[Childcare] Ocean-themed craft ideas! From wall displays to 3D projects

10 years as a kindergarten teacher / elementary school teacher / junior and senior high school teacher / childminderkepiko
Graduated from Kunitachi College of Music, Faculty of Music (now: Department of Music Culture and Education, Early Childhood Music Education major). In elementary school, my homeroom teacher was Jun Kusaba, a game researcher. After graduating from university, I worked as a kindergarten teacher for 10 years and as an after-school childcare instructor for 7 years, then took a position as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I engaged in activities that introduced Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational activities, working with many children. Later, through freelance writing, planning, and editing at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and sharing. Drawing on the perspective cultivated in the field of education and my experience as an editor, I provide practical information with an emphasis on both input and output, mainly in areas related to music and children. My hobbies include instruments, singing, handicrafts, toys, drawing, traditional games, the outdoors, and books. My special skill is spinning-top tricks.
Nursery Teacher Mom Writertsukada moe
After working for five years at an after-school childcare club and three years at a nursery school, I began working as a freelance writer. I’m a mother of two children. Inspired by playing the flute in the school wind ensemble in elementary school, I joined a jazz club at university. I’ve also incorporated ukulele and piano performance into childcare. Playing, laughing, feeling sad, feeling frustrated—through all kinds of experiences, I want children to grow.

In summer, ocean-themed crafts are a common activity in childcare.

Ocean motifs feel refreshing and are perfect for the season.

Sea creatures like fish and crabs are fun for children to make.

However, finding age-appropriate ideas and new forms of expression can be challenging.

So, we’ve gathered a collection of ocean-themed craft ideas here.

You’ll find a variety of projects, from flat drawings to three-dimensional creations.

Please use these as a reference and enjoy a fun summer with the children! Note: Since the children’s creations are treated as works, the term “seisaku” (制作) is used in the text.

[Childcare] Ocean-Themed Craft Ideas! From Wall Displays to 3D Projects (21–30)

A banana dancing hula

Let’s create a very unique wall display of bananas dancing hula by the seaside! It’ll be an eye-catching and fun piece at a glance, sure to bring smiles to the children’s faces.

Cut yellow construction paper into banana shapes, then draw eyes, attach eyes made from other paper, or stick on craft eyes.

Drawing a mouth or adding a ribbon is also recommended.

Next, make hula skirts using plastic raffia (suzuran tape) and combine them with the bananas, and your hula-dancing bananas are complete! Make lots of hula “bananas,” not hula girls, and set the scene of a tropical ocean.

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Penguins and colorful fish

How about a design where penguins swim together with colorful fish? You can make the penguins by cutting their shapes out of construction paper.

There are many ways to make the fish colorful: place small pieces of origami paper on fish-shaped construction paper; use techniques like wet-on-wet painting or wax-resist; add patterns with stampers, handprints, or finger stamps.

Another idea is to fill a clear plastic bag with tissue paper in various colors, shape it into a fish, and use that.

Create a lively, colorful ocean scene in whatever style you like!

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[Childcare] Ocean-themed craft ideas! From wall displays to 3D projects (31–40)

Exploring the sea on a turtle

How about a design like Urashima Taro, riding on a turtle and exploring under the sea? The rider could, of course, be Urashima Taro, but it could also be children or animals.

Since we want to create the feeling of an underwater exploration, please include lots of fish and sea creatures around them.

If you want to lean into the Urashima Taro world, adding the Dragon Palace (Ryugu-jo) is also recommended.

By using techniques like wet-on-wet painting and materials like cellophane tape (suzuran tape), you can create a soft, dreamy scene of the ocean and its creatures.

Definitely give it a try!

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The Mermaid and the Jellyfish

Mermaids like Ariel from The Little Mermaid are such aspirational figures for children, aren’t they? Let’s bring some adorable mermaids and softly drifting jellyfish into an ocean-themed wall display.

If you decorate the mermaids’ tail fins with sparkly origami paper and add patterns to the jellyfish heads using finger stamps or finely cut origami pieces, you’ll end up with a dazzling piece.

Also, using raffia tape (suzuran tape) for the jellyfish tentacles is recommended, as it creates the look of gently floating jellyfish.

The cute ocean scene is sure to delight the children.

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Whale made with blow painting

Let’s draw a whale powerfully spouting water using the blow painting technique.

First, cut out the whale’s shape and its various parts from construction paper.

Have the children do the cutting themselves so they can practice using scissors.

Once the parts are ready, use blow painting on a separate sheet of paper to create the whale’s spout.

Choose the spot you like, drip diluted paint onto it, and blow through a straw over the paint; the color will spread out and form shapes like a whale’s spout.

Finally, glue the cut-out whale in place to match the spout, and you’re done! It’s also fun to decorate around it with round stickers, washi tape, or pieces of construction paper cut into shapes you like.

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Handprint whale shark

The whale shark, said to be the largest fish in the world.

If a big, impressive whale shark were displayed on the wall, wouldn’t it boost the kids’ excitement? For the whale shark’s pattern, using handprints is recommended.

After cutting out a large whale shark shape from construction paper, add color with handprints.

Handprint stamping is easy to do, so it’s great to have the children help.

The randomly stamped handprints create a cool pattern that rivals the whale shark’s distinctive markings!

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Sea creatures

If you want to create a lively ocean scene, the best tip is to include lots of sea creatures! The easiest way is to cut out ocean animals directly from construction paper.

You can also repurpose materials like empty instant noodle cups or candy boxes.

To add a magical, underwater feel, try using raffia ribbon, glittery origami paper, or tissue paper.

It’s also a good idea to ask the children about their favorite sea creatures and incorporate those into the wall decorations.

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