40+ Under The Sea Crafts For Kids

Last Updated on May 5, 2026 by Masha Eretnova

Summer and ocean crafts are basically made for each other. Whether your kids are deep in a marine life phase, you just got back from a beach trip, or you’re simply looking for something to do that isn’t a screen, this list has you covered.

I’ve pulled together 40+ ocean and under the sea craft ideas for kids, ranging from quick printables to hands-on projects using paper plates, yarn, egg cartons, and seashells.

There’s something here for toddlers all the way through early elementary, and for days when you have five minutes to prep as much as days when you want to settle in for something more involved.

Under the Sea Activity Mats

These two free printable activity mats are packed with ocean-themed puzzles, drawing challenges, and brain teasers, all wrapped up in undersea illustrations. All you need is a printer and crayons, making this one of the easiest activities to pull out on a slow afternoon. Great for preschool and up, and kids who love a good challenge.

Paper Fish Craft

A mess-controlled, no-fuss fish craft where kids color, cut, and glue the pieces together to build their fish, no artistic skill required. Supplies are just printer ink, scissors, and a glue stick. Works well for preschool through early elementary and takes under 30 minutes.

Ocean Animals Paper Crafts (10 Animals)

A free 10-page printable pack covering ten different ocean creatures, all in color-cut-and-glue format. It works beautifully spread out over several days or set up as an activity station during an ocean theme week. No craft store trip needed, and perfect for preschool through early elementary.

3D Stingray Craft

Unlike most flat paper crafts, this one uses a simple fold to make the stingray’s wings lift upward so the finished piece looks like it’s gliding. The pack includes 8 different designs to choose from, so each kid can pick their favorite. A great hands-on activity for ages 4 and up.

3D Patterned Clam Craft

The twist with this one is that kids roll a die to decide which pattern goes on each section of the clam shell, choosing from waves, zigzags, spirals, and more. No two clams come out looking the same, which makes it feel genuinely creative rather than just following a template. It folds up to stand on its own and works well for ages 4 and up.

Build a Seahorse Paper Craft

A one-page printable that kids color, cut, and assemble into a standing seahorse, ready to go in minutes. The one-page format means almost no prep on your end and a satisfying finished result for theirs. Best for preschool and up.

3D Ocean Animals Crafts

This printable pack produces six fully three-dimensional paper figures that stand on their own: a clownfish, octopus, crab, turtle, seahorse, and whale. Each one is colorful and chunky once assembled, and they look like something you’d buy at a craft store rather than print at home. Great for ages 5 and up who have some folding experience.

Cut-and-Glue Octopus Paper Craft

Eight tentacles, one printable, zero screen time. Kids color, cut, and glue this cheerful octopus together in under 30 minutes using just printer ink, scissors, and a glue stick. A solid pick for preschoolers who are working on their scissor skills.

Build a Jellyfish Paper Craft

This printable includes all the pieces kids need to assemble a jellyfish complete with a domed body and trailing tentacles, and it comes together in under 30 minutes. Supplies are just printer ink and a glue stick. A lovely activity for preschool and early elementary kids.

Ocean Animals Directed Drawings (9 Pages)

A 9-page pack of step-by-step drawing guides for ocean animals, each broken down into numbered shapes so even kids who say they “can’t draw” can follow along successfully. All they need is paper and a pencil or markers. Perfect for ages 5 and up, and a fantastic quiet-time or rainy day activity.

Paper Plate Fish Craft

A paper plate fish decorated with colorful pom poms for scales, making this one very toddler-friendly and extremely low prep. It’s a quick, cheerful craft, perfect for ages 2 and up.

Pool Noodle Fish Craft

Did you know pool noodle slices make a cute school of colorful fish? I am not alone then! This craft works well as a group activity or a solo project, and the materials are affordable and easy to find. Great for school-age kids.

Paper Plate Fish Craft

Bright tissue paper circles become shimmery fish scales on this paper plate fish, inspired by the Rainbow Fish story. Kids glue on the tissue paper pieces, add googly eyes, and cut a tail from the remaining plate. Foil or glitter can be swapped in for some extra sparkle. A lovely preschool activity for experimenting with color and texture.

Paper Plate Seashell Craft

A paper plate if cut and painted can create a colorful scallop shell in this simple beach-themed craft. Minimal prep and basic supplies make it an easy addition to any ocean activity day. Great for preschoolers and kindergarteners.

Under the Sea Bubble Art

Kids blow bubbles into a dish soap and paint mixture, then press paper down to capture the prints, which become the background for a whole underwater scene. Ocean animal cutouts placed over the finished background bring the artwork to life. Best for ages 3 and up, with some adult supervision for the bubble-blowing step.

Paper Plate Jellyfish Craft

With paper plate decorated with colorful ribbon or crepe paper strips, kids in kindergarten or older can create a jellyfish that also sneaks in a little fine motor practice and early ocean science. Supplies are simple: a paper plate, paint, scissors, and paper.

Bubble Printing Jellyfish

Kids blow bubbles into a mixture of paint and dish soap, then add a cut-and-glue jellyfish they made themselves, too. Ribbon or streamer strips are grat for the floating look. This craft works for wide range of ages.

Octopus Yarn Craft

This is a tactile, hands-on project for homeschool ocean unit or a summer nature study. Best for ages 6 and up as a nice introduction to working with yarn. You only need paper, some yarn, googly eyes, and pipe cleaner.

Paper Chain Octopus Craft

Colorful construction paper chains become the eight wriggling tentacles of a cheerful octopus, with a round paper plate head sitting on top. The only supplies needed are paper, paper plate, scissors, and glue, and even toddlers can join in on the linking and looping.

Easy Octopus Craft

Super easy paper craft for preschoolers with a printable template to cut and glue as many cute octopuses in any color your child wants. A must after a beach trip or summer vacation.

Origami Shells

Using just a square of paper and a series of folds, these origami shells come out looking very realistic. They require focus and patience, sp will be great for older kids and teens. Strung together they can make a pretty garland, too.

Hydro Dipped Starfish Craft

This craft uses the hydro dipping technique, where nail polish is swirled on the surface of water and a foam or craft starfish is dipped through to pick up a beautiful marbled pattern. The results look genuinely impressive, and no two starfish turn out the same. Great for all ages, with adult supervision for younger kids around the water and nail polish.

Seashell and Bead Wind Chime

A lovely way to turn shells collected on vacation into something lasting: string them together with colorful beads on a stick or dowel to create a wind chime that looks polished and beachy. A nice parent-child project that works for all ages.

Pop-Up Shark Paper Craft

A fold-and-cut paper craft that makes a pop-up shark under the sea. Supplies are just paper and scissors, making it one of the most low-prep options on the list. Great for ages 6 and up, or younger kids with a bit of help.

Shark Clothespin Puppet Craft

A printable shark template that you can downolad, color, cut out, and glue to a clothespin to create a snapping puppet that kids can use in all sorts of games. It comes together quickly and is interactive enough to double as a toy once finished. Fun for ages 4 and up, and a satisfying fine motor activity.

Shark Torn Paper Craft

Once kids tear small pieces of blue paper, they can glue them onto a free printable shark template, filling in the body for a textured, mosaic-style look. The tearing itself is excellent fine motor practice for preschool and pre-k.

Egg Carton Turtle Craft

Single cups cut from an egg carton become bumpy turtle shells, painted green and fitted with pom-pom legs and googly eyes. It’s an eco-friendly option that uses materials most households already have on hand. Suitable for a wide range of ages, with adult help for the cutting step with younger children.

CD Button Turtle Craft

An old CD becomes a shiny, textured turtle shell when covered in mismatched buttons. Every turtle turns out slightly different depending on which buttons end up in the pile, which makes this activity so creative. A perfect ages 5 to 8 activity for using up leftover craft supplies.

Turtle Paper Plate Craft with Moving Head

A paper plate turtle that comes with a free printable template for the head, shell parts, and tail, which move once the craft is assembled, making it interactive to play with afterward. Supplies are a paper plate, the printable, paint, and a brass paper fastener. Works well for preschool and early elementary ages.

Paper Plate Crab Shaker

Two paper plates stapled together with a handful of rice inside make a very cool crab-shaped sensory shaker. You can use a free printable template for the claws and eyes. Great for toddlers and preschoolers with a little help.

Handprint Crab Craft

Double handprints and construction paper make an adorable crab in just a few minutes. Add googly eyes and you’ve got a cheerful beach decoration or a sweet keepsake from vacation. Perfect for toddlers and preschool.

Build a Mermaid Printable Craft

A mix-and-match style free printable where kids build their own mermaid by combining hair, body, and tail to create a one-of-a-kind character. It’s interactive and creative without needing anything beyond printing, scissors, crayons, and a glue stick. Works well for kindergarten and up.

Mermaid Toilet Paper Roll Craft

Empty toilet paper rolls doesn’t have to go in the trash. It can get a magical makeover with with a bit of color and a free template. Best for kindergarten and up.

DIY Mermaid Hanging Mobile

Recycled cardboard egg cartons make great building material for a whimsical mermaid mobile with the help of a free printable. The finished mobile makes a sweet decoration for a bedroom or an ocean-themed party space. A lovely project for kids who love mermaids and can handle a bit of assembly.

Terracotta Pot Mermaid Craft

If you have small terracotta pots sitting around you can turn them into cool home decor with air-dry clay and paint. It’s a more involved craft that results in a keepsake kids will actually want to display on a shelf. Good for ages 6 and up who enjoy painting and working with clay.

Under the Sea Coloring Crowns

Printable paper crowns featuring 10 different ocean animals that kids color in and then wear. The pack includes enough variety for a whole class or party group, and they’re quick to prep with minimal supplies. Perfect for preschool and kindergarten, and a great last-minute activity for an ocean-themed day.

3 Beginner Sewing Projects for Kids

Felt, thread, and a plastic needle are all it takes for kids to sew simple shapes like hearts, animals, and bookmarks. The pre-punched holes make stitching way less intimidating.

Best for ages 6 and up, these summer camp crafts are a great intro to sewing without the frustration of tangled threads or stabbed fingers. Plus, it might buy you a quiet moment or two.

Ocean Resin Art Tray

If any of your friends or family have a birthday during summer, and they love hosting parties at home or decorating, make them a gift.

Or maybe you just came back from vacation on a tropical island and brought some shells, so it is a perfect occasion for a keepsake.

I’ve made an ocean tray for my bathroom and it looks great there and only took a few hours to make.

Note: this tutorial involves epoxy resin along with paint. Not suitable for toddlers and preschoolers.

Puffer Fish

Don’t worry, it is not difficult to draw puffer fish, and if you’re worried, you can simply download and print the template, cut it, and color it!

But for the background, you can experiment with any paint, draw bubbles, or even add interesting effects with salt or alcohol.

Dolphin

Continue with the ocean theme – an easy craft to make with kids and to paint is a dolphin.

This full tutorial will help you get the dolphin shape right. You can use paint and markers for the background and add as many “underwater” details as you want!

Seahorses

If you are a happy (not-at-all-tired) mom of 2+ kids, what about making for each a colorful seahorse?

They can present their own seahorse, paint it with their favorite color, and give it a name. Can be a whole activity hour! Grab the printables here.

Tip: You can combine a few of the ideas from this list and make a whole underwater scene with seahorses, turtles, dolphins, and other creatures!

Underwater Sea Turtle

Another vacation memory to keep in the form of a painting – a sea turtle you saw or are dreaming of seeing on a snorkeling trip.

I used the pouring swiping technique here to do the background that reminds me of waves and underwater, but you can simply paint it.

Full tutorial and some more ideas: How to Paint Sea Turtles 15 Beautiful Tutorials (Acrylic, Watercolor, Pencil).

Whether you’re planning a full summer ocean theme or just need one good afternoon activity, any of these crafts will do the job. Pin for later!