Preschool Beach Theme

Splash right into this preschool beach theme!

Whether It's the middle of summer, or the dead of winter, there's no better time to head to the "beach!"

Even if you don't have an actual beach near you, you and your children can still enjoy these beach-related activities in your classroom or home!

Theme Your Room!

Start by decorating your classroom to look as though you are at the beach.  Try these decorations in your class:

• sand pails
  
• shovels
• plastic kiddie pools (or your sensory table) filled with water or sand
• pretend fish
• fishing nets
• beach towels
• beach umbrellas
• sea shells
• beach balls
• toy boats

Preschool Beach Theme Activities

My preschool classroom is set up into interest learning centers (dramatic play, science, construction, etc.).  Therefore, the activities below are divided by where they would be placed.

It is not necessary to set up your preschool activities in centers--you can just do these activities wherever you have the space!

Dramatic Play Center for Your Preschool Beach Theme

Beach Days

Have several bathing suits available for children to dress up in. Another option is for a lifeguard costume (red hat, red shirt with white cross on it, whistle or megaphone, and lifepreserver). Other props that would be cute in this center would be: sunglasses, empty bottle of sunscreen, play radio, beach towels, beach bag, and a beach umbrellas.

Gross Motor/Outdoor Play

Sand Castles

If you have a sandbox, or can fill a plastic kiddie pool with sand, you can do a sand castle building activity. Give children lots of pails, shovels, and decorations like sticks, sea shells, etc. to make their castles. Also helpful would be access to water (either a hose or bucket) that would allow the sand to be more moldable.

Library Suggestions

These are some read-aloud books that will fit in perfectly with your preschool beach theme unit:

At the Beach by Roland Harvey

Beach Day by Karen Roosa

Beach Day (Little Critter First Reader) by Mercer Mayer

Curious George Goes to the Beach by H.A. Rey

A Day at the Beach (Pictureback(R)) by Mircea Vasiliu

Hello Ocean by Pam Munoz Ryan

Let's Go to the Beach (Welcome Books: Weekend Fun) by Mary Hill

Sally Goes to the Beach by Stephen Huneck

Sea, Sand, Me! by Patricia Hubbell

Spot Goes to the Beach (Fun with Spot) by Eric Hill

Listening Center

Sounds of the Beach 

Find a tape or CD with ocean-type music and let the children listen to the sounds that they would hear if they visited the beach. Have them try to guess what is making each sound (seagull, waves, etc.).  I once recorded my own recording one day at the beach!  It was great!  Waves, children laughing, seagulls--it had it all!

Math & Manipulatives Center

Seashell Count and Sort

Fill a large pan with sand, and then place a variety of seashells buried in the sand. Have children sort through the sand (or you could have a sand filter pan available) to find the seashells. When they have found them all, have them count how many there are and then sort them by shape, size, or color.

Science Center

Sink or Float

At your water table (or in a big tub), have a variety of objects that are beach-related (see decorations for examples). Have children predict whether each object will sink or float in the water. Let them experiment and see if they were correct.

Field Trip!

If you're able to, a trip to the beach would be perfect with this theme. Another choice would be to go to a local waterpark, play in the sprinklers or in small kiddie pools! 

Preschool Beach Theme Snacks

Beach Scene

Give each child a square of blue Jello and some graham crackers to crush (for the sand). They can decorate with gummy fish, Lifesavers, and Goldfish crackers!

Beach Cup

Make vanilla pudding and add a few drops of blue food coloring. Layer blue pudding(water) with crushed vanilla cookies(sand) in a see-through plastic cup. Top with gummy fish and an umbrella stick.

Fruit Salad 

Mix together various types of cut up fruit (like bananas, oranges, apples, pineapple, watermelon, etc.) in a bowl and serve with an umbrella stick.

Preschool Beach Theme Songs

What could be more fun than to learn songs to go along with your preschool Beach theme? Here are some favorites:

Five Little Fishies (sung to the tune of Five Little Monkeys)

Five little fishies in the sea
teasing Mr. Sharky
you can't catch me 
Well along came Mr. Sharky (softly) as quiet as can be 
He snapped that fish  
right out of the sea. 

Four little fishies in the sea 
teasing Mr. Sharky
you can't catch me 
Well along came Mr. Sharky (softly) as quiet as can be 
He snapped a fish up 
right out of the sea. 

Three little fishies in the sea
teasing Mr. Sharky
you can't catch me 
Well along came Mr. Sharky (softly) as quiet as can be 
He snapped a fish up 
right out of the sea. 

Two little fishies in the sea 
teasing Mr. Sharky
you can't catch me 
Well along came Mr. Sharky (softly) as quiet as can be 
He snapped a fish up 
right out of the sea 

One little fishy in the sea
teasing Mr. Sharky
you can't catch me 
Well along came Mr. Sharky (softly) as quiet as can be 
He snapped that fish up 
right out of the sea

Now poor Mr. Sharky is lonely
Can't you see...

To The Beach (sung to the tune of London Bridge)

We are going to the beach,
to the beach,
to the beach,
We are going to the beach
in our bathing suits.

We will find some rocks and shells,
rocks and shells, 
rocks and shells.
We will find some rocks and shells
to gather by the water.

We will build a sand castle,
a sand castle
a sand castle.
We will build a sand castle
with bridges and a tower.

We will have a picnic too,
a picnic too, 
a picnic too.
We will have a picnic too,
With sandwiches and oranges.

Home we head with sunburned cheeks,
sunburned cheeks, 
sunburned cheeks.
Home we head with sunburned cheeks,
and treasures from our visit.

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