Preschool Ocean Theme Activities that Kids Love

Use these preschool ocean theme activities for an engaging and exciting hands-on ocean unit or ocean lesson plan.

The ocean is one of my absolute favorite preschool themes that I repeat year after year. The ocean is such a magical oasis and full of life. Kids absolutely love exploring ocean animals, learning what lurks in the deep waters, and of course beach sand! You can easily make this theme last as long as you like with all these engaging and hands-on activities.

Preschool Ocean Theme Activities

What is the first song that you think of when you hear the word OCEAN? If you said Baby Shark, you would be on the same track as me. Kids are fascinated with this song! I have seen a handful of fun song videos that have intrigued my kids. Check them out at our Ultimate List Of The Best Baby Shark Song Videos!

I’ve made a free printable preschool theme list to help with all your planning!

Ocean Theme Math Ideas

Jellyfish Counting  1-11 from In My World
Adding tentacles to these jellyfish is a super simple way to practice counting and number sense for numbers 1-11. This also will help strengthen fine motor skills!

Fish Bubble Counting Mats from The Measured Mom
Counting mats are a fantastic tool for math. These can be used individually as a math center or in a small group. It is such an inviting way for children to work on math skills and when they’re adding each “bubble,” they’re also using those great fine motor skills too!

Pearl Color Matching from Kindergarten Worksheets and Games
I love how unique this matching game is. The pom-poms represent the pearls in this color matching activity. This helps the children recognize different colors and match them/count them.

Ocean Shells Graphing from One Time Through
Graphing is an important math skill that can be introduced to preschoolers. Kids will enjoy this math graphing idea because it is actually graphing with the shells. This is the epitome of hands-on math!

Ocean Alphabet and Literacy Ideas

The Best Ocean Books For Kids from Preschool Inspirations
Books are my favorite way to explore, teach, inspire, and dream. These are our favorite books that correlate with an ocean theme and are enjoyable for little minds!

Alphabet Fish Magnetic Memory Game from Stir The Wonder
Kids love magnets, right? This is a great way to encourage children to practice alphabet matching. It is an engaging game that they will love playing so much, they won’t even know how much they are actually learning!

Ocean Letter Find Activity from ABC’s of Literacy
This hands-on uppercase and lowercase activity is a fantastic way to introduce and practice letters. Children are to identify letters by covering each letter with a mini eraser or manipulative.

Ocean Beginning Sounds from Planning Playtime
These adorable ocean animal letter cards are the perfect way to help children with letter identification and recognition as well as beginning sounds!

Don’t Soak The Shark from Toddler Approved
This fabulous letter recognition game is perfect if it is warm outside! Kids can get some sun, play with water, and still be learning!

Ocean STEM Activities

Ocean Theme Sensory Bottle from Preschool Inspirations
The animals in this discovery bottle, are staying suspended – just like in the ocean. How? Explore the deep blue sea with this exciting discovery bottle!

Easy Ocean Life Experiment For Kids from Natural Beach Living
This jar is fantastic fun… not only is it fun to put together and look at but it can teach so many different elements of ocean life!

Ocean Zones and Animals from The Kindergarten Connection
Learn about which ocean zones animals live in, then make the zones including the animals! Such a fun hands-on activity!

Frozen Ocean Animal Rescue from Mama Pappa Bubba
A fun activity that will rescues the animals while exploring the science behind melting ice. Kids will love this sensory + STEM activity!

Feels Like Beach Sand Ocean Theme Sensory Bin from Preschool Inspirations
One of my favorite ways to help children explore a new topic is with sensory bins. They are exploring with all of their senses, which makes learning even more fun! This beach sand feels like real sand so much that it makes me want a vacation!

Ocean Science: Saltwater & Sand from Gift Of Curiosity
Saltwater and sand are key components of the sea. These simple activities are an engaging way for children to explore these parts of the water!

O is for Octopus from Learn Play Imagine
The octopus is a fascinating animal, partly because of its ability to ink. This exploration of octopus ink will give kids the knowledge of how, why, and WOW!

Rocky Shore Small World Playdough Activity from Buggy and Buddy
Playdough is one of our favorite activities. This small world playdough activity will help children see a depiction of the ocean right in front of them. They can explore and pretend, which are important elements of being a preschooler!

Ocean Art & Crafts

DIY Sea Stars from Preschool Inspiration
These sea stars are the perfect DIY for your preschool classroom. They hold up against preschool hands and they are so much fun to play with! 

Shell Painting from Fun A Day
Bring art and the ocean together. Painting takes all forms, including paper, clay, and shells too!

Seashell Collage from Art Bar
These seashell collages are the perfect art idea! It has process art and the beauty of the water all in one. It’s a great keepsake that kids and parents will adore and want to hang on their walls!

Paper Bag Jelly Fish from No Time For Flash Cards
This animal craft is the perfect activity to help kids with color mixing and scissor skills! Plus it is easy and adorable!

Starfish Craft from My Mommy Style
This craft is not only beautiful but a great way to practice and strengthen fine motor skills as well as introduce symmetry.

If you want even more preschool activities with an ocean theme, there are 24 engaging activity ideas in this bundle! It’s a whole ready-made lesson plan!