At the Seaside

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Age
1-5 years
Child Development
Well-being and belonging (physical activity); Language & literacy (vocabulary development)
Equipment
None
Physical Activity

This activity aims to develop the fundamental movement skills of locomotion and coordination (running, jumping, side shuffling, hopping, galloping), and balance.

How to Play

Talk to the children about the ocean and what they might find. Link each thing the children say with a specific movement, for example:

  • Star fish – stand with legs and arms out wide
  • Shell – curl up small
  • Crab – move sideways
  • Sea horse – gallop around the space
  • Shark – run
  • Whale – move slowly
  • Dolphin – run and jump
  • Sun bather – lie flat on the ground
  • Swimmer – swing arms round and round
  • Surfer – Stand on a pretend surfboard
Change it up / Alternatives / Additional Options
  • Place pictures of the objects around the space to create a beach and do the corresponding movements when you ‘discover’ the animal.

Adaptations

  • For children who are deaf or hard of hearing, act out the actions or provide pictures of the intended movements.
  • For children with impairments in flexibility or gross motor skills, encourage them to perform the movements as much as they can, understanding that it may look different to others.
  • For a child with a visual impairment, provide textured objects to provide a tactile sensation that is similar to the picture.
  • If you have a participant who uses a wheelchair, be intentional around the movements that you select to allow them to participate.
  • If you have a child with another type of disability not mentioned above, they may be able to participate in this activity without adaptations or modifications.

Adapted from Do and Discover.