Sealife and beach crafts make a big portion of summer activities for kids. The popular paper plate Jellyfish and 3D paper aquarium belong to this category. So, in this discussion, let’s talk about these fun and REALLY creative ways to make ocean crafts for kids.
Included the origami, pom pom, “cut and glue”, recycling, paper plate, and many more crafts. As for the themes, there will be pufferfish, goldfish, ocean scene, whale, Jellyfish and also boat crafts.
My favorite and recommended ones are the plushie fish, origami crab, and the egg carton whale craft. Let’s dive into the details with step-by-step tutorials.
Note: This is not my first discussion on SUMMER crafts. I have already talked about the ways to craft for summer in general and watermelon crafts in particular. If you are interested, check them afterwards, too.
Suggestion #1: Pom Pom Fish
3D and fluffy DIY fish? Let’s make this cute pom pom pufferfish plushie with googly eyes and felt fins, tail, and mouth. The body is crafted from a striped pom pom. Simply wrap the main color around the fingers and then add many spaced wrappings of another color.
There is a FREE printable template for taking the felt cutouts, so try it for sure. My favorite is the purple + blue and orange + aqua version.
Suggestion #2: Craft A Sailbot
This paper plate sailboat from the “Sea World Craft Series” is a recycling craft for kids. You can craft one with solid or patterned paper for the sail, and also attach your favorite stickers onto it.
Cut a paper plate in half and glue the pieces together to make the boat’s hull. A toilet paper roll is required to be placed inside the mast as a base. It is made from a popsicle stick. On the boat, you can use buttons to make the windows.
Suggestion #3: 3D Goldfish Bowl
There is a FREE template to cut the goldfish in this paper plate fish bowl craft. To make the scene 3D, two fish layers are cut so that you can stuff them using cotton.
To prepare the scenery, first paint the paper plate in blue and paint the blue waves after the first coat is dry. Cut and attach the crepe paper in purple and green as seaweed. Also, attach aquarium gravel or colored rocks to the bottom.
Suggestion #4: Seahorse puppets
Let’s craft these googly-eyed and cute seahorse puppets for kids using pre-painted towel rolls, a stick, and white paint. There is a FREE printable template for the seahorse body, head, and tail.
Be sure to cut the paper roll by flattening it so that you are left with the 3D hollow parts. After assembling, you will want to decorate the horse using white acrylic paint.
Suggestion #5: Paper CRAB For Kids
These are 2-minute origami jumping crabs you can fold from a square sheet of any size. Red, orange, and even blue, fold it in any color. It requires the origami waterbomb base, and just valley folds afterwards. Finish this origami crab by attaching the kawaii eye stickers or draw yours.
Suggestion #6: Seahorse with Paper
This is a “cut and glue” seahorse craft with a FREE printable template to make a cute and 3D ocean scene. Start by assembling the kawaii seahorse, as there are separate pieces for the crown, wing, and body of the seahorse.
Also, attach googly eyes to the seahorse. Then, cut a big circle from construction paper and start gluing the seaweed, seaplant, sand, and seabed cutouts. Also, attach a cotton in the back of the seahorse to make the scene 3D and draw bubbles.
Suggestion #7: Kids Craft Jelly Fish
In under 10 minutes, assemble this cute “cut and glue” Jellyfish paper craft. It has the curly tentacles made from long stripes of Tant paper. It is recommended to use kraft paper in two colors. Cutting the middle and the bottom of the Jellyfish body may be difficult without a template.
So, I have provided a guide for a different version, which has a FREE template for taking the cutouts, such as the googly eyes, middle, and bell of the jellyfish.
Suggestion #8: Whale Craft for Kids
Finally, a cute craft that recycles the cups of old egg cartons! This 3D whale craft also has perfect cardstock fins, googly eyes, a hand-drawn smile, and a pipe cleaner water spout. To start, cut out a single cup from a cardboard egg carton and paint it blue.
Then use a hobby knife to make a small slit in the top for a pipe cleaner “water spout.” Then cut a tail and fin and attach! Isn’t it simple?
Suggestion #9: Paper Jellyfish Using Oriagmi
From two sheets of 15 cm by 15 cm square paper, let’s craft this oh-so cute origami Jellyfish. The tentacles are folded from the waterbomb base and the body from the triangle base.
Both pieces will be glued later on. My favorite part is the attachment of kawaii sticker eyes and the blush, which are inspired by the Squishable Plushies.
Suggestion #10: Rocking Crafts for Summer
This is a collection of four cute ocean paper crafts, including a pufferfish, a whale, a ship, and a rainbow goldfish. All of them are designed as rocking toys from an 11cm by 11cm circle cutout. It should be easy to cut all the pieces and add-ons.
Suggestion #11: Jellyfish Craft
This Jellyfish “painting and cutting” craft requires just one paper plate and a template to cut the parts. Try making it in pink + purple or blue + aqua.
This is a layered craft with simple tentacles that must be cut in a wavy shape from the paper. Craft this with kids and use as a wall decoration.
