Seas The Day: 13 Ocean Crafts To Make

Stuck with how to celebrate World Ocean Day with your kids? We've compiled a list of 13 ocean crafts for kids who enjoy craft activities.

Art and crafts are the perfect way to engage your kids and help them learn new things at the same time. Why not tell them some fun facts as they work on all their new projects? These ocean crafts and ideas for kids are the perfect way to help your little ones get creative.

This easy kids craft for kids activity is the perfect way to get in the spirit for World Ocean Day. You could also add a string and hang them from the ceiling to use as hanging decorations for all your fun Ocean Day celebrations, and show off the beautiful ocean crafts you made at the same time.

You'll Need:

Cupcake liners

Construction paper

Googly eyes

Glue stick

Scissors

Markers

Method:

1. First, you need to cut 8 strips of your construction paper.
2. Then simply curl the ends of each strip of paper. You can use a pen or anything you have on hand to help you.
3. Bend the flat ends of the paper strips, and glue them to the inside edges of the cupcake liner.
4. Attach googly eyes to the cupcake liner and draw a smile to create your new friends.

This craft for kids is fun, colourful and pretty much free. Find a printable online that you can use as your template, and you're already halfway there. Read the picture book to your kids whilst they get stuck into their art and craft activity for a more immersive and engaging experience.

You'll need:

Rainbowfish template

Celery

Paint - various colours

Method:

1. Cut your pieces of celery into stampable pieces.
2. Use your celery stamp to create patterns of colour onto your rainbow fish.

Aquariums are a great and easy way to teach your kids about ocean life, but when these aren't available, the next best thing is to make one. This aquarium craft for kids is fun, exciting and definitely unique. These types of ocean crafts for kids are best when there is an adult around to help with the trickier steps, so get the family involved!

This jellyfish kids craft is the perfect summer activity to help your kids celebrate World Ocean Day. The activity is easy, and arty-crafty kids will love learning about these wonderful ocean creatures whilst getting their little hands messy.

You'll need:

Paper plate

Tissue paper

Yarn

Googly eyes

Scissors

Glue

Hole punch

Black marker

Method:

1. Cut the tissue paper into small squares, or use your hands to tear up the paper instead.
2. At the bottom of the paper plate, draw a wavy line. Now cut along that line.
3. Glue the tissue paper pieces onto the paper plate.
4. Using your hole punch, make several holes along the wavy line at the bottom.
5. Cut strands of yarn (all the same length) and thread these through the holes at the bottom of the plate. Tie them up.
6. Stick on the googly eyes, and draw a smile with the marker.

This ocean in a bottle is one of the best ocean crafts for kids who lean more into science than typical art and craft activities. It's an easy craft for kids to do, and if you have any fish figurines you could add these to the jar to truly create a mini kids ocean.

You'll need:

Water

Cooking oil

Food colouring - blue

Large bottle

Method:

1. Fill 1/3 of the bottle with water.
2. Add a few drops of food colouring.
3. Shake the bottle to ensure the food colouring is properly dispersed.
4. Then, top up the bottle with oil.
5. Tip the bottle upside down and watch your ocean craft come to life.

This paper plate ocean is one of the perfect craft ideas for kids who like crafts and activities that are easy, fun and look great. The interactive element in this fun ocean craft makes it a great afternoon activity to teach kids about the sea. Art, crafts and play all rolled into one.

You'll need:

Ocean animal template

Paper plates

Craft paint - dark blue, light blue and white

Yarn - blue

Card

Googly eyes

Glue

Paintbrush

Hole punch

Scissors

Black marker

Tape

Method:

1. Paint one half of the plate dark blue, and the other half light blue. Leave to dry.
2. Print out your chosen sea creature template. You can use coloured card, but if you print on plain card you could let your kids colour, paint and design the animals how they wish. Cut out the animal, and glue on the googly eyes.
3. Using a hole punch, make holes along the edge of the paper plate on the dark blue side.
4. Start threading your yarn through the holes on the plate, keep going until you reach the end of the yarn.
5. Poke your sea creatures through the yarn, and let them swim or enjoy the waves.

Suncatchers make beautiful decorations in a home, so why not get your crafty kids to create some ocean themed ones. This craft for kids is easy, fun and they will look wonderful in your kid's craft room windows.

You'll need:

Ocean animal template

Coffee filter

Watercolour paints

Paintbrush

Glue

Scissors

Dark coloured paper - blue or black

Method:

1. Find your templates or printables online for the ocean animals and cut them out onto your dark coloured paper.
2. Using the watercolours, paint the coffee filters and leave to dry.
3. Glue on your animal, and there's your DIY suncatcher.

These shark craft bookmarks are easy to make, super cute and useful! Plus, sharks are fascinating creatures so gather up some fun facts and tell them to your kids while you enjoy your afternoon of ocean crafts.

You'll need:

Paper/card - red, grey, white, black

Glue

Scissors

Method:

1. Using the shark template from HeyLetsMakeStuff cut out all of the pieces you'll need.
2. Fold over the two triangle shapes of the shark head to create a square shape.
3. Inside the flaps, glue down the red mouthpiece.
4. Glue the back of the top flap, to the bottom flap.
5. Glue on the teeth.
6. Now glue on the eyes and fin, and you're done.

What better way to celebrate World Ocean Day than to craft your very own ocean - in an egg carton. These ocean crafts for kids are great for inspiring creativity and all the young art and craft lovers will have lots of fun decorating their egg cartons and deciding which ocean creatures to create.

You'll need:

Egg cartons

Paint - blue

Glitter glue

Coloured card

Glue

Scissors

Method:

1. Paint the inside of the egg carton, once dry paint with glitter glue to add some sparkle.
2. Cut out fish and seaweed from the coloured card.
3. Glue the fish onto the back of the box, and the seaweed to the front.
4. If you have any gems or shells and stones you could add these to craft an even more amazing ocean scene.

DIY Simple Sock Octopus

This DIY octopus is a great way to recycle old socks that you don't want to wear anymore, and makes a great idea for ocean crafts for kids to help celebrate World Ocean Day. The octopus craft is cute, easy, and will look nice sat on a desk or your kid's bedside table. Ocean crafts for kids don't always have to be messy!

Handprint Crab

Ocean crafts for kids don't have to be over-complicated, this handprint crab is perfect for those kids who want to do ocean crafts, but don't have the materials or patience. You only need three supplies to complete this fun art and craft activity, and it's a whole lot of fun to boot.

Adorable Egg Carton Turtles

These super cute and fun egg carton turtles are the perfect ocean craft for kids to make this World Ocean Day. The kids will love getting to make a brand new friend for them to play with, have fun creating and learn all about. For bonus art and craft activities with your recycled egg cartons, there are loads more fun animals your kids can make. Get creative!

Rocking Paper Plate Submarine

Red Ted Art has come up with a great craft for kids who are fascinated by submarines. This submarine craft for kids will inspire them to learn about submarines, and other vehicles that work on or around the ocean. The kids will be able to paint, glue, stick and draw all the sea creatures (including mermaids!) that they think live at the bottom of the ocean.

‍