Fun ocean science activities are a perfect way to spend time at the beach or prepare for a trip to the ocean! We have tons of fun ideas for when you are on the beach but also when you are home learning about the ocean. Science activities are a wonderful addition to an ocean theme. Simple science for young kids encourages them to explore the world around them
OCEAN SCIENCE ACTIVITIES AND IDEAS FOR KIDS
Learn About The Ocean Through Hands On Science.
We love visiting the ocean and have the good fortune to be able to go each year! Even if you don’t have the chance to get to the beach it is still fun to explore beach and ocean themed science activities at home or in the classroom.
We love to share simple science activities that young kids can really get their hands on and enjoy. Our favorite ocean science activities also include many playful projects as well.
AWESOME OCEAN THEME SCIENCE FOR SUMMER
Click on all the bright blue links below to check out each of these ocean science ideas that you can do with your kids. Our science projects are usually simple to set up, inexpensive, and easy for anyone to share with kids.
Originally we started with just six simple ideas, but it has really grown to include so many fun ocean themed activities.
Our homemade slime recipe is a real favorite and terrify for creating any theme. Plus it’s an awesome chemistry lesson all about polymers.
Make a fun science discovery bottle with a beach theme. Science discovery bottles are a great way for little hands to explore.
Here’s another version of our popular discovery bottle that is fun for young kids to make and explore.
make slime with beach sand! This is an awesome science and sensory play activity.
Growing crystals is a great chemistry activity for kids to learn about solubility and suspension solutions. Usually pipe cleaners are used to demonstrate the process, but this time we tried out seashells.
Measure, sort, classify, pattern, size are all great math concepts that you can do with your seashells. Seashells make great loose parts for hands-on math lessons.
Even when you are hanging out on the beach, there are tons of ways to learn through play.
BEACH TREASURE HUNT AND OCEAN SCIENCE ACTIVITY
It’s easier than you might think! I used a milk carton and cut off the top so I was left with a rectangular box with an open end.
Last weekend we went to the beach for a family day! I thought it would be fun to collect items from the beach and bring them home! We found shells, rocks, sea glass and various kinds of seaweed! We also brought home beach sand.
For the first layer of the milk carton I added the sand, some shells and water. Once frozen, I repeated the process in small layers until I filled the container. Sand was only in the bottom layer.
Once your carton is completely frozen, you can tear away the cardboard. Place in a dish or bin to catch the melting water. Use squeeze bottle, eye droppers, and scoops to help melt the ice and dig out the treasure!
Check out the melted ice block. It looks just like a mini beach scene and the sand was a perfect addition to make you feel like you are still at the ocean.
EXAMINE AND EXPLORE THE TEXTURES OF THE OCEAN
What remained from our ocean ice tower, was a beautiful representation of the ocean. We had our own little touch pool! I laid out a tray, tongs and a magnifying glass so we could look at, examine, feel and even smell our beach finds! Add some beach books and explore!
OCEAN SCIENCE WITH AN OCEAN WAVES DISCOVERY BOTTLE
We have done several versions of oil and water experiments this past year. This is a very simple and quick experiment to demonstrate waves! I saw this here: Entropy Kitchen, Ocean In A Bottle. I love the look of mineral oil but the vegetable oil worked just fine. We gently moved it back and forth to make waves. I added a few shells too!
Find more of our science discovery bottles here!
FIZZY BAKING SODA AND OCEAN SCIENCE PLAY
Fizzy baking soda science is always fun. I simply buried shells and a few plastic starfish under baking soda. I gave him little bowls of yellow, green and blue colored vinegar and an eye dropper to color his own ocean and find the sea life!
SALT WATER/FRESH WATER SINK OR FLOAT
We have done this before with an egg and super heroes but I wanted to try it again so we could talk about how an ocean is made up of salt water. We talked about how we drink fresh water but some animals live in salt water and use water differently than we do.
Why do some things sink in fresh water and float in salt water? Salt makes the water heavier. The salt displaces some of the water allowing things that would normally sink, float. Check out our SALT WATER EGG EXPERIMENT.
You need two bowls and two sets of similar objects. I picked some shells. I added a 1/2 cup of salt to about a cup and a half of hot water. The other bowl I filled with tap water. Mix well and experiment. Check out other salt water experiment for more information. Test out other objects from around the house!
OCEAN POLLUTION AND RECYCLING ACTIVITY
We did this simple ocean pollution activity to learn about recycling, what can be recycled, and what is ocean pollution for Earth Day. It was awesome play and a great learning experience all in one!
I can’t wait to get to the beach this year and talk even more about what we have learned! We plan to take a hands on discovery cruise out of Woods Hole this year, a whale watch, and of course lots of walks on the beach.
Summer time is a wonderful opportunity for ocean science activities. No trip to the beach planned? Shells from the craft store, natural colored sand, and seaweed from the specialty food store will do the trick!
PERFECT OCEAN SCIENCE ACTIVITIES AND IDEAS FOR KIDS
Check out our SHARK WEEK for summer learning and fun too! Click on the photos below!
Sprouting Birdseed from Stir the Wonder
Oil and Water Experiment from P is for Preschooler
Bouncing Egg Experiment from The Joys of Boys
I am an Amazon Associate and receive compensation for any items purchased but our activities are always free to enjoy!
Emma @ P is for Preschooler says
I love the ocean ice melting block! That looks like a lot of fun on a hot day!
Samantha @ Stir the Wonder says
Love the little ocean touch tray you guys created! So neat! And you brought home seaweed??? What a great idea!
Sue @One Time Through says
LOVE these ideas! We are doing a big vacation to the ocean this summer, so we’ll be sure to use some of these ideas with shells that we find when we return! Pinned!
Alice @ Mums Make Lists says
What a fab collection! We had some bugs hiding in our ice blocks this week 😉 But totally love the idea of seaside shells and more. Must do when we get back from our holidays next week.
Carrie says
Lots of fun ideas!! Thank you for sharing at Sharing Saturday!
Abinisha says
Its very very useful Article. You are rightly guided us . Teaching Our Kid Is Nowadays are Very Challenging…So we have to teach them and keep them updated. Recently i searched for a new type of teaching like, teach our kids via app so i am collecting app… recently i got this app.This Learn Underwater application, will help the kids to distinguish between different aquatic species like sea horse, whale, angel fish and octopus.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ajax.underwater
gill says
What beautiful pictures – you make all of these activities look so appealing. Such a brilliant idea to grow the crystals on shells – magical!
littlebins says
Thank you! I love the ocean and beach. We still have the shells too.