Has Coronavirus (COVID-19) got your children stuck at home with boredom fever brewing? Don’t want your kids to spend endless hours on screen? Why not go to the beach?

Before we’d ever actually seen the ocean, my youngest had a great idea one day. He said, “Why don’t we set up a beach in our living room? We can have a sun, and a blanket to sit on, and beach toys!” He had a great idea, and it was super fun!

It’s great if you’re stuck at home because coronovirus COVID-19 has school canceled. It’s also great for a rainy day, a super hot day, a winter day, or a homeschool day when you just need something different to do.

You’ll Need:

(Some of these! All are optional- use what works for your family and what you have sitting around)

• Yellow Construction Paper
• Scissors
• Tape
• Sunny Lamp
• Beach Blanket or Towels
• Sand or Beach Toys
• Moon Sand
• Swim Suits
• Beach Background on TV such as This One

How To:

1. Make a sun
   1. Draw a large circle on the yellow paper and a smaller circle about an inch inside it.
   2. Have your child cut out the bigger circle (it will still have the smaller circle inside of it)
   3. Have your child cut 1 inch fringe all the way around the sun to make the sun rays. Great for developing scissor skills! They can just cut in and stop at the inner line all the way around the circle.
2. Tape the sun to a light (make sure it’s fire safe)
3. Set up a beach blanket or towels
4. Make Moon Sand (Remember, all of these are optional)
   1. Mix:
      1. 1 cup of sand
      2. 1/2 cup of corn starch
      3. 1/4 cup of water
      4. Food coloring as desired
   2. Put in a 9X13 pan or cookie sheet on beach towels or on a sheet of paper or plastic
5. Lay down a blue blanket to be water
6. Put on swimsuits
7. Pull out beach toys
8. Go swimming, lay out, play in the sand, enjoy each other!!!

Homeschooling?

This activity is great for:

1. Scissor Time! You can cut out not only a sun, but crabs and fish, too!
2. Math! Little ones can count various toys you have. Older ones can do math. For example, “If you have 4 fish (line up fish toys or whatever you have) and 2 swim off to the park, how many do you have left?”
3. Reading! Pick up books about the beach or set at the beach to read together. Older kids can read them/younger kids can be read to.
4. Phonics! Line up the toys you have around you and have your children name the beginning or ending sounds of the types of toys you have. For example, you would work on “f” on the beginning of “fish” or the blend “sh” at the end.
5. Geography! Pull out a globe or a map, and have young people take a look at the major oceans of the world. Too simple? Look at seas, bays, peninsulas, sets of islands, etc. Or check out the various types of beaches (rocky, sandy, etc..) or the relief of the oceans- mountains and varying drop offs of beaches into the ocean (The Atlantic drops off more quickly, the Pacific more rapidly).
6. Science! Pick up books on ocean animals or the tides and show your kids videos like this: Science: What are Tides?
7. Music! Introduce kids to Steel Drums. For example, you could play The Little Mermaid and then show them How To Play Steel Drums. Grab some empty coffee containers/mayonnaise jars/oatmeal canisters (anything you can drum on), and play some drums!
8. Art! Make different colors of moon sand and paint with it. Ask your kids, “What is your favorite part of today?… Paint a picture of that with the moon sand!” That’s a great way to wrap up a fun day together and help them remember it for months to come!

Enjoy! Would you like more fun ideas? Check out:

• Easy Clean-up Finger Painting
• Teach Your Kids To Read- Inexpensively and Effectively
• 10 Life Breathing Phrases To Speak Life to Your Kids