| Under the Sea | | | | aquarium. Don't forget to cut a small hole at the |
| No preschool curriculum is complete without a | | | | top of the second plate or tray to create a hole |
| wide variety of art projects. Arts and crafts give | | | | that allows the children to peer into their |
| children a method of expressing themselves | | | | aquariums. Another option is to tape a layer of |
| creatively, as well as allowing them to develop | | | | plastic wrap over top of the aquarium tray to |
| fine motor skills such as cutting, pasting, and | | | | represent the glass. |
| drawing. Certain themes, such as the ocean and | | | | Here's another fun ocean life craft called |
| the creatures that live in it, lend themselves | | | | "3-Dimensional Sea Creatures". To begin, give |
| perfectly to preschool art projects. | | | | each child two cutout shapes of an ocean |
| Ocean life is full of fun shapes and colors which | | | | creature, or have them cut and create their own |
| are replicated in these preschool art projects. | | | | creatures from construction paper. Encourage |
| First, here's a project where the kids create | | | | them to decorate the sea creatures with glitter, |
| stained glass ocean animals by using tissue paper | | | | googly eyes, paint, yarn, fabric, or whatever else |
| with contact paper or waxed paper. | | | | is in the craft supply closet. |
| Look through books about the ocean and its life | | | | Once the creatures are decorated, connect the |
| forms for inspiration first before letting the | | | | two halves and stuff the inside of the shape with |
| children create their own sea creature forms | | | | cotton balls for an exciting 3-dimensional effect. If |
| from contact paper or waxed paper. Once they | | | | desired, tape a large sheet of blue paper on the |
| have cut out their shape, decorate the shapes | | | | wall and everyone arrange their sea creatures in |
| with tissue paper to create a stained glass effect. | | | | the water together. |
| Remember to use glue if waxed paper is being | | | | Play Dough Urchins |
| used. | | | | One of the ocean's most interesting creatures is |
| Create your own Aquarium! | | | | the sea urchin. The children can create their own |
| In conjunction with the ocean life theme, organize | | | | personal urchins from play dough and toothpicks. |
| a field trip to a local zoo or aquarium to observe | | | | Play dough can be made by combining 1 cup of |
| fish in their habitat. After the field trip, try one of | | | | flour, 1 cup of warm water, 2 teaspoons cream |
| these preschool art projects on fish and | | | | of tartar, 1 teaspoon oil, ¼ cup of salt and |
| aquariums. | | | | food coloring. |
| Children can create a paper plate aquarium from a | | | | Stir all ingredients together over medium heat until |
| paper plate or Styrofoam meat tray. First, paint a | | | | the mixture is smooth. Remove the pot from the |
| blue line about three-quarters of the way up the | | | | heat and knead the dough until it has blended |
| plate or meat tray, and paint the area below the | | | | completely. Place the dough in an air-tight sealed |
| line blue. After the paint has dried, the children can | | | | container or plastic bag until ready for use. |
| decorate their aquariums with fish and other | | | | All of these preschool art projects provide |
| ocean life with paint, construction paper, magazine | | | | teaching opportunities in many areas as well as |
| clippings, yarn for algae- basically let their | | | | providing the chance for imaginations and |
| imaginations run wild. | | | | creativity to soar. Enjoy them and modify |
| After the aquariums are sufficiently adorned, tape | | | | however you need to encourage the participation |
| another paper plate or meat tray facing the | | | | of all of your children. |