O for Ocean Headband and Activity

Children review the letter O and make ocean animal headbands to use later in a fun movement activity.

What You Need:

Ocean Animal Headband printable (KidsSoup members only)
Ocean Music CD
Light blue and blue construction Paper
Scissors
Black marker
Glue
Stapler

What you do:

Review the shape of the letter O with children. Discuss with children that the word “Ocean" begins with the letter O. Write the word ocean on the board. Have children brainstorm other words that being with the letter O: open, oatmeal, over, etc. Write the words "octopus," "ocean," "oatmeal," "ox," "orange," "onion," "ostrich," "over," "open," and "oval" on the board. Recite the following rhyme together with children:

Letter O for Oli the Octopus Rhyme

Oli the Octopus
by Jolanda Garcia, KidsSoup, Inc.

Oli the Octopus was floating in the sea. (Sway back and forth with hands.)
He said, “Name me some things that begin with the letter O.” (Continue swaying back and forth with hands.)
Ocean and oatmeal, an orange and an olive,
An ox crying, “No more onions, please!” (Rub eyes.)
Ostrich and over
and open too. (Open arms.)
Oh, and an oval or maybe even two.

Headband Craft

Cut out two strips of blue craft paper and staple together.

Preschool Activities:

Media Root

Draw ocean waves onto light blue construction paper.

Preschool Activities:

Media Root

Let children cut out the waves and glue on top of their paper strips.

Preschool Activities:

Media Root

Print the Ocean Animala and letter O printables and give each child a set. Encourage children to draw water and ocean animals inside the opening of the letter O. Let children color the ocean animals and cut out the letter O and the ocean animals of their choice, and glue them on his/her headband.

Preschool Activities:

Media Root

Fit the headband around the child's head and staple ends together.

Preschool Activities:

Media Root

Ocean Animals Movement Activity

Explain how the activity works. Play the music and call out the name of one of the animals on children’s headbands. Have children act out how the animal moves: crab = crawl sideways, squid = push forward in pulses, fish = use flippers to move around, shark = open mouth wide and swim fast.

Variation: Have each child only glue one ocean animal to his/her headband and when you call out the animal name, only those children with that animal showing on their headbands stand and act it out. The other children wait until their animals’ names are called out before they take their turns.