Looking for ways to ignite creativity while including facts about marine life? These sea animal crafts for kids provide fun, an educational element, and creativity. Each activity requires basic materials usually found in the house or otherwise easily obtainable.

You will find crafts that are just right for toddlers and kids from 5 to 7.

For Toddlers and Preschoolers (Ages 2-4)

These crafts have few steps, few cuttings, and more adult-supervised sensory fun. Let’s take a great dive into creativity.

1. Handprint Octopus

These octopñus handprints are fun sea animal crafts for kids.

Materials:

  • Construction paper (blue or purple works well)
  • Paint (color of choice)
  • Googly eyes
  • Glue
  • Scissors
  • Markers
  • Optional: sequins, glitter, or stickers

Instructions:

  1. Have the child make a handprint on construction paper using paint.
  2. Once dry, cut around the handprint, leaving extra paper at the palm.
  3. The palm becomes the octopus’s head, while the fingers become its tentacles.
  4. Glue googly eyes onto the head.
  5. Use markers to draw a smile and any details.
  6. Decorate with tentacles using colors, sequins, or sticker

The children learn that an octopus is an intelligent animal that has eight arms (not tentacles!) and can squeeze through a tiny space-it has no bones.

2. Paper Bag Pufferfish

Paper bag pufferfish are fun sea animal crafts for kids.

Materials:

  • Small paper lunch bag
  • Newspaper or scrap paper
  • Orange or yellow paint
  • Paintbrush
  • Construction paper (orange or yellow)
  • Googly eyes
  • Glue
  • Scissors
  • Black marker

Instructions:

  1. Crumple newspaper and stuff it into a small paper bag.
  2. Twist the bag closed and secure with glue.
  3. Paint the bag orange or yellow and let dry.
  4. Cut small triangles from construction paper for the fins and spikes.
  5. Glue the triangles all around the bag to create the pufferfish’s spiky appearance.
  6. Attach googly eyes.
  7. Draw a small mouth with black marker.

Pufferfish, also known for their ingenious ability to inflate their bodies to ward off predators, are demonstrated here in a fun and tactile project for little hands.

3. Sock Fish

A colorful sock crafted by kids as a fish.

Materials:

  • Old sock (colorful one works best)
  • Stuffing or cotton balls
  • Rubber bands
  • Googly eyes
  • Felt or construction paper
  • Glue
  • Scissors
  • Markers or fabric paint

Instructions:

  1. Fill the sock with stuffing.
  2. Use a rubber band to close the open end.
  3. Place another rubber band about 2/3 down the sock to create the fish shape.
  4. Cut triangles from felt or construction paper for fins and tail.
  5. Glue these pieces to the appropriate spots on the fish.
  6. Attach googly eyes.
  7. Use markers or fabric paint to add scales or patterns.

Fish exist in thousands of shapes, sizes, and colors. This soft, hug-able fish craft is customizable to depict various assorted types of fish from clownfish to angelfish to rainbowfish.

4. Sponge-Painted Dolphin

A sponge-painted dolphin in white and gray over blue construction paper.

Materials:

  • Blue construction paper
  • White and gray paint
  • Small sponges cut into various shapes
  • Dolphin template or drawing
  • Scissors
  • Glue
  • Googly eyes

Instructions:

  1. Cut out a dolphin shape from paper or use a template.
  2. Dip sponges in gray and white paint.
  3. Dab the sponges onto the dolphin shape to create a textured effect.
  4. Let dry completely.
  5. Cut out the dolphin.
  6. Glue onto blue construction paper background.
  7. Apply googly eyes, and any other embellishments, with markers.

Intelligent marine mammals, dolphins display playful behaviors and intricate social structures. The sponge-painting technique provides a texture-related effect for the smooth, sleek skin of these exceptional animals.

5. Cupcake Liner Oyster with Pearl

An oyster with pearl made from cupcake paper liner.

Materials:

  • Paper cupcake liners
  • Paint (gray or light blue)
  • Paintbrush
  • White pompom or cotton ball
  • Glue
  • Scissors
  • Optional: glitter

Instructions:

  1. Take a cupcake liner and fold it in half. Then paint the outer side to mimic an oyster shell.
  2. Once you are finished, add a little white pompom or cotton ball as the pearl inside it.
  3. Option: Add a little glimmer to the “pearl” to shine it up a bit more.
  4. You may glue the closed oyster partly, allowing a little view of the pearl.

Natural pearls are formed when irritants, such as grains of sand, enter the shell of an oyster and the oyster coats the irritant with layers of nacre, forming a pearl.

For Early Elementary (Ages 5-7)

These crafts introduce more cutting, following sequences, and slightly more complex assembly:

6. Paper Plate Jellyfish

Paper plate jellyfish are fun easy animal crafts for kids.

Materials:

  • Paper plate
  • Tissue paper (various colors)
  • Yarn or ribbon
  • Googly eyes
  • Glue
  • Scissors
  • Paint or markers
  • Hole punch

Instructions:

  1. Cut a paper plate in half.
  2. Paint or color the half plate (the jellyfish’s body).
  3. Once dry, use a hole punch to make holes along the straight edge.
  4. Cut strips of tissue paper and yarn in various lengths.
  5. Take the tissue paper and the yarn and thread them through the hole and glue it.
  6. Paste googly eyes on the front side of the jellyfish body.
  7. You may even add a glittery touch or some sequence for a very extra sparkle.

These floaty jellyfish that are bursting with colors reflect the jelly’s natural movement in the ocean, thereby helping children learn about this invertebrate which has been around for 650 million years.

7. Egg Carton Turtle

A turtle made from egg carton painted in green color.

Materials:

  • Egg carton cup (one section)
  • Green paint
  • Paintbrush
  • Construction paper (green and brown)
  • Googly eyes
  • Glue
  • Scissors
  • Markers

Instructions:

  1. Cut out one cup from an egg carton.
  2. Paint the cup green and let dry.
  3. Cut four small oval shapes from green construction paper for the legs.
  4. Cut out a tiny triangle for the tail and a tiny oval for the head.
  5. Glue on the legs, the tail, and head onto underneath the egg cup.
  6. Attach googly eyes to the head.
  7. Use markers to add details like a mouth and patterns on the shell.
  8. Optional: Cut small circles from brown paper and glue them to the shell for added texturing.

The sea turtles have drifted up and down the ocean for over 100 million years and can hold their breath for hours. This craft helps the children learn the basic anatomy of these ancient reptiles.

8. Clothespin Crab Puppets

A clothespin crab puppet painted in red color.

Materials:

  • Spring-type clothespins
  • Red or orange paint
  • Paintbrush
  • Construction paper (matching color)
  • Googly eyes
  • Glue
  • Scissors
  • Pipe cleaners

Instructions:

  1. Paint the clothespin red or orange and let dry.
  2. Cut two large claw shapes from construction paper.
  3. Cut six small leg shapes from construction paper.
  4. Glue the claws to the end of the clothespin that opens and closes.
  5. Glue the legs along the sides of the clothespin.
  6. Attach googly eyes to the opposite end.
  7. Bend pipe cleaners for antennae and attach.
  8. Optional: Add details with markers.

With opening and closing, the clothespin mimics the action of pinching claws. A puppet like this helps the children understand crab activities with claws-wielded defense and foraging.

9. Plastic Spoon Seal

Plastic spoon seals are fun sea animal crafts for kids.

Materials:

  • Plastic spoon
  • Gray or white paint
  • Paintbrush
  • Construction paper
  • Googly eyes
  • Glue
  • Scissors
  • Black marker

Instructions:

  1. Paint the plastic spoon gray or white and let dry.
  2. Cut a small oval from construction paper for the seal’s body.
  3. Glue the bowl of the spoon to the paper oval, with the handle extending out as the seal’s head.
  4. Cut small triangles from paper for flippers and tail.
  5. Glue these to the appropriate spots on the body.
  6. Attach googly eyes to the spoon head.
  7. Draw a nose and mouth with black marker.
  8. Optional: Add spots or details with markers.

It is that grain of sand. That is seals, that part of their life spent on land and half in the water. Their streamlined body-as suggested by this craft’s smooth spoon-lets them swim effortlessly through the water while they hunt for fish.

10. Bottle Cap Fish

A fish kids crab crafted with bottle caps.

Materials:

  • Plastic bottle caps (various sizes)
  • Paint in various colors
  • Paintbrushes
  • Googly eyes
  • Glue
  • Construction paper
  • Scissors
  • Markers

Instructions:

  1. Clean and dry bottle caps thoroughly.
  2. Paint the bottle caps in bright fish colors and let dry.
  3. Cut small triangles from construction paper for fins and tails.
  4. Glue the fins and tails to the appropriate spots on the bottle caps.
  5. Attach googly eyes.
  6. Draw details like mouths and gill lines with markers.
  7. Optional: Create an underwater scene on blue paper and attach the fish.

This upcycling craft gives life to bottle caps while teaching children about the different shapes and colors of tropical fish. It is also a good opportunity to discuss ocean pollution and the importance of recycling.

11. Foil Fish

A fish made with aluminum foil.

Materials:

  • Aluminum foil
  • Cardboard
  • Paint (various colors)
  • Paintbrushes
  • Googly eyes
  • Glue
  • Scissors
  • Markers

Instructions:

  1. Fish shape cut from cardboard.
  2. Wrap the cardboard with aluminum foil, keeping it smooth and taping it securely on the back side with tape.
  3. Paint scales and patterns on the foil fish.
  4. Allow to dry (may take longer on foil).
  5. Attach googly eyes.
  6. Use markers to add any additional details.
  7. Option: Punch a hole on top and through it hang string.

Indeed, many fish possess highly shiny and shining metallic scales that make them blend well with the reflective surface of water under view from below. This craft catches up that reflective quality of the fish scale but at the same time remains very durable and catchy in decoration.

12. Toilet Paper Roll Whale

Toilet paper roll whales are easy sea animal crafts for kids.

Materials:

  • Toilet paper roll
  • Blue paint
  • Paintbrush
  • Construction paper (blue and white)
  • Googly eyes
  • Glue
  • Scissors
  • Markers

Instructions:

  1. Paint the toilet paper roll blue and let dry.
  2. Cut a large tail fin from blue construction paper.
  3. Cut a small spout shape from blue paper.
  4. Cut a small white shape for the belly.
  5. Glue the tail to one end of the roll.
  6. Glue the spout to the top of the roll near the opposite end.
  7. Glue the white belly piece to the bottom of the roll.
  8. Attach googly eyes.
  9. Draw details with markers.

They are the biggest animals on earth: Blue whales can be almost 100 feet long. This activity helps children understand the basic shape and features of such wonderful marine mammals.

Building Ocean Wonders

These ocean animal crafts deliver so much more than mere creative play—they deliver wonderful opportunities for children to learn about ocean ecosystems while developing critical motor skills and creativity.

With these hands-on crafts, children can learn about the amazing variety of sea life, from the free-flowing movement of jellyfish to the protective measures of pufferfish.

Undertaking the ocean-related projects paints a picture in the children’s minds of what the ocean environment consists of, and thus stresses the importance of keeping marine animals safe.

So gather your materials, prepare your workspace, and dive into these sea creature crafts. The sea of imagination is waiting!

And if your kids are over 8 years old, check out these other sea animal crafts tailored to their age.

Looking for more inspiration for easy and fun crafts for kids? Explore these:

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