Your Guide to Home Learning: Ocean Exploration
Although we can’t visit the seaside, your kids can still explore the wonders of the ocean! This week’s home learning guide will take your little ones on an underwater adventure to discover stingrays, manatees, sharks, and many more sea creatures. We’ll also learn about fascinating ocean occurrences like whale song and echolocation. Plus, we’ve got some cool music videos so your kids can jam along while earning their “sea legs”.
Jonathan Bird’s Blue World
Best for kids aged 6+
Episode Length: 30 minutes
The Show: Hosted by marine naturalist and underwater cinematographer Jonathan Bird, this family-oriented television series focuses on marine research and researchers, ocean exploration and recent discoveries. With stunning underwater photography, kids will love unlocking the mysteries of creatures that live beneath the sea.
Learning Outcome: Kids learn about underwater animals and habitats, attributes and adaptations.
Wild Kratts Underwater Challenge Game
Best for kids aged 5+
Activity Time: 10 – 20 minutes
The Game: Kids navigate different parts of the ocean by gaining the abilities of different sea animals.
Learning Outcome: Kids learn about ocean habitats and the capabilities of a variety of sea animals. For example, kids learn that a seahorse can navigate through coral, and that flying fish are surface dwellers and glide above water. Using this information, kids will gain strategic knowledge of how best to maneuver underwater.
The Polos
Best for kids aged 3 to 7
Episode Length: 6 minutes
The Show: We follow the adventures of an inventive group of animated friends who explore the wonders of the natural world through observation and immersion. Every episode features a catchy music video that will have kids singing and dancing along while they learn!
Episodes to Watch: Coral Reef, Echolocation, Whale Song, The Deep, Sharks, Clean Up
Learning Outcome: Kids will learn about natural science, the importance of conservation, as well as the attributes and habitats of animals. Through role modeling, the characters teach kids about inquiry, curiosity, teamwork, problem solving and critical thinking.
5-minute fitness break: ocean yoga
Learn about various sea creatures through yoga poses for kids. This brings playfulness to your daily exercise as kids carry out yoga stretches and pretend to be a variety of animals like sharks, dolphins and jellyfish. Expressing educational references with our bodies can help ‘cement the learn’ for kids. So you’ll help them sustain the knowledge they’ve gained, while getting stronger at the same time!
We hope your mini ocean explorers have fun learning all about the sea, and that these underwater adventures leave everyone happy as a clam. We’ll “sea” you soon!