My plan
Fun Littles

Fun and easy kids activities

Foam Plate Ocean Craft with Toothpick Sea Animals

Jun 27, 201312,646 views
Crafts
Crafts for kids : Ocean Craft Save
all ocean animals display Save
ocean animals on toothpicks for ocean themed crafts Save
fun ocean crafts for kids Save
puppets Save
making the ocean Save

by TurkeyMom in Crafts

Ages3–6 yrs
Prep20 min
Activity45 min
Leveleasy
MessMedium
Works for1:1 · Small group · Class

Kids cut blue tissue paper and stick it on a foam plate to make an ocean. Then they paint foam sea animal cut-outs, tape them to toothpicks, add googly eyes, and arrange them in the plate ocean or use them as tiny puppets.

⚠️ Safety first

  • Toothpicks have sharp points. Watch for those sharp edges, especially when kids use the animals as puppets.
  • Googly eyes are small parts and a choking hazard. Supervise closely, and don't use them with children who still mouth objects.
  • An adult draws and cuts out the foam animals. Supervise children using scissors.
  • Acrylic paint can stain clothes and surfaces. Cover the table and use smocks or old clothes.

Before the kids arrive

  • Hand draw a few ocean animals (fish, whale, seahorse, jellyfish, octopus) on a foam plate and cut them out to shape.
  • For older children: draw larger figures and let them cut the animals out themselves.

Steps

  1. Cut blue tissue paper into small pieces with scissors.

  2. Stick all the bits of blue paper onto a foam plate to create an ocean.

  3. Paint the white ocean animal cut-outs with acrylic paint.

  4. Lay the painted animals out to dry for a bit.

  5. Tape a toothpick to the back of each animal.

  6. Add googly eyes to each animal.

  7. Hold the animals by their toothpicks and put on little puppet shows.

  8. Poke the toothpicks into the plate ocean to stand the animals up.

  9. Move the animals around until you're happy with your ocean story.

Tips

  • Involving painting while crafting with kids is a sure way to add some fun and zing to the activity.from the author
  • The best part for the kids is adding the adorable googly eyes.from the author
  • These ocean creatures make cool puppets too. My preschooler had a lot of fun making up small shows with her teeny tiny ocean puppets.from the author
  • Expect extra holes in the plate! She moved the animals around so many times until she was happy with her ocean story line.from the author
  • You can hear and see your child's imagination take off as they spin stories while crafting.from the author
  • Cutting tissue paper is built-in scissor practice, and sticking the bits down is a fine motor activity.from the author

Make it your own

  • Draw larger animal figures and have an older child cut them out.
  • Skip the plate and use the toothpick animals as finger puppets for pretend play.
  • Try the same toothpick idea with letters, like our ABC Garden.

The story behind it

By TurkeyMom · June 2013
making the ocean
To prepare the ocean, my 4 year old practiced her scissor skills by cutting blue tissue paper into small pieces, then stuck all the bits on a plate to create an ocean.
1 / 7

Foam Plate Ocean Craft with Toothpick Sea Animals: the original post

What’s more fitting for this summer season than an ocean craft using simple supplies? Remember our ABC Garden using letters and toothpicks? My preschooler did this craft the same day with just a little help from mom.

Ocean craft using foam plates and toothpicks.

  • Foam plates
  • Acrylic Paint
  • Toothpicks
  • Tape
  • Googly eyes

I hand drew a few ocean animals on the foam plate and cut them out to shape. You could draw larger figures and have an older child cut them out. To prepare the ocean, my 4 year old practice her scissor skills by cutting a blue tissue paper into small pieces. For an inbuilt fine motor activity she stuck all the bits of blue paper on a plate to create an ocean.

making the ocean

Now time to give life to those white ocean animal cut outs. Involving painting while crafting with kids is a sure way to add some fun and zing!to the activity. She painted the ocean animals and we laid them out to dry for a bit. Then we came back and attached toothpicks to the back of the animals using tape. Fine motor alert!

panting animals

Now the best part for the kids in this ocean craft is adding adorable googly eyes. Now you have your set of creatures for the ocean craft.

ocean animals on toothpicks for ocean themed crafts

These ocean creature make cool puppets too. Watch for those sharp edges. My preschooler had a lot of fun making up small shows with her teeny tiny ocean puppets.

puppets

It was great to see the ocean craft turn into a spontaneous pretend play with puppets session. Once she was done playing with the ocean puppets, she moved on to the craft and started assembling the animals on the “plate ocean”.

fun ocean crafts for kids

Our final display of our ocean craft. You see all those extra holes on the main image of the post? Yes she moved them around so many times until she was happy with her ocean story line. This is a very cute little mom and kid craft for a fun afternoon. The best part? You can hear and see your child’s imagination take off while he/she spins stories while crafting.

all ocean animals display

Animal habitats sensory/small world we have shared rainforest play scene blogmemom earthday activities SENSORY ACTIVITIES WITH POND

world animal day_southpole_food chain desert small world play

Thanks for reading!

What readers say

💬 3 comments

🎉 Worked for us

Colorful scene featured on a linky

A fellow blogger loved how colorful the ocean scene turned out, said her daughter would love making one, and featured the post.

“My daughter would loved creating her own ocean scene. Yours looks so colorful!”
Shaunna (@Shaunna_FFL), Jul 2013

🎉 Worked for us

Cute, easy idea to try at home

A parent called it a cute, easy, fun idea and planned to make her own version with her son.

“I will be making a version for my son :) thanks for a cute, easy, fun idea :)”
Wildflower Ramblings (@WildflowerRamb), Jul 2013

Tried it?

Reviewed before it appears. No links, and please no children's names.

Read all 3 comments

  1. Wildflower Ramblings (@WildflowerRamb) · Jul 2013

    I love this! I will be making a version for my son :) thanks for a cute, easy, fun idea :)

  2. Shaunna (@Shaunna_FFL) · Jul 2013

    My daughter would loved creating her own ocean scene. Yours looks so colorful! Thanks for sharing in the Discover & Explore linky. I'm featuring this post today.

Similar activities

25 Butterfly Crafts and Art Activities

25 ideas2–8 yrs

Easy Toddler Christmas Wreath

35 min2–5 yrs

Jack-O-Lantern Silhouette Sun Catchers

35 min2–7 yrs

Simple Hanging Ghost Craft

20 min3–6 yrs
🛒 Materials