Water play at home

How to play

Materials

• Tub of water
• Lightweight water toy

Instructions

1. Fill a tub with water. 
2. Place your child in the tub of water to prepare for ocean animal movements. 
3. Watch each animal video above to see how the animal moves. 
4. Demonstrate with your body how each animal moves. 
5. Ask your child to imitate you in the tub after each movement. 
6. Use a chant or rhyme to go along with each movement: “waddle, waddle, penguin feet,” “flutter, flutter, cuttlefish,” “sway softly like a garden eel.” 

Activity 2: Make ocean movements

Make ocean movements like gentle currents and ocean waves using water, little hands, and a toy. 

How to play

Materials

• 1 medium to large container or bowl to hold water, or a bathtub or kitchen sink
• 1 small water toy 
• Towel for any spillage 

Instructions

1. Place the container on a stable surface. 
2. Fill it with about 3–4 inches of water, enough for the toy to move in the water. 
3. Have your child slowly swirl the water clockwise using their finger. Now ask them to do it counterclockwise. 
4. Ask them what happens to the toy as the water swirls, similar to an ocean current. 
5. Now have your child place both hands in the container and push the water toward the toy. 
6. Watch the waves travel across and over the toy. 
7. Ask your child to make a big enough wave to move the toy to the other side of the container. 

Questions

1. What happens when you swirl your finger faster?
2. What happens when you make bigger waves with your hands?
3. Which movement moved the toy the most?
4. What did these water movements remind you of?