We love sharing easy craft ideas and while sea crafts are popular the whole year round when the weather is getting warmer like it is now it definitely feels like the right time to start thinking about making some under the sea crafts for toddlers and preschool! Whether you live near the ocean or whether you’ll be splashing around in a paddling pool in the garden, under the sea crafts are a great way to encourage children to think about the world around them in a creative way and have fun at the same time.
RELATED – Crafts for Toddlers
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What You'll Find on This Page
About These Under The Sea Crafts
This post has got lots of ideas for under the sea crafts to make with one, two and three year olds and if you keep reading you’ll also find some of our favourite sea themed books to share with toddlers too as well as more ideas for toddler crafts. These crafts are generally suitable for preschoolers too who can be aged two to four and you may find that some are still good for older children to make.
Of course there’s a big difference between what a one year old and a three year old can make (as well as differences between children of the same age) so take a look through the list and see what suits your child and most importantly what they are interested in and what you think they’ll enjoy!
To make life that little bit easier I’ve listed all the sea crafts I’m sharing today in the same order that they appear in the images below. There’s more ideas than I’ve included in the collage though so do take a look through the list to find some new favourites.
Like the ideas in this post? Make sure that you bookmark this post or pin an image so you’ve got all these ideas to hand when you need them most.
Under The Sea Crafts for Toddlers
My kids made these seashell decorations to put up in the house and they looked great on our mantelpiece.
This paper plate under the sea craft is really simple for toddlers to make.
This paper plate crab rocks and is a great way for toddlers to practice their fine motor skills, what’s more my kids loved making them!
Follow the instructions on I Heart Crafty Things to make some sweet ocean themed handprint and footprint art.
These paper cup octopuses from Artsy Craftsy Mom are super cute and a great way to practice scissor skills too.
Younger toddlers will need help to cut the shapes out for these ocean animal suncatchers from A Little Pinch of Perfect but toddlers of all ages will enjoy painting them.
Messy Little Monster has a great post on making ocean themed thumbprint animals and there’s a free printable to go with it too.
Seahorse crafts are an eternal favourite round our house as after all, who doesn’t love seahorses?! This easy seahorse craft was really popular with my daughter and uses a fun, sensory material to craft with.
This paper bag jellyfish would be fun to make to play with.
Buddy and Buggy’s octopus craft is perfect for helping with fine motor skills.
Make an octopus using a cupcake liner following this tutorial from 123 Homeschool 4 Me.
This rainbow fish craft would go perfectly with The Rainbow Fish book or you could change the colours up to your child’s favourites.
Make a simple resist art fish craft together using our free fish template.
My son and I made this seashell wall hanging together with him in charge of the painting and me in charge of tying the string to make the hanging part.
My son made this cute paper plate orca when he was a toddler.
Kids Activities Blog has an octopus craft for teaching the letter O to your children.
The painting on this tropical fish craft by Crafts by Amanda is a bit too neat for toddlers to achieve but follow the instructions to make the paper plate fish themselves and they’ll be perfect for kids to paint on their own designs.
Teaching Two and Three Year olds shares a paint stamping activity that’s perfect for toddlers to make.
I love how the homemade stamp for this fish craft from Teaching Two and Three Year Olds looks like fish scales!
That Kids Craft Site have a cute tutorial for making a rainbow fish ornament.
Under The Sea Books for Toddlers
- In My Ocean* by Sara Gillingham – a cute board book that’s perfect for younger kids
- The Rainbow Fish* by Marcus Pfister – a classic story with beautiful illustrations
- The Snail and the Whale* by Julia Donaldson – a family favourite in our house!
More Crafts for Toddlers and Preschoolers
This foil painted campfire craft is perfect for a camping theme and it’s really easy for younger kids to make the painted flames.
Or these paper bag haircuts are a fun way to help your child with their scissor skills.
Finally this sweet apple tree craft is a great way to practice fine motor skills as well.
