34 Ocean Activities, Experiments, and Crafts for Kids To Dive Into

Have you ever watched as a child stares into an aquarium with awe? Whether it is the song “Baby Beluga” or the movie Finding Nemo, kids love all things ocean! So you know they’ll be eager to dive into this collection of ocean activities. Whether it is a science experiment to see how fish breathe underwater, an art lesson where students create their own underwater scene, or a writing prompt about the ocean, students will learn all about our watery planet. Come on in … the water’s fine!

WWF's Wild Classroom slide show slide about sea turtles

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1. Learn about sea turtles and marine ecosystems

Make a splash with Wild Classroom’s free Sea Turtles and Oceans Toolkit. This ready-to-use resource helps students learn about ocean ecosystems by providing an educator’s guide, presentation, and fun, cross-curricular activities. You will also get bonus resources like quizzes and a video playlist, offering diverse ways to enrich your lessons. It is a great way to build critical thinking skills and inspire a love for ocean conservation.

Ocean Activities Books — We Are Teachers

3;object fit:cover — A Little Pinch of Perfect

3. Make an ocean in a bottle

Turn an old water bottle into a mini-aquarium. Sand, shells, and plastic sea creatures bring the ocean to you anytime.

Learn more: Ocean in a Bottle

Ocean Activities Fun Learning for Kids — Fun Learning for Kids

4. Dive into an ocean-themed sensory bin

Round up shells, toy sea animals, and maybe even a boat or two, then drop them into a bin of water. Every kid will enjoy splashing around while they learn!

Learn more: Alphabet Ocean Sensory Bin

An egg carton is painted dark blue and filled with shells and has sea creature stickers stuck to it. — The Imagination Tree

6. Create an ocean in an egg carton

Ask your friends and family to save their egg cartons in the weeks before you plan on doing this project. Once ready, have your students paint their cartons. Finally, have them decorate their scenes using a variety of underwater objects and stickers.

Learn more: Ocean in an Egg Carton

7. Check out the Smithsonian’s Ocean site

Just as you’d expect from the Smithsonian, this website is full of information, photos, and more ocean activities. You’ll even find free lesson plans for teachers—score!

Learn more: Smithsonian Ocean

Ocean Activities Edventures With Kids — KC Edventures

8. Assemble ocean zone bottles

Learn the zones of the ocean with these clever bottles. Simply use food coloring to dye the water deeper shades of blue to represent the amount of sunlight that reaches each zone, then add a representative sea animal toy.

Learn more: Ocean Zones for Kids

Ocean Activities A Little Pinch of Perfect 2 — A Little Pinch of Perfect

9. Turn paint strips into ocean layers

Grab some blue paint sample strips and label them to represent the ocean layers. Then add stickers or drawings of corresponding animals to each layer.

Learn more: Ocean Zones Crafts

A bowl is filled with water and coffee grinds (ocean activities) — Little Bins for Little Hands

10. Study how fish breathe underwater

This simple science experiment will help kids better understand how fish breathe underwater. Before beginning, pick your students’ brains to see what they already know or suspect about how fish breathe.

Learn more: How Do Fish Breathe?

Ocean Activities Living Porpoisefully — Living Porpoisefully

11. Upcycle an ocean zones craft

Here’s one more way to learn about the layers of the ocean. Use crepe paper to upcycle a plastic container, then get free printables at the link to add to your creation.

Learn more: Ocean Zones Upcycled Craft Activity for Kids

12. Watch an ocean documentary

Every streaming service is loaded with nature documentaries. Disney+ has an especially robust collection that’s perfect for kids. On Amazon, try Wildest Places or Ocean Mysteries. Netflix’s new Our Planet series has episodes on coastal seas and high seas.

13. Peruse the Marine Life Encyclopedia

Looking for online ocean activities? Try the Marine Life Encyclopedia. Kids will get in-depth information about all their favorite sea creatures, from sharks to otters.

Learn more: Marine Life Encyclopedia

A paper reads Ocean Themed Writing Prompts. There are lines on the bottom of the page and a space to draw at the top (ocean activities) — 3 Dinosaurs

14. Assign an ocean-themed writing prompt

Pair this ELA lesson with a science lesson on ocean life.

Learn more: Ocean-Themed Writing Prompts

15. Learn how ocean currents work

This cool demo uses hot and cold water mixed with a little food coloring to demonstrate how ocean currents form. (The plastic sea animals are just for fun!)

Learn more: Ocean Currents Science

Ocean Activities Little Bins for Little Hands — Little Bins for Little Hands

16. See ocean waves in action

A layer of oil floating on the water helps make wave action more obvious. You can do ocean activities like this one in person or as an online demo.

Learn more: Ocean Waves

17. Explore saltwater density

Kids may be surprised to learn that it’s actually easier to float in salt water than fresh water. This experiment proves it!

Learn more: Salt Water Experiment

boy fishing with a toy fishing rod in a baby pool — Buggy and Buddy

18. Fish for numbers

This fun activity works equally well for little ones who are working on number recognition and slightly older students who are already working on addition. It will require a little bit of preparation on your end, but the end result is so fun!

Learn more: Fishing for Numbers

Ocean Activities Dive and Discover — Dive and Discover

19. Dive and Discover

Here’s another website full of online ocean activities. It simulates the thrill of joining actual underwater explorations, from coral reefs to deep-sea trenches.

Learn more: Dive and Discover: Expeditions to the Sea Floor

20. Put together an ocean animal notebook

Want to explore a wide variety of sea animals? Then grab this free printable 60-page notebook. Each page includes space for kids to fill in the information and add their own illustrations.

Learn more: Ocean Animals Notebooking Research Journal

4;object fit:cover — 2 Literacy Teachers

21. Do an ocean animal research project

Here’s another way to explore sea creatures. Each student chooses their own favorite, then dives deep to learn all about it. Have kids give a presentation, design a slideshow, or even make their own documentary.

Learn more: Ocean Research Project

Two paintings are shown of different ocean scenes. — Buggy and Buddy

22. Create an underwater scene using chalk and tempera paint

We love that this art project shows students a different way of using both paint and chalk or pastels. Begin by creating the sunset or ocean water with chalk or pastels, then dip your finger in white tempera paint and watch as the color spreads. Finally, cut out ocean animals, coral reefs, or boats to add to your scene.

Learn more: Ocean Scenes Using Chalk and Tempera Paint

Ocean Activities Craft Play Learn — Craft Play Learn

23. Transform eggs into sea creatures

How adorable are these? They were made using wooden eggs, but plastic ones would work well too.

Learn more: Ocean Creatures Craft

Ocean Activities Little Bins for Little Hands 2 — Little Bins for Little Hands

24. Build LEGO sea creatures

Pull out the tub of LEGO bricks and set kids free to create! Show them these pics for inspiration, then see what they can come up with on their own.

Learn more: LEGO Sea Creatures

25. Use a fork to paint a puffer fish

You’ll be surprised at how easy this impressive painting is to create. Pick up a bag of disposable forks and get ready for undersea fun!

Learn more: Kids Puffer Fish Craft

26. Paint a coral reef with sponges

Here’s another surprisingly easy ocean craft for kids. Cut disposable sponges into coral shapes, then stamp an underwater scene.

Learn more: Coral Reef Art Project

Little cups are filled with blue pudding and graham cracker crumbs. They have flamingos and little umbrellas in them. — Hunny I’m Home

27. Make a tasty ocean-themed snack

If allergies aren’t a concern, you can whip up these adorable snacks for your students. If allergies are a concern, you can always send the recipe home. Vanilla pudding dyed blue makes for perfect water, and graham cracker crumbs are the perfect stand-in for sand. Add some Swedish Fish and a little umbrella for good measure!

Learn more: Cute Beach-Themed Snacks

Ocean Activities Crafting Chicks — Crafting Chicks

28. Sculpt sea stars from salt dough

Starfish, more properly known as “sea stars,” come in a wide variety of sizes and designs. Have kids sculpt their own from salt dough or Play-Doh.

Learn more: Salt Dough Starfish Kids Craft

29. Craft a whale from a paper plate

No whale craft is complete without a spout of water from the blowhole! All you need is a pack of paper plates to get started.

Learn more: Paper Plate Whale

Ocean Activities Edventures With Kids 2 — KC Edventures

30. Draw a life-size whale

Did you know that blue whales are the largest creature ever to have lived on Earth? They’re even bigger than dinosaurs! Head to the playground with some sidewalk chalk and a tape measure to see if you can draw a life-size blue whale model.

Learn more: Outdoor Ocean STEM Activity

Ocean Activities I Heart Crafty Things — I Heart Crafty Things

31. Create a colorful seahorse

The secret to this cool marbleized pattern? Shaving cream! This is one technique that never fails to impress.

Learn more: Seahorse Craft for Kids

clay has been used to create sand on a paper plate. The ocean is painted blue. Various beach scene items have been added like a palm tree, umbrella, etc. (ocean activities) — First Palette

32. Create a beach scene

Kids will definitely love personalizing their beach scenes. You can use air-dry clay or salt dough to create the sand side of your ocean scene.

Learn more: Mini Beach Craft

33. Hang suncatcher jellyfish

Re-create the translucent bell of a jellyfish with tissue paper, then hang ribbon tentacles for a pretty ocean craft you’ll love to display.

Learn more: Suncatcher Jellyfish Kids Craft

Boxes have been transformed into aquariums. They have stones on the bottom and cardstock fish, etc. — The Best Ideas for Kids

34. Make a cereal box aquarium

We love that this craft encourages reusing rather than throwing away since kids will be upcycling their favorite cereal’s box. Be sure to provide kids with plenty of variety in stones, colored card stock, etc., so they can really personalize their aquariums.

Learn more: Cereal Box Aquarium

If you enjoy these ocean activities, check out 20 Wild Ways To Explore Animal Habitats With Kids.

These activities take your students under the sea to learn about ocean layers and currents, marine animals, saltwater density, and more.

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