# 3D Manatee Ocean Poster
> Paint a poster board ocean blue, then add cotton-stuffed paper manatees, puffy cotton-backed sand dunes and real grass clippings for sea grass. It's a hands-on way to introduce an endangered marine mammal and talk about keeping waters clean.
- URL: https://www.funlittles.com/manatee-craft/
- Ages: 3–7 yrs · Difficulty: easy · Mess: medium
- Time: prep 20 min, activity 1 hr
- Works for: one-on-one, small group, whole class · one batch serves about 2 kids
- Skills: fine-motor, scissor-skills, painting, color-mixing, animal-facts, environmental-awareness

## Materials (one batch)
- 1 sheet Poster board
- Blue paint
- Grey paint or grey markers
- Paint brushes, including a large foam brush
- 1 sheet Brown construction paper
- Cotton balls
- Manatee printable
- Grass clippings (household)
- 1 piece Scissors (household)
- 1 piece Stapler (household)
- Glue (household)
- 1 piece Pencil or marker (household)

## Substitutions
- Instead of stapler: Glue (The author says it's your choice. She went with the stapler because she was supervising.)
- Instead of grey paint: Grey markers (Listed in the post as an alternative to grey paint.)

## Safety
- Adult supervises or handles the stapler. The author chose stapling only because she was supervising closely.
- Supervise scissors use and help younger kids cut out the manatees and sand dunes.
- Cotton balls are a choking hazard for kids who still mouth things. Supervise at all times.
- Collect grass clippings only from a lawn that hasn't been treated with pesticides or fertilizer, and have everyone wash hands afterward.
- Use washable, non-toxic kids' paint.

## Before you start
- Print the manatee outlines.
- Draw sand dune shapes on brown construction paper (or let kids help).
- Cover the table, since the whole poster gets painted.

## Steps
1. Paint the whole poster board blue to make the ocean, then set it aside to dry.
2. Mix a grey paint for the manatees.
3. Paint or color the manatee printables grey and let them dry.
4. Cut out the dry manatees. An adult can help.
5. Staple around the manatee cut-out, leaving just enough space to stuff it, then stuff with cotton balls to make it 3D.
6. Draw sand dunes on brown construction paper and cut them out.
7. Flip the dunes over and glue cotton balls on the back, keeping them away from the edges.
8. When the glue is dry, attach the sand dunes to the poster with glue or a stapler.
9. Glue the manatees onto the poster.
10. Grab grass clippings from the yard and stick them around the poster as sea grass for the manatees.

## Tips
- Painting the whole poster was such fun in itself. The different strokes and speed showed the kids' zeal for anything paint.
- Ask which brush would color the poster faster. Big A picked the largest foam brush 'because it is the biggest.'
- Spread it out. While the paint dries, go do another activity and come back. I've learned to stop and do longer projects over the day, sometimes days.
- Don't stick cotton balls around the edges of the sand dunes, so they lie flat when attached.
- Before the manatees go on the poster, let the kids play. Big A made a toy out of her stuffed manatee and pretend-played it swimming in the ocean.
- Keep the chatter going with questions: We only have dark blue, how can we make it lighter? In how many ways can we attach the dunes (glue, tape, stapler)? Manatees are mammals, so do they lay eggs?
- Talk simply about pollution: don't dirty oceans, lakes, rivers and ponds, because animals live there. Pollution and boat strikes are reasons manatees die.

## The original post by TurkeyMom (2012)

World Animal Day

**World Animal Day 2012 – Day 6**

Big A has been captivated by manatees ever since she saw them on Diego (TV Show) a year ago. After reading about the recent deaths of many manatees over the coast of Florida, we decided to create a project with manatees as the star. It’s also a great time to introduce newer animals to your pre schooler. Save the Manatees has a great 3D crafts for grade schoolers. With an adult help, younger kids would be able to complete it. We are going to send a picture of our finished to them.

- Poster board
- Blue Paint
- Grey Paint/grey markers
- Brushes
- Brown construction paper
- Cotton Balls
- Manatee printable
- Grass clippings
- Scissors

We started off making the ocean by painting the poster board blue. Painting the whole poster was such fun in itself. The different strokes and speed in which they painted clearly showed the kids’ zeal for anything paint.



Once the poster was set off to dry,we worked on painting the manatees with grey. Here is the grey we mixed.



We are still working on coloring within the lines.



While both the painting were drying, we hurried off to another activity since we already spend a good chunk of time on structured play.This is when I have learned to stop and do longer projects spread over the day sometimes days. After a good break, again the momentum regained while checking if their manatees were dry. I helped Big A cut out her colored manatees. Good scissors practice.



This is when you need to make a choice – not a big life altering one. Just stapler/glue? We went for stapler since I was supervising her away. We stapled around the manatee cut out while leaving just enough space for cotton ball stuffing. Once done, the fun part of making a 3D manatee. Stuff with cotton balls. Big A had a great time making a toy out of the manatee printable. She pretend played with their manatees swimming in their ocean. 



To make 3D sand dunes, I drew some on a brown construction paper and Big A and I cut them out. Flipped them over and stuck cotton balls on them. Make sure you don’t stick any around the edges.  Once the glue dries, attach the sand dunes to the poster board using glue or stapler.



Attach the manatees using glue. Run to the yard, and grab some grass clipping and stick them around the poster board. These are sea grass for your manatees to eat.



That’s your poster for an endangered species. Here are some final shots









We talked about how sometimes water pollution can kill some marine animals. Of course I put it simply – Make sure we don’t dirty the ocean, lakes, rivers, ponds etc because animals live in them. That’s their homes. One reason for manatees dying is pollution and major reason being hit by boats since they often come up for breathing.

The kid loves to talk period. While we do any project, there is constant chatter. These days, I initiate a few questions. Here are a few

- Critical question alert : If you want to color the entire poster faster, which brush would you choose? We had brushes of varying sizes and she quickly picked out the largest foam brush and said “ This one because it is the biggest”
- Critical Question alert : We have only dark blue. How can we make it lighter?
- Critical Question alert : In how many ways can we attach the sand dunes and the manatees to the poster? Like glue, tape, stapler etc.
- Question Alert : Manatees are marine animals that eat sea grass like---?
- Critical Question Alert : Manatees are mammals, so do they lay eggs?

- Manatees are mammals
- Manatees eat sea grass and water hyacinth
- They live in shallow waters
- One interesting fact that fascinated my kid
- They are the only marine mammals that are herbivores
- They are called sea cows

- Fine motor skills with scissors practice, sticking cotton balls and painting
- Animal Facts
- Responsibility of protecting other species' habitats
- Respect for nature and environment

**Thanks for reading!**

**Happy sharing!**

**Take a moment to comment**