Do your summer plans have you headed to the beach? Children find endless pleasure from hunting for and collecting shells, sticks, and all manner of marine life that has washed ashore. Whether it’s chasing waves, building sandcastles, collecting shells, fishing or rock pooling, the beach remains one of those eternally fun and exciting places for most children to hang out.
This summer, why not bring the ocean into your home or classroom with some beach- and ocean-themed crafts and activities? Not only does this make a great way to pass a rainy afternoon or inject some fun into the school holidays, but it also provides a unique opportunity for your children or pupils to incorporate some of the ‘treasures’ they may have collected on their last beach trip.
One of my favorite activities as a child was going to the beach on a hot summer day and spending countless hours in the water and playing in the sand. I loved it so much I wanted to be there every day. Unfortunately for me that wasn’t possible. With these fun-in-the-sun beach-themed crafts for kids you’ll find everything from sea animals, seashells to beach art projects that will feel like you’re at the seashore, even though you are miles away.
Looking for inspiration? Here are a few of our favorites for creating imaginative crafts that will help children explore sea life in a whole new way.
Sea Animal Crafts
Whether it’s watching a movie like Finding Nemo or taking a trip to the Aquarius, children find sea animals endlessly fascinating. Sharks, jellyfish, tropical fish and crabs – the array is endless. Their unusual shapes, bright colors and fluid movements make marine animals both mesmerizing and appealing – and this imagination-grabbing ability makes them ideal models for children’s arts and crafts projects.
Help these wonderful creatures come alive through some sea animal themes summer crafts. As well as capturing your child’s imagination, sea animal-themed activities can also be used to teach them more about the ocean and different types of marine life.
You could even add a conservation element to the whole thing by using recyclable materials such as painted plastic spoons or tin foil to make fish scales; paper plates as the basis for making a crab or bottle caps for googly fish or crab eyes. The combination of cute, inexpensive and environmentally-friendly makes it a winner for everybody.
- Handprint Octopus and Color Matching Activity – I Heart Arts N Crafts
- Paper Plate Jellyfish Craft – Non Toy Gifts
- Celery Stamping Rainbow Fish Craft – Crafty Morning
- Shark Paper Tube Craft – Hello Wonderful
- Cute Clay Crab Necklace – Hello Wonderful
- Cardboard Sea Creatures – Mr Printables
Seashell Craft Ideas
When you’re a child, there’s nothing more fun than running along the shoreline looking for pretty, intact shell specimens. What child hasn’t come back from the beach with a small collection of precious trinkets?
Combining a shell hunting expedition with a seashell-themed craft activity can add another dimension to your next beach trip. They not only give you and the kids the perfect excuse to hit the beach, but mean you’ll also have a specific (and decorative) use for all the treasures they collect afterwards.
Sea shells come in so many different shapes and sizes. Many kids are also fascinated by the mother-of-pearl iridescence found on the insides and back of some shells, making them highly decorative and super versatile for using in craft projects – great for decorating a wooden jewelry box or turning into a bowl or dish or some kind.
As well as providing the perfect raw material for something truly special, these sea shell crafts will also help you and your children create fun memories that will last long after you come back from the beach.
- How to Make Fun Shell People – Let’s Do Something Crafty
- Seashell Peacock Craft – Crafty Morning
- Tropical Seashell Fish Craft – Crafts by Amanda
- Seashell Dog Ornaments – Etsy
- Salt Dough Keepsake – Shell Pendant – Red Ted Art
- Seashell Ladybugs – Still Playing School
Fun Beach Art Projects
The sun doesn’t shine every day, even at the seaside. If it’s raining outside or you don’t live near to the coast, then a morning spent on a fun beach art project should provide the perfect antidote.
Whether it’s using real sand to create baked handprint keepsakes; using shells to cover a table top, creating a model fish from wood or simply painting a beach scene with water colors, there are so many ways to bring the beach right into your home.
Below are some fun beach art projects that should keep your kids busy and entertained all summer long.
- Sand Clay Recipe and Handprint Keepsakes – The Imagination Tree
- DIY Mini Mason Jar Aquarium – A Little Claireification
- Paper Plate Shark Puppets – Kids Craft Room
- Ocean Small World Play – Rainy Day Mum
- Toilet Roll Crafts: Hula Girl and Her Mermaid BFF – Molly Moo Crafts
- Footprints in The Sand (Beach Canvas) – Crafty Morning
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