Seaside Fishing Activity for Outdoor Learning & Fun

Ocean State Kids, an outdoor learning and nature play program hosts a weekly meetup at Sandy Point Beach in Portsmouth, Rhode Island every Wednesday. The Waves of Wonder is our time to get together for a splash of ocean adventure & to dive into the wonders of the sea. We want our children to turn learning into an endless summer of discovery! How do we do this? Our director of education, Kassia O'Reilly, facilitates one learning activity each week to strike the curiosity of our young minds. This past week we explored this fun seaside fishing activity, 'Pretend Fishing'.

This is a craft activity that anyone can do. It's very simple and hits many of the REILDS standards we aim to meet: motion & stability, push & pull, fine motor skills, small muscle control, strength, coordination and lastly creativity!

The materials required for this activity are easy to find:

• Skewers or S'more Sticks

• String, rope, or twine

• Wooden Fish, or toy fish. (We made ours on a Cricut Machine with Basswood)

• Glue or masking tape.

• Paint brush

• Tempra Paints

Instructions: EASY! Have your child paint the wooden fish or toy the color of their choice. While it's drying in the sun, secure the string to the top of the skewer using glue or tape. Once the fish is dried, practice/introduce tying a knot around the fish. This is great fine motor skill practice, but also introduces the concept of knots for early learners.

During our Waves of Wonder program, we also offer weekly laminated learning worksheets. To expand on fine motor skills, "Fine Motor Fish Fun" was this week's worksheet, challenging the tots to trace the dotted lines with markers. Super, super, cute.

OCEAN STATE KIDS MISSION:

Ocean State Kids is a nonprofit organization focused on creating outdoor educational programs for young children in Rhode Island. We believe that the world is the best classroom and we strive to create learning experiences to foster a deeper connection to the earth, inspiring a lifelong love for the outdoors. Ocean State Kids is on a mission to build a vibrant community of like-minded families who share our passion for outdoor learning, nature play, creativity, and allowing our selves to grow alongside our children. Together, we can inspire the next generation of young explorers, imaginative dreamers and stewards of the earth.

Ocean State Kids is committed to protecting childhood at all costs—meeting children’s needs without imposing rules, assessments, or societal pressures. We provide a space for a child’s natural sense of wonder and curiosity to flourish. Additionally, we aim to equip parents with the tools and resources to consciously connect with their family and grow together.