menu
Educatall
Search
Advertising

Pre-K activities, learning games, crafts, and printables


Advertising


Sailors

Sail through activity planning with our musical activities, games, circle time inspiration, crafts, and decoration ideas!

In the Educatall Club
Navigate this theme with our word flashcards, activity sheets, picture game, modeling dough activity placemats, printable games, puzzles and more!


Educatall Club
Educatall Club

ALL THEMES See 2024 schedule

Advertising

SPECIAL TOOLPicture game-Sailors-1

 

This tool was created in response to a special request received. (Open group identification-Sailors) Print and laminate the items. Use them to identify cubbyholes, naptime mattresses, and other personal belongings.

 

CIRCLE TIME

 

Animated discussion-Sailors

(Open picture game-Sailors) Print and laminate the pictures in the format you prefer. Use them to spark a conversation with your group. Ask children questions about the theme.

Transform your circle time area by setting a blanket on the floor to represent a boat. Explain to your group that the area around the blanket is water. Have them sit inside your boat. Fill a spray bottle with water and have fun gently spraying the air whenever children touch the “water”. Talk about sailors to introduce the theme.

 

Circle time discussion starters:Educa-theme-Sailors

  • Ask children what a sailor’s uniform looks like.
  • Encourage them to make siren sounds with their mouth.
  • Invite children to find a picture of a marine means of transportation and encourage them to explain their choice to the group.
  • Ask children to name different means of transportation that we can see on the water.
  • Have children make a list of the means of transportation they have used.

AREA SETUP

 

Thematic poster-Sailors

(Open thematic poster-Sailors) Print, laminate, and display where children are sure to see it.

 

Educa-theme-Sailors

(Open educa-theme-Sailors) Print and laminate the different elements representing the theme. Use them to present the theme to your group (and children’s parents) while decorating your daycare.

 Educa-decorate-Sailors-1

Educa-decorate-Sailors

(Open educa-decorate-Sailors) Print, laminate, and cut out the illustrations. Use them to decorate your walls and set the mood for the theme.

 

Stickers-Sailors

(Open stickers-Sailors) Print the illustrations on adhesive paper and use them to create a collection of unique stickers. Use them to reward children throughout the theme.

 

PICTURE GAME

 

(Open picture game-Sailors) Use the pictures to decorate your daycare or to spark a conversation with your group. Print, laminate, and store the pictures in a Ziploc bag or in your thematic bin.

 

Memory game-SailorsActivity sheets-Sailors

(Open picture game-Sailors) Print the pictures twice and use them for a memory game.

 

ACTIVITY SHEETS

 

(Open activity sheets-Sailors) Print and follow instructions.

 

Writing activities-S like sailor

(Open writing activities-S like sailor) Print for each child or laminate for use with a dry-erase marker.

 

Stationery-Sailors

(Open stationery-Sailors) Use this thematic stationery to communicate with parents, in your writing area, or to identify your thematic bins. Print.

 Writing activities-S like sailor

Educa-nuudles-Sailors

(Open educa-nuudles-Sailors) Print for each child. Have children color the sheet. Once they are done, they may use Magic Nuudles to turn the coloring pages into three-dimensional works of art.

Variation: If you do not have Magic Nuudles, ask children to fill the spaces designed for Magic Nuudles with bingo markers or stickers.

 

 

LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES

 

The flashcards may be used during circle time to spark a conversation with the group or in your reading and writing area. They may also be used to identify your thematic bins. (Open word flashcards-Sailors) (Open giant word flashcards-Sailors) boat, ferry, cargo, cruise, sailor, sailboat, crew, captain, seafarers, sailor cap, ocean, deckhand

 Word flashcards-Sailors

Educa-chatterbox-Sailors

(Open educa-chatterbox-Sailors) Print and laminate the cards. To create your chatterbox, you will need an empty shoebox or a small bin that you can decorate as you see fit. Fill it with tiny objects, illustrations, pictures, and accessories related to your theme. To help you, we have created a series of cards that you may use. During circle time or, for example, when children are waiting for their lunch, have them take turns picking a card or object out of your chatterbox and naming the corresponding item.

 

Let’s chat

Print and laminate the theme’s word flashcards. Have each child pick a word. They can take turns presenting their word to the group (ex. a sailor cap). Discuss each item and ask children questions to see what they know about the theme.

 

Let’s meet at the lighthouse

(Open lighthouse) Print, laminate, and cut out the lighthouse. Hide it within your daycare and give children verbal instructions to help them find it. Give each child the chance to hide the lighthouse for one round. The child who hides the lighthouse can also guide the group and help them navigate to the lighthouse.

 Educa-chatterbox-Sailors

Sequential story

(Open sequential story-Raise your sails) Print, laminate, and cut out the illustrations. Children must place them in the correct order to recreate the story.

 

Scene-On the water

(Open scene-On the water) Print, laminate, and cut out the items. Children use them to decorate the scene.

 

ROUTINES AND TRANSITIONS

 

Sailors on board

Cut the base of a large sailboat out of Kraft paper and press it on a large piece of blue paper displayed on a wall. Glue a wooden dowel stick vertically to represent a mast and add pieces of fabric that will become sails. Write “Our crew” at the top of the blue paper. (Open my sailor face) Print the document and invite children to draw their features and hair. Every day, when children arrive, they can press their sailor face on your boat using adhesive putty. Remove the faces as children leave at the end of each day.

 Game-This is my spot-Sailors

Game-This is my spot-Sailors

(Open game-This is my spot-Sailors) Print 2 copies of each item. Secure one set of illustrations on the table using adhesive paper. Set the second set of illustrations in an opaque bag. Children take turns picking a card to determine where they are to sit at the table. You may also use the cards to determine naptime spots or which tasks each child shall be responsible for.

 

Boarding

Arrange several chairs one behind the other. Write numbers on small pieces of cardboard, creating two identical series. Use adhesive tape to press the first series of numbers on the chairs and deposit the numbers from the second series in a bag or basket. Children take turns picking a number to find their seat, as if they were boarding a bus, an airplane, etc.

 

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND MOTOR SKILLS

 Modeling dough activity placemats-Sailors-1

The captains’ sailors

Divide your group into 2 teams. In each team, one child becomes the captain and stands on a finish line (port). The other children are sailors. Blindfold them and have them stand on a start line, facing their captain and holding each other’s shoulders. The captains must help their sailors reach them using verbal cues. Which boat will reach the port first?

 

I am searching for sailors

(Open models-Sailors) Print. Laminate the sailors and press them on the walls and on the floor. Give each child a flashlight. Turn the lights off and close the curtains to make your daycare as obscure as possible. Children use their flashlight to find the sailors.

 

Modeling dough activity placemats-Sailors

(Open modeling dough activity placemats-Sailors) Print and laminate. Let children pick a placemat and provide modeling dough. Encourage them to use the dough to fill or reproduce the shapes that are on their placemat.

 Modeling dough activity placemats-Sailors-2

Fine motor skills-Crumpled sailors

(Open models-Sailors) Print for each child. Have them tear pieces of tissue paper that they can crumple to form tiny balls. They can apply white glue to a model and press the balls of paper to fill the shape. Display their artwork.

 

Captain’s orders

Just like in Simon says give your little sailors instructions as if you were a ship’s captain. The goal is to encourage children to be active. You could, for example, ask them to mop the ship’s floor making circular movements with their arms while they are on their hands and knees, have them raise and lower imaginary sails (by pulling on an imaginary rope), pretend to toss a heavy anchor into the ocean, wave to their captain, pretend to climb a ship’s mast, etc.

 

Dock boarding

In your yard, draw a large boat outline on the ground using sidewalk chalk. Make sure there is enough room for all the children in your group. Use blue chalk to draw waves around your boat and, a few meters from your boat, draw a dock. Connect the dock and boat by setting a piece of wood (plank) on the ground. Invite children to walk on the plank to board the boat and get off. If you wish to do this activity indoors, simply set a blue shower curtain on the floor and set your wooden plank on 2 sturdy blocks. Challenge children to walk the plank without falling in the water.Sail-association

 

Buoy targets

(Open buoy targets) Print the document and glue it at one end of a long table using adhesive paper. This game is for 2 children at a time. Give 5 large blue buttons to one player and 5 large red buttons to his opponent. Show children how they can set a button on the edge of the table and use their fingers to slide it towards the targets. Add up each player’s points to determine a winner who will continue to play for the following round.

 

Little motor game

Give each child a sponge (motor) that they must set on their head. Have them start their engine. If a child drops his motor, he must stop in his tracks and wait for one of his peers to come set it back on his head (without dropping his own motor!). Children cannot pick up their own motor, they must count on their friends to help them.

 

COGNITIVE ACTIVITIES

 

Sail association

(Open sail association) Print for each child. Children must cut out the sails that are on the second page and glue each one on the boat that has the matching sail on the first page.

 Complete the oars

Complete the oars

(Open complete the oars) Print for each child. Children must press the right colors of electrical tape on the oars to reproduce the suggested designs.

 

Game-Four sailors

(Open game-Four sailors) Print, glue the cards on opaque cardboard, and cut them out. Arrange all the cards upside down on the floor or table (so you can’t see the illustrations). Children take turns rolling a die. Every time a child rolls a “1”, he can turn a card. If he doesn’t already have this sailor in front of him, he keeps the card and places it in front of him for everyone to see. The first child who has collected all four sailors wins.

 Color by number-Sailors

Color by number-Sailors

(Open color by number-Sailors) Print for each child. Children must color the picture per the color code.

 

Hunt and seek coloring-Sailors

(Open hunt and seek coloring-Sailors) Print and laminate. Children must find and color the items.

 

Educ-trace-Sailors

(Open educ-trace-Sailors) Print for each child. Have them trace the dotted lines using a crayon of the corresponding color and then color the object.

 

Educ-math-Sailors

(Open educ-math-Sailors) Print and laminate for durable, eco-friendly use. Children must count the items in each rectangle and circle the corresponding number.

 

Puzzles-SailorsPuzzles-Sailors-1

(Open puzzles-Sailors) Print, laminate, and cut the puzzles into pieces. Children must assemble them to complete the scenes.

 

MORAL AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES

 

Dress-up dolls-Ship captain

(Open dress-up dolls-Ship captain) Print and laminate. Set the pieces in front of your group. Let them dress the doll as they see fit.

 

Photo booth-Sailors

(Open photo booth-Sailors) Print the various accessories, cut them out, and glue a drinking straw behind each one. Purchase glasses, hats, scarves, hair accessories, etc. at your local dollar store. Create a décor using a large piece of cardboard. Invite children to pick the accessories they prefer and pose for you. You can take individual, group, or family photos. Print the pictures and display them on a wall for everyone to see.

 

MUSICAL AND RHYTHMIC ACTIVITIES

 Photo booth-Sailor

Float like a boat

Fill a bin with water. Gather several objects, making sure you have items that float and others that sink. Encourage children to guess if each item will sink or float before you drop it in the water.

 

Boat race

Cut the bottom (approximately 3 inches high) of an empty milk carton to represent a boat for each child. Let children decorate their boat before setting a few figurines (passengers) in it. Fill a kiddie pool or large bin with water and organize a boat race. Children can propel their boat forward by making tiny waves in the water.

 

CULINARY ACTIVITIES

 

Miniature garnished boats

Use various colors of construction paper to prepare several paper boats. Throughout the theme, use the paper boats to serve different types of dry snacks. For example, you could fill the boats with fish crackers.

 Craft-Anchor

My submarine

For lunch, give each child a submarine bun. Fill a platter with a variety of meats and vegetables and let children prepare their sub.

 

Sailboat sandwich

Cut a sandwich into 4 triangles. Thinly slice an apple. Place a sandwich piece on top of each apple slice to represent a boat.

 

ARTS & CRAFTS

 

Sailor telescopes

For each child, you will need an empty paper towel roll and a paper drinking glass. Help children remove the bottom of their drinking glass using scissors and invite them to paint their cardboard roll using the color of their choice. Provide stickers related to the theme that children can use to decorate their drinking glass. Next, show them how they can slide their drinking glass onto one end of their cardboard roll and turn it to pretend to adjust their telescope lens.

 

Decorated anchor

(Open craft-anchor) Print the model for each child and invite them to cut it out and trace it on heavy cardboard. Encourage children to paint both sides of their anchor using blue poster paint to which you have added glitter. Let dry. Provide blue buttons, blue necklace beads, blue sequins, etc. Children can glue the items of their choice all over their anchor. Glue a pretty blue ribbon to the top of each child’s anchor so they can be hung.

 Puppets-Sailors-1

Puppets-Sailors

(Open puppets-Sailors) Print the various models on cardboard. Ask children to cut them out and decorate them with arts & crafts materials. Glue a Popsicle stick behind each one to complete the puppets.

 

Sailor hats

(Open hats-Sailors) Print. Ask children to color their hat and glue it on a strip of construction paper that is long enough to fit the circumference of their head.

 

Foam boats

You will need Styrofoam meat platters. Have children cut a boat shape out of each one. Glue a Popsicle stick vertically (using hot glue) in the center of each boat and add construction paper sails.

 

My cargo

(Open models-Marine transportation) Print several boats. Ask children to glue uncooked pasta, necklace beads, sequins, and other tiny objects in their boat to represent cargo.

 Models-Sailors

Miniature sailboat

You will need a walnut half (if nut allergies are present, use a small empty yogurt container instead) for each child. Fill the walnut halves with modeling dough and have each child prick a toothpick in the dough. Give children a small square piece of paper and have them draw on it. Fold the square in half to create a triangular sail. Children can glue their sail on their sailboat’s mast (toothpick). These miniature sailboats should float!

 

COLORING PAGES

 

(Open coloring pages theme-Sailors) Print for each child.

 

Have fun!

The educatall team

 

Pub bottom page theme


Back to Top