O is for Ocean

Our Ocean theme stemmed from our trip to Sea World.  GB decided she needed to learn more about the Ocean.  So, of course we found all the fish and ocean books we could, both fiction and nonfiction and started learning.  The internet is such a handy tool to answer all those questions of a 3 year old when mom doesn't know the answer! :)  We learned lots of random facts about different fish, crabs and whales!

Books:
Commotion in the Ocean
National Geographic Kids- Ocean
Colors of the Ocean
Rainbow Fish
Rainbow Fish to the Rescue
O is for Ocean
The Shark that was Afraid of Everything
Alice in Bibleland- Jonah

Crafts:
Bubble painting to look like the ocean water.  Let me just say this worked well in the classroom with powered tempra paint, dish soap and water.  However with liquid paint, not so much.  It worked, but not as noticeable as powered tempra does or I didn't add enough.

Have kids blow bubbles, them touch paper over top of bubbles.

 They loved doing it though. :)

So much that with this face when we were finished lead to..

More bubble fun outside! Much happier kids!

Handprint fish for GB and handprint octopus for L on top of their ocean papers! Cute, you can't see the bubbles in this photo, but they were there. :)

Glitter Star Fish- glitter and glue (I have seen this done with sandpaper)

Paper plate "Rainbow" fish- paper plates, tissue paper, aluminum foil and glue

Ocean in a Bottle- water, little cooking or baby oil, blue food coloring, sequins, "fish". super glue or tape lid on!


Skills:

Octopus have 8 arms ("don't call them legs mom" We also learned they are not tentacles) number match

Fish patterns

Ocean animal Memory with letter sounds
coloring her cards

Playing Ocean memory, I wrote the beginning letter in upper and lowercase and as we made a match she would say the letter and it's sound.  

"Fishing" for Fish puzzle

 "Fishing" for color words and letters- try not to notice my vbs stuff all over floor behind them. :0

Playdoh O's

Sorting seashells

 and let's examine them too!

A great time to introduce the game GO Fish!  She loved it, but really doesn't have the "don't show your cards to others thing down". hehe 

Lunches/Snacks:

Octopus(hotdog) seashells (pasta salad) and Seastar (apples) & grapes.  I found this idea on MuffinTin Mondays and she used green ramen noodles as seaweed under the octopus.  I tried to make green cheese(something my kids would eat), but didn't want to use much food coloring.  It just didn't work. :) 

Tuna"Fish" sandwich with cheese star fish

Pizza Fish

MY FAVORITE- Crab sandwich  Let me just say I normally don't buy "special" ingredients or supplies.  We just use or modify to what we have.  However, these crossiants were too cute not to use and so crossiants were bought just for crabs! :) I bought the cocktail ones, so now what am I suppose to do with 10 extras? Plus, my kids just eat the "insides" of a sandwich.  They sure were cute though and Gracie Beth was really excited about her "Ocean meal".

Apples in fish and turtle cups- How easy is that?! :)

Ocean Jello snack- this was one of my favorites too and my camera was MIA. :(  blue jello in clear cups, topped with crushed teddy grahams on half and teddy bear under a cocktail umbrella on the other. I think the original idea is on a cupcake.

Goldfish crackers are great with this theme, count them- sort by color (if you have the colore1d ones), serve in shamu bowls from seaworld and EAT them!

Bible Stories:
 Jonah and the Whale
Jonah 1-3

This theme would have summed up nicely with a trip to the beach, however that didn't happen! Boo! :)  We settled with the Little Mermaid movie night. :)