This week’s theme – OCEANS
Find this week’s activity plan here!
Monday, Explore in Books –
Usborne Books has this amazing series that my kids are absolutely in love with. It’s called the shine-a-light series. We have several in the series including dinosaurs, animal camouflage, space, secrets of winter, and secrets of the seashore. The premise of this book is that, on every page, when you shine a flashlight behind the page, something previously hidden suddenly appears.
For this week’s ocean theme, I thought Secrets of the Seashore fit in perfectly! The book talks about animals that might be found in the tide pools that form from the ocean. My kids love discovering a new hidden thing on each page. This one has officially become known as the crab book in our family.
To follow this up, I’m going to get a shallow container filled with kinetic sand and put some different shells in it for them to explore. Not only do they love the kinetic sand and building with it – and it’s relatively easy to clean up compared to regular sand – but adding the element of the shells will give them an additional sensory item to explore.
Tuesday, Science Activity –
Did you know that things sink or float differently in fresh water versus salt water?
When I was in elementary school, I became OBSESSED with the Titanic. I collected books, newspaper articles, photos and more from the ship. My mom even took me on a special trip to Molly Brown’s house in Denver, and my dad took me to a special exhibition in Houston about the Titanic. I was so dedicated to this historical tragedy that I even did a science fair project centered around the Titanic. I explored whether certain items sink or float better and what would have made the best materials for life jackets.
Here was the catch – salt changes whether things sink or float! Something that might sink in fresh water will float in salt.
This is a really fun and easy activity to set up for your kiddos. Have two small bins – one with fresh water (tap water works fine) and one with salt added to the water. I like to have the kids go around and pick out items from around the house to try out whether they will sink or float. Some good items to try are legos, wooden spoons, solid plastic animals, a house key, and other solid toys.
Make sure the items…
- Do not have electronic pieces in them, unless you don’t want them to work anymore.
- Do not have holes. If water gets in the holes and does not get dried out properly, it can allow mold to grow.
- Relatively clean prior to placing them in either tub. You don’t want extra dirt on the items.
Try having them drop the item in the fresh water first to see if the item will sink or float, then try the salt water. I like to have paper towel or a towel next to the bins so that when they take the items out, they can dry right away.
Wednesday, Excursion –
Is there anything that says ocean and water life better than visiting an aquarium? Especially during these hot summer days, a visit to an aquarium can really provide some cool relief. There is a group of aquariums around the United States called Sealife Aquariums that I’m particularly fond of because they have programs that are helping sea species survive. The one near us has a whole section dedicated to turtle rescue that my kids particularly enjoy.
Thursday, Science Activity –
I’m a certified scuba diver and one thing that has always amazed me when I have gone on dives is how the water can change as you descend. What seems bright and light and clear only 20 feet down suddenly becomes a little darker the further you descend.
In this science activity, kiddos get a chance to see the different layers that the ocean has. It’s a great way to follow up with what kinds of animals might live in each layer and what adaptations they might need in order to survive.
Materials Needed:
- A Large, Clear Bottle or Jar, 30 oz or bigger (large water bottles can work great for this project)
- Vegetable Oil
- Dawn Dish Soap
- Light Corn Syrup
- Water
- Rubbing Alcohol
- Black, Blue, and Dark Blue Food Coloring (You can find this in craft stores in the baking section)
- 5 Paper Cups
- 5 Plastic Spoons
- Liquid Measuring Cup
Activity Procedure:
- Trench layer: In one paper cup, mix ¾ cup of corn syrup with black food coloring. Once thoroughly combined, pour in as the bottom layer in the bottle or jar.
- Abyss layer: In a second paper cup, measure ¾ cup of dish soap. Slowly pour this on top of the corn syrup mixture in the bottle or jar.
- Midnight layer: In a third paper cup, measure ¾ cup of water and mix with dark blue food coloring. Once thoroughly combined, slowly pour the mixture into the bottle or jar.
- Twilight layer: In a fourth paper cup, measure ¾ cup of vegetable oil. Slowly add this to the jar on top of the water.
- Sunlight layer: In the final paper cup, combine ¾ cup of rubbing alcohol with light blue food coloring and slowly pour on top of the previous layer.
- Once all layers are added, you can see the separation through the side of the bottle or jar! Talk with your kids about how the lower layers are darker because less sunlight reaches those layers. What kinds of adaptations do they think the animals living in this layer might have?
Friday, Craft Activity –
When I was little, I remember my mom creating shaped sponges for me to paint with from kitchen sponges. This craft activity uses this same concept to create an ocean landscape!
I fully recognize that you can go to a craft store and purchase sea sponges to paint with, but they are expensive! So instead, I just headed to my local target and purchased a package of everyday kitchen sponges. At home, I cut different coral-like shapes from the sponges – maybe some that are more round, some that have the tubes that go up, and more. These can be done pretty freehand – however you imagine the coral to be.
Next I give my kids a plate of paint – colors like pink, orange, yellow, and green – and a sheet of blue paper. I lay out the sponges for them and let them go wild creating a coral reef at the bottom of the paper using the sponges and paint. Even if they colors combine some, that’s the beauty of coral reefs – they are a multitude of color! Once the coral part has dried, you can paint in some fish above if you have the talent, or – if you’re more like me and painting isn’t exactly your specialty – you can find some fish and ocean themed stickers and let your little ones stick some wild life in their ocean scene.