Raise your hand if you’ve ever heard the dreaded “I’m bored” on a rainy afternoon. Yeah, me too. My hand is practically in the air right now. When the weather keeps us inside and the screen time limit has been hit, I need a secret weapon. For me, that weapon is usually a pile of craft supplies and a theme that sparks imagination.
And what theme works better than the ocean? It’s mysterious, it’s colorful, and it’s full of creatures that look like they swam straight out of a cartoon. I’ve tested quite a few of these projects with my own little fish at home, and I can promise you: these under the sea DIY ocean crafts for kids will buy you at least an afternoon of peace. Probably more.
So grab the glue sticks, raid the recycling bin, and prepare for some glitter spills. Let’s make a mess—I mean, let’s make some art!
Ocean in a Bottle: The Calm-Down Jar
Ever wish you could bottle the ocean? Well, you kind of can. This craft doubles as a sensory toy, which is great for when the kids need to chill out for a minute.
1. The Classic Wave Bottle
This one is ridiculously easy, and the result genuinely mesmerizes my kids every single time. You just need a clear plastic bottle (take the label off), some baby oil, water, and blue food coloring.
Fill the bottle about one-third full with water. Add a few drops of blue food coloring. Then, fill the rest of the way with baby oil. Screw the cap on super tight—like, glue it shut tight if you don’t want a oily surprise on your carpet—and let your kid shake it. The oil and water separate and create these beautiful, slow-moving waves. IMO, it’s better than a snow globe.
2. Glittery Mermaid Treasure Bottle
Want to kick it up a notch? Take that same concept but swap the oil for clear glue and warm water. Add a ton of fine glitter in blues, purples, and silvers. Throw in some tiny plastic sequins shaped like fish or stars if you have them.
When you shake it, everything swirls around slowly and settles like magic glitter rain. My daughter calls it her “mermaid magic” and honestly? I’ve stolen it from her desk a few times just to watch it settle. :/
Painted Treasures: Rockin’ Ocean Life
We have a weirdly large collection of rocks in our house. We might have a problem. But if you have a backyard or a nearby park, you have a free supply of craft materials.
3. Painted Rock Fish
This is about as low-prep as it gets. Grab some smooth, flat rocks. Wash them off and let them dry. Then, break out the acrylic paint or even washable tempera.
Paint the whole rock one color as a base. Let it dry. Then, add stripes, dots, and a googly eye. You can even glue on a little piece of string or yarn to make it look like a blowfish. Pro tip: a coat of Mod Podge at the end makes them shiny and seals the paint so they can live outside in a garden.
4. The Turtle Rock Family
Slightly rounder rocks work best for turtles. Paint the whole rock green or brown. Then, take a smaller, flatter rock and paint it the same color. Glue the small one onto the big one for the head. Now paint on little legs and a shell pattern. These make adorable desk buddies or garden decorations. We have a whole “rock turtle village” living under our porch. Don’t judge.
5. Rainbow Starfish
If you can’t find perfectly flat rocks, look for ones with a vaguely star-like shape. Paint them in bright rainbow colors—not just the standard orange. Kids love going wild with the color combos. Add some polka dots or stripes. These look amazing lined up on a windowsill.
Paper Plate Creatures: The Classics
You cannot have a kids’ craft roundup without paper plates. It’s basically the law. And for ocean crafts, they are basically a blank canvas shaped like a circle… which is perfect for a lot of sea creatures.
6. Rainbow Coffee Filter Jellyfish
Okay, this one uses coffee filters, not paper plates, but it’s too good to leave out. Let your kid color a coffee filter with washable markers. Then, take a spray bottle and lightly spritz it with water. Watch the colors bleed and blend together—it’s like magic! Let it dry.
Now, flip it over. Glue long strands of ribbon, curling ribbon, or even strips of plastic bag to the underside for tentacles. Glue on a googly eye, poke a hole at the top, and hang it from the ceiling. It looks like a happy little jellyfish floating through the air.
7. Paper Plate Rainbow Fish
Remember that book? This craft honors it perfectly. Cut a triangle out of the side of a paper plate. That’s your mouth! Glue that triangle onto the other side as the tail fin. Now, paint the whole plate.
Here’s the fun part: cover the “scales” with circles cut from aluminum foil or those shiny cupcake liners. Glue them on in overlapping rows. Stick a giant googly eye on, and you have a fish that shimmers just like the one in the story.
8. The Pufferfish Balloon
This one uses a different base, but the result is so worth the extra effort. Blow up a small balloon (not too big!). Mix equal parts white glue and water. Tear newspaper into strips, dip them in the glue mixture, and layer them all over the balloon. You’ll need a few layers. Let it dry completely (overnight is best).
Pop the balloon and pull it out. Now you have a hollow paper-mache sphere. Paint it yellow or tan. While it’s wet, glue on short pieces of dry spaghetti or toothpicks all over to look like spines. Add googly eyes, and you have a grumpy-looking pufferfish. It’s a bit more work, but the 3D effect is incredible.
Suncatchers and Window Art
Bring some ocean color to your windows. These crafts look amazing when the sun shines through them.
9. Contact Paper Aquarium
This is a favorite for the toddler set because it involves zero glue mess. Tape a piece of clear contact paper to a table or window, sticky side out. Cut out some simple fish shapes from construction paper or foam sheets.
Give your kid a pile of blue tissue paper squares, the fish cutouts, and maybe some green strips for seaweed. They just stick everything onto the contact paper. When they’re done, lay another piece of contact paper on top (sticky side down) to seal it. Hang it in the window, and you’ve got a stained glass aquarium.
10. Melted Crayon Shark Fin
This requires a little grown-up help (and an old grater), but the result is super cool. Grate up some blue and green crayons. Sprinkle the shavings onto a piece of wax paper in a loose ocean shape. Place another piece of wax paper on top.
Now, here’s where the adult comes in: place an old towel over the wax paper and run a warm iron over it until the crayons melt. Let it cool, cut out a shark fin shape, and hang it in the window. It looks like a fin cutting through a shimmering ocean. FYI, your house will smell faintly of Crayola for a day. That’s a win in my book.
11. Beaded Pipe Cleaner Fish
These are simple, great for fine motor skills, and look lovely in the light. Take a pipe cleaner and bend it into a fish shape, twisting the ends together to secure. Let your kids thread pony beads onto the pipe cleaner body.
Once it’s full, bend the pipe cleaner to close any gaps so the beads don’t fall off. You can add a googly eye with a dab of glue. Hang these on a string in front of a window, and they catch the light beautifully.
Creative Ocean Small Worlds
Sometimes, the craft is just the beginning of the play. These projects create a whole world for imagination to take over.
12. Shoebox Aquarium
Grab an old shoebox. Cut out one of the long sides and replace it with a piece of blue cellophane or plastic wrap taped on the inside. This is your “viewing window.” Paint the inside of the box blue.
Now, decorate! Hang the paper plate fish or the beaded fish from the “ceiling” of the box with string. Glue some rocks and shells to the bottom. You can even add a little treasure chest made from a painted matchbox. It’s a diorama and a toy in one.
13. Playdough Ocean Mat
Print out a simple outline of an ocean scene—maybe just a wavy line for the sea floor and some blank space for water. Laminate it or slip it into a page protector.
Now, bust out the blue, green, and brown playdough. Challenge your kids to make their own sea creatures out of dough to place on the mat. They can roll snakes for eels, flatten circles for fish, or make blobs for coral. It’s endlessly reusable and great for creative thinking.
14. Edible Ocean Pudding Cups
Okay, this one is technically a snack, but you have to construct it, so I’m calling it a craft. Make a batch of blue Jell-O or vanilla pudding dyed blue with food coloring. Spoon it into clear cups.
Crush up some graham crackers for “sand” and sprinkle it on top. Then, add some gummy fish or sharks. You can even stick a little paper umbrella in it. It’s the perfect treat after a long day of crafting. My kids focus more on the eating part than the building part, but hey, it keeps them busy for another five minutes. 🙂
15. Egg Carton Whale
We can’t forget the biggest animal in the ocean! Cut apart a cardboard egg carton so you have one cup for one whale, or two cups together for a chubbier whale. Paint it blue or gray.
Cut a tail fin and side fins from some spare cardboard or craft foam and glue them on. Use a pipe cleaner to make a little water spout on top. Poke a hole in the top, stick the pipe cleaner in, and secure it with glue or a knot on the inside. Add googly eyes, and you have a whole pod of egg carton whales.
Let the Ocean Adventures Begin
So, which one will you try first? I’m personally a sucker for the melted crayon projects, but the sensory bottles are a close second because they buy me a solid ten minutes of quiet on a road trip.
The best part about these under the sea DIY ocean crafts for kids is that they use stuff you probably already have hiding in your pantry or craft closet. No need for a special trip to the store. Just pick one, clear off the kitchen table, and let the creativity flow.
And remember, the googly eye can never be too big, and glitter is a state of mind. Now go make some waves with your little ones! They might just surprise you with what they create. 🙂
