Beach Theme

Letters: Ff, Pp
Number: 8
Colors: blue, teal
Verse: You are the light of the world. Matthew 5:14
Person of Interest: Christopher Columbus

We kicked off  this sunshine and sand weeks with a trip to a New Smyrna Beach for their Sandcastle Buildings.  

It was fun to see the work they put into these sand creations. It spurred a conversation with Eve later that evening about how come we can't build our homes from sand like on the beach. 

Specifically, she asked "Mommy, how come we can't live on the beach in a sandcastle?".  Im truly loving being able to have these hands on experiences with her that allow for such thinking.

Counting Seashells and ordering 

Materials

Any number cards

Seashells 

Instructions

Your child will: 

Pick a number card 

Collect that amount of shells

Place them under the number card

Count.

Painting Seashells

Materials

Watercolors

Paint brushes

Sea shells (we used the ones we just collected and counted.) 

Jar of ocean water 

Instructions

Your child will: 

Use their creative side and paint the seashells. 

It's that simple. Yet they did this for a long time. My tot even got into self expression ;) 

Seaweed Discovery

Materials

Magnifying glass

Beach with seaweed

Instructions

Your child will:

Gather seaweed from the shore and use the magnifying glass to get a closer look. Maybe even find some critters. 

Paint The Scene with Ocean Water(colors)

Materials

Watercolors

Brushes

Jar for ocean water 

Instructions

Discuss with our child what they see while at the beach. 

Discuss colors they see. 

Discuss that the sky and the water are blue but you can tell the difference between them because they are different shades of blue. 

Your child will:

Use the watercolors to paint what they see. 

PRESCHOOL INDEPENDENT TRAYS

Building Sandcastles

Materials
sculpty sand
small broom
book on sandcastles (optional)

Instructions
Your child will:
Read the book provided
Use the sculpty sand to build sandcastles
Use the broom to clean up any spilled sand

Shapes on the Seashore

Materials
Book: Shapes on the Seashore by: Frances Ridley
Shells to go with the shapes in the book (5 total)

Instructions
Your child will:
Read through the book and match the shapes seen to those on the shelf.

Scooping Shells

Materials
Large tub
Water
shells
scoop strainer
ice cube tray
small rag for clean up

Instructions
Fill the tub with the shells and then with water.
Place materials onto the tray.
Your child will:
Use the strainer scoop to scoop out shells from the tub.
Pour the shells into the ice cube tray.
Use the rag for any spills.
*** I watched my daughter sort her shells in the ice cube tray after she scooped.

Beach Ball Sand Writing

Materials
beach ball clip art
Sharpie
sand
palm tree stir stick (optional, a finger works well too)

Instructions
I printed and laminated some free beach ball clip art.
I wrote the words we have been working on this week onto the balls, one each.
Your child will:
Pick a ball, then proceed to write the word in the sand using the stir stick.

Sandpaper Letter Writing

Materials
Sandpaper letters
Small papers
Summery colored pens (any writing materials would work)

Instructions
Your child will:
Trace a letter with their finger.
Use the pens to write those letters.
** I place out the vowels and the letters of the month only in this set.

Sunny Sums

I found this here, but here is mine.

TODDLER TIME INDEPENDENT TRAYS

Beach Felt Scene

Materials
Piece of sandpaper
colored felt depending on what you want in your scene
blue and brown crayon (Do NOT use markers)

Instructions
Cut out shapes to use  in the beach scene. I made: sun with rays, cloud, umbrella, towel, fish and beach ball
Using the crayons draw the sand line and the ocean water. If you want you can add to it like I did drawing a birds, crab, pail......
Its important you don't use marker as the sandpaper will rip up the tip.
Your child will:
place the felt shapes onto the scene creating their own beach scene.... repeat.

Life Cycle of a Sea Turtle

Materials
Book: One Tiny Turtle by: Nicola Davies
Life Cycle figures of a sea turtle

Instructions
Read the story first with your toddler, using the figures to match the ones on the pages.
Your child will:
retell/act out the story or cycle by using the figures.

Seashell Washing

Materials
Large seashells (I actually used 4 different ones varying in size to place in order)
Toothbrush
small spray bottle
rag

Instructions
Your child will:
Spray the shells.
Use the toothbrush to scrub the shells.
Use the rag to dry the shells.

Beach in a Bottle

I found the idea here, but here is mine.

Beach Discovery Basket

Materials
shells of varied shapes and sizes
any nature object that can be found on the beach
magnifying glass

Instructions
Your child will:
use the magnifying glass to discover the beach up close.

*** My daughters especially loved the sand dollar and piece of a coconut we found!


Whats On Our Bookshelf:
What Lives in a Shell? by: Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld
Shapes on the Seashore By: Frances Ridley
Super Saturday Sandcastle by: Stuart J. Murphy
The Ice Cream King by: Steve Metzler
Big Al and Shrimpy by: Andrew Clements
Clam I - Am! by: Tish Rabe
Pig Kahuna by: Jennifer Sattler
Stella Star of the Sea by: Marie Louise Gay
Lottie's New Beach Towel by: Petra Mathers
Davey Sand Dollar by: Suzanne Tate
One Tiny Turtle by: Nicola Davies
There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Shell by: Lucille Colander
The Seashore Book by: Charlotte Zolotow (we like this one especially because of the paintings)
Sandpiper by Music Together Singalong Storybooks