Seaside & Under the Sea Level: Early Grades - Skills & games

In the Sea … On the Boat! (developing listening skills)

This is a version of a listening skills game that I learned from my good friend, Stephanie, with whom I worked for several years. The children loved it! Put two, long rows of joined-together skipping ropes on the ground, about a metre apart, and curve the ends round to meet, making a boat shape. Inside the lines of rope, the children are on the boat; outside the lines they are in the sea. Alternate between calling out, 'On the boat!' - the children jump into the 'boat' - and, 'In the sea' - the children jump into the sea.

Extension Activity (timbre)

The game is great fun just as it stands but you could extend it by playing, for instance, a drum for In the sea and a tambourine for On the Boat. The children have to listen very carefully to just the instrument without the words.

Guess the Buried Treasure (timbre)

Fill identical containers (not see-through ones) with everyday treasure objects like coins, tiny beads, pretend bank notes, colored stones, 'silver' teaspoons, sugar (once very expensive!). They must sound different when shaken. Before you begin the game, talk with the children about what treasure might be eg jewels, precious stones, coins, bank notes, silver cutlery, rare foods, magic beans.

First the children have to find the containers, labelled with a picture of a pirate for identification, hidden around the room. Next they shake the containers and guess what is in them. Show the contents of the containers when everyone has guessed.

Put the contents back and let the children shake them again and try to say what is in them by listening, and comparing with the sounds they remember.

At the Bottom of the Sea

You'll need to teach the song first before playing this game. The children take turns to be a fish, swimming in and out of the other children who are sitting in their own space on the floor, singing the song. When the song stops, the 'fish' taps the shoulder of the nearest child who then becomes the fish. The game ends when each child has been a fish so the swimming fish must only tap a child on the shoulder who has not yet had their turn.

• At the bottom of the sea
• All the fish are swimming
• Here and there and everywhere
• They're swimming in the ocean