage the kids to make the jellyfish more enticing by drawing a happy smile using a marker!

Next, have kids tape or glue the pink or blue ribbon to their jellyfish’s back. Hang this cute jellyfish craft by attaching a loop of ribbon at the top part of your jellyfish!

To learn more about the jellyfish craft process, visit firefliesandmudpies.com.

Hand-Eye Coordination | Fine Motor Skills | Printables

9. Amazing Under the Sea Art Activity

It is essential for children with physical learning styles to be able to employ their gross and fine motor skills, as well as their tactile senses.

This amazing activity is an easy and perfect kinesthetic and visual activity that significantly helps with children’s hand-eye coordination, motor abilities, and creativity while having a lot of fun on summer days! It is absolutely suitable for kids three and above!

While making the craft, be reminded that instead of using soft pastels, you can use watercolors or acrylic paints. 

To perform the craft, you should grab supplies such as:

  • Laminating sheets and laminating machine 
  • Black paper
  • Soft pastels
  • Scissors
  • Sticky tape
  • Templates

To make the craft easier for you, print the animal silhouette template. Kids will love the sea creatures included in the provided template such as stingrays, turtles, mermaids, and sharks!

You can laminate the given template, and stick it to your black paper. And have kids trace the template using a soft pastel (let them pick the color!) 

Next, move on to the best part and allow kids to smudge the colors outwards (help the little ones with this step). Give it more depth by repeating the process in other colors! 

Then, remove the template and blow out any colored pastel residue. Finally, let older kids express their creativity by drawing final touches like corals, rocks, and seaweed all over the edges!

Specific details about this under-the-sea activity can be accessed at  taminglittlemonsters.com.

Creative | Shapes | Coordination

10. Cool Popsicle Sticks Whale

The summer season is an excellent time to introduce ocean animals and their habitats to young preschoolers!

This cool popsicle sticks whale craft is a great method to boost and develop the children’s coordination, fine motor skills, and creative side! This is a visual type activity that is proper for kids three to seven. Also, this can be part of your kids’ pretend play!

Make sure to add this to your lesson unit or summer learning plans!

For this fun whale craft, you need the following things:

  • Small paper plate
  • Cardstock paper (blue)
  • 3 Large popsicle sticks
  • 2 Small popsicle sticks
  • Scissors
  • Blue paint
  • Foam paint brush
  • 2 Googly eyes

To make your own cute and cool whale, let kids align three popsicle sticks next to each other. Then glue two mini ones placed across the previous one. 

Get the craft paint and allow the kids to color their popsicle stick structure blue. Cut some tails, fins, and some “water” (placed on top of the whale to make it look like it shoots out of them). You can pre-cut them or you can guide the older kids to do this part.

To finish off, have your children add the cardstock pieces and googly eyes to the craft. Then, let the kids hang and display their cool whale crafts in their favorite place!

Explore gluedtomycraftsblog.com for additional instructions regarding this cool whale project for preschoolers!

Colors | Fine Motor | Shapes

11. Awesome Paper Plate Seashell

Photo credit: artsycraftsymom.com

Try to bring some beach spirit by doing this awesome seashell with your kids this summer!

This fun seashell craft is both a visual and auditory activity that especially improves your little ones’ fine motor abilities (through cutting and lacing), as well as their shape and color recognition skills for kids of all ages!

Moreover, the craft incorporates bilateral coordination through the yarn-inserting process. Both hands need to assist each other to do the task. 

Before doing the activity, it would be fantastic if you can include any ocean-themed book with the craft.

This seashell art activity requires the following materials:

  • Paper plate
  • Single hole punch
  • Brushes
  • Paints
  • Scissors
  • Yarn

Prepare by laying old newspapers in your work area (let the kids help you with this. You can precut the seashell shape out of the paper plate, but you can also draw an outline and make your kids cut the outline. 

Have fun with the kids and let them dab a sponge brush over the seashell cutout (do these in different colors to make your craft more colorful!). Punch five holes both at the top and at the bottom part of your seashell cutouts.

Now, encourage the kids to insert some yarn through the punched holes like a shoelace. and tie the yarn together. For some glittery action, sprinkle gold glitter on top of your cute seashell craft!

See artsycraftsymom.com to get more details about this awesome seashell craft.

Conclusion

Doing art and craft projects with kids while the ocean topic is being taught is the most effective way to ensure that they absorb the information easily. Aside from that, performing these artistic works will allow you to reinforce their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination essential for your preschoolers’ developmental growth!

So give these fun and engaging ocean crafts a try and let the kids pick up some knowledge in the process. You never know when a fun fact will inspire your child to explore more about these marine animals!

Watch out for more amazing and enjoyable activities for young children!



Hi, I'm Amanda! Welcome to Education Outside! Im passionate about educating young minds and helping parents/teachers by providing easy and effective teaching resources. Check out all of my teaching resources on my Teachers Pay Teachers store.

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