Educating your kids about marine life and making a difference is more important than ever so we can preserve our oceans for future generations. Many kids are naturally curious about the deep blue sea and fascinated with the creatures that lurk within. To help foster that curiosity, check out our picks for the best ocean-themed educational toys for kids.
1. The Magic School Bus Rides Again: Exploring Oceans STEM Kits
This hands-on STEM kit takes young scientists on an ocean exploration with an experiment manual, stickers and more. Join the iconic Ms. Frizzle from the Magic School Bus series in learning facts and making your own volcano with some everyday household items.
2. Prof. Noggin’s Life in the Ocean: Card Game
The ocean-themed card game is great because it offers easy and hard versions catering to different knowledge levels and age groups. The game’s rules are straightforward and make learning simple and fun as players take turns asking each other questions and learning along the way.
3. Ravensburger Ocean Turtles: Jigsaw Puzzle
Puzzles are a fantastic way to encourage your kids’ creativity, develop their building skills and up their concentration ability. With this brightly colored ocean-themed puzzle, your kids can also learn more about the fascinating creatures of the sea. Get your kids to build this 200-piece puzzle by themselves or work on it with them as an interactive family activity.
4. DK Smithsonian, Ocean: A Visual Encyclopedia
Although technically not a toy, this book is an exceptional visual children’s encyclopedia with annotated illustrations, exciting facts, sea creature catalogs and information about the planet’s oceans. It provides information engagingly, allowing your kids to learn without feeling like they’re studying. It addresses a range of issues affecting marine life and has many images, making it a great picture book for younger kids while being a super reference for elementary-age learners.
5. National Geographic: Ocean Animal Dig Kit
This kit gives your child 12 shells to excavate, each containing a different sea creature. It also comes with a guide that provides facts and information about six marine species found in the shells, making learning hands-on and educational. This toy, suitable for kids 8 and older, is a wonderful way to inspire your children to explore science and marine biology further.
6. Water Beads Ocean Explorers: Tactile Sensory Kit
These sensory beads with 26 sea creatures are superb for developing kids’ fine motor skills while providing an imaginative, relaxing activity. We recommend pairing the creatures in this kit with a catalog to learn even more about ocean life. The beads are nontoxic and grow or shrink with exposure to water, allowing your youngsters to have hours of fun.
7. Ocean Bingo
What better way to learn than taking a classic family favorite and giving it a sea-themed twist? The ocean bingo set has 64 ocean animals pictured and named. Collect all you need on the board before getting to shout that beloved phrase — BINGO!
Learn More at Science Explorers Summer Camps!
Science Explorers proudly offers summer science programs and afterschool clubs for elementary-age kids in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland. If your child is interested in marine biology and oceanography, the Take a Dive summer camp is an unmissable adventure!
During the half-day camp, kids will dissect a real shark, examine fish anatomy, take on a fishing challenge, and learn cool techniques like how to survive at sea and how to make a submarine. For the full-day camp, there’s more — dissect a squid, conduct a whale adaptations lab, examine all kinds of sea creatures and have more ocean-related fun.
Learn more about summer science camps or book a spot in the Take a Dive camp today!