Ocean Center Activities for Preschool | Morning Tubs / Bins

1. Octopus Fine Motor Practice Mat

   This activity aims to improve fine motor skills as children place small objects in the circles on the mat. To prepare for use, simply print and laminate the mat for durability. Then, provide children with small objects such as pom-poms, gems, beads, or beans to place inside the circles.

2. Oyster and Pearls Beginning Sounds Match

   With 13 pages of lowercase letters and corresponding beginning sound pictures, this activity is the perfect way to introduce and reinforce letter recognition and sounds. To prepare, print and laminate the pages for durability. Then, cut out all the pieces and have children match the lower case letters to the correct uppercase letter displayed on the oyster.

3. Ocean Creatures Syllables

   Help children practice counting and identifying syllables with these colorful cards. Simply print, laminate, and cut them apart before providing children with small objects to represent the number of syllables in each picture.

4. School of Fish Word Family Sort

   This activity will improve reading and word recognition skills as children sort pictures and words into their corresponding word families. Print and laminate the cards, then have children match the words to the correct word family fish displayed on the red-colored fish.

5. Rhyming Whales

   Encourage children to improve their language skills by matching rhyming words with these playful whale cards. Just print, laminate, and cut out the cards to get started!

6. Crab and Pinchers Pre-Primer Sight Words Sorting

   With 44 sight words included, this activity is perfect for improving early reading skills. Print, laminate, and cut apart the cards, then have children match the correct sight word crab to its corresponding pinchers.

1. Octopus and Tentacles Color Match

   Improve color recognition and matching skills with these colorful octopus and tentacles cards. Simply print, laminate, and cut out the cards before letting children match the tentacles to the corresponding colored octopus.

2. Ocean and Desert Creatures Sorting

   This sorting activity challenges children to categorize creatures into either the desert or ocean scene. Print, laminate, and cut apart the cards to get started!

3. What Doesn’t Belong? Ocean Cards

   With this activity, children will work on observation and critical thinking skills as they identify the picture that doesn’t belong. Simply print, laminate, and cut out the cards before letting children use pegs to clip the “odd one out.”

4. Which Picture Is Different? Ocean Cards

   Similar to the previous activity, this one asks children to identify the picture that is different from the others. Just print, laminate, and cut out the cards for children to work on their observation skills.

5. Ocean Creatures Shadow Matching

   Combine fun and learning with this activity that has children matching ocean creatures to their corresponding shadow cards. Print and laminate the cards for durability, then cut them out to start the matching fun.

6. Life Cycle of a Sea Turtle 4-Part Sequencing Cards

   These cards are perfect for teaching children about the life cycle of a sea turtle. Print, laminate, and cut them apart for children to practice sequencing and ordering the life cycle stages correctly.

7. Ocean Creature Size Sorting (Small, Medium, Large)

   Help little learners practice sorting by size with these colorful ocean creature cards. Print, laminate, and cut out the cards for children to match the creatures to their correct ocean mat.

8. Sea Turtle Number Representations

   To get started, simply print and laminate the cards for durability. Then, cut them apart and let the sorting begin. The goal of this activity is for children to match different number representations to the correct sea turtle.

9. Fish Shape Sorting

   Just like the sea turtles, these fish cards can also be printed and laminated for long-lasting use. Children will love sorting the 2D shapes into their correct fish bowls.

10. Jellyfish Tentacles Counting

    To prepare for this activity, print and laminate the cards. Then, use a hole punch to create holes at the bottom of each jellyfish. Finally, supply children with ribbon or pipe cleaners to attach the correct number of tentacles to each jellyfish.

11. Jellyfish, Seahorse, Whale Patterns (AB, AAB, ABB)

    This activity requires just a bit of hot glue gun action. Print, laminate, and cut out the cards, then attach the pictures to clothes pegs. Children will have a blast identifying and completing patterns with their new, interactive tools.

Happy Teaching 🙂

Your students will have so much fun learning with the Ocean Center Activities for Preschool packet!

Click here to view other center activities for preschool and kindergarten.