This educational tip is about the ties between water and us. Each can serve the other when properly controlled, but each can also destroys the other when out of control. We rely on our environment to provide us with clean water and the following activities will hopefully help to make children more aware and appreciative of gifts from the sea.

In the water cycle, a cloud will drop water in ponds, streams and seas. Some of the water runs off, some evaporates and forms another cloud, and when it has cooled, falls as rain again.  A nature walk is a good experience whether it is to a pond, lake, or beach.  A few props, like a pair of tweezers and a magnifying glass, help children to focus their attention on the world around them.  Both fish and shells have interesting colors and shapes.  Encourage the children’s powers of observation to make comparisons.  These skills are important pre-reading tools which help to develop literacy.

Infants: Shell Wind Chimes– Collect seashells of small and medium sizes with holes worn in them. Cut string into a variety of lengths. Tie one end to a branch or hanger, and the other end through hole in shell. Arrange shells so they can hit each other when they are hung up.  When going outside encourage the infants to listen for the sounds made by the shells when the wind is blowing.  If you do not live near the beach ask children to bring in some shells from their vacation or they can be bought from a local craft store.

Toddlers:Shell Museum – The children can put together a private museum to display their own unique finds. Have the children bring in a dozen of the same kind of box. Half-pint milk or juice boxes work well.  Have the children help to wash them out well. Cut the tops off and staple them to each other. Let the children fill them with shells collected from a field trip to the beach. The show at the museum can change with the season to include rocks, feathers, leaves and seeds.

Preschoolers: Fish Print – Get a whole fish from the market or ask a person who goes fishing to donate one.  Have the children paint the fish very carefully, covering it completely. Lay a large sheet of white paper on top of the fish. Let the children gently pat the fish all over. When you lift up the paper, you will have a perfect fish print.  Japanese rice paper makes a beautiful print.  It is expenses but it makes a very special print for a holiday or birthday gift.

Michael Chinery stated in The Complete Amateur Naturalist “Life began in the seas something like 3,500 million years ago.”  He goes on to say, “… it is clear that water contains everything needed for life.”   Children are strongly attracted to water and love to go the  beach, while their parents may spend hours fishing in ponds and streams.  Fish and sea shells have a wide appeal and can be brought home or to school for closer study.

He who bends to himself a joy, doth the winged life destroy:

But he who kisses the joy as it flies, lives in eternity’s sunrise.

(Anne Morrow Lindbergh)