Free Printable Ocean Matching Game For Preschoolers

The kids in your life are likely really intrigued by ocean animals! These mysterious creatures are mesmerizing and completely unique!

If you want to help kids learn more about ocean animals, then this free ocean animal matching game is just what you need!

It’s an educational kids activity that will help kids work on memory, focus, visual discrimination, and matching skills. They’ll love matching up all of the different sea creatures!

Read on below to see some different ways we use these cards and don’t forget to enter your email in the form to get your free copy.

Also, check out our other ocean activities for even more learning fun!

Ocean Memory Game

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate and a participant in other affiliate programs, I earn a commission on qualifying purchases. Read our disclosure policy.

Even though there are four years between my boys, at ages 3 and 7, they both still love playing matching games. Plus, it’s so easy to set up.

All you need to do is print the cards out onto card stock, laminate them (trust us, you’ll want to reuse them), cut them out, and play!

It’s really easy to set up this simple game. Place all the cards face-down and have your kids take turns flipping over two at a time.

The goal is to match up all the pairs of sea animals! As they play, they’ll be honing their concentration and memory skills – while learning new marine life vocabulary words as they find each matching pair!

There are many different animals on these flashcards, including a sea turtle, a shark, and many more! This ocean memory game would also be a great addition to any ocean theme lesson. We love using it as an independent work activity or small group project.

Torn Paper Crab Craft

You can also use these ocean animal cards to reinforce color matching. This is perfect for older toddlers or preschool-aged children who are learning about colors.

Just grab some colored paper in gray, purple, yellow, pink, green, orange, and red and set it up.

Simply place the colored paper in two rows on the table. Then lay out the ocean animal cards and ask your child to match the color of the animal on the card to the correct colored paper.

So simple and educational!

Ocean Ideas For Kids

Keep the learning going by creating a whole ocean-themed unit for kids! We’ve got some great ideas to get you started. Keep reading for some fun and educational activities that’ll have your little ones exploring the ocean from home or school!

Ocean Animal Books For Kids

Reading is a fundamental part of building the foundation for knowledge and understanding. It’s also one way kids can get better at focusing on what they read, which will help them in any academic setting!

Grab some of these books from your local library or buy them on Amazon to add to your home or classroom collection.

The Snail and the Whale– Julia Donaldson, author of the famous book The Gruffalo, brings kids another fun book about an unlikely set of friends. Snail and Whale have lots of fun together in this colorful book!

Shark Lady– This children’s book is based upon the true story of Eugenie Clark, aka, The Shark Lady. Learn about her love of sharks, her discoveries, and the inspiring message of going after what you want in life.

The Rainbow Fish -This is a classic children’s book with a wonderful message for children. In it, a fish learns to share his favorite possession, his glittery scales, with his friends!

Ocean Craft Ideas

We all love to make things, don’t we? And not only does crafting provide us with some relief from boredom, but it also helps our children develop creativity and intelligence. Add in some ocean crafts for kids with some of our favorites below:

Cute Shark Name Craft For Kids

Paper Plate Crab Craft – Kids will go crazy for this fun and easy paper plate crab craft. They can paint, cut, and color it to create a vibrant craft that’s perfect for any ocean day!

Octopus Paper Bag Puppet Craft – Learn how to make an octopus paper bag puppet with this easy tutorial. It’s a fun craft that kids can use for pretend play and will keep them entertained!

Shark Headband Craft – This shark headband craft is perfect for kids who love the ocean. It’s easy to make and can be customized with any color crayons you like. Plus, there’s a free template to help your kiddos.

Paper Plate Humpback Whale Craft – This cute paper plate humpback whale craft is perfect for kids. It’s a fun and easy ocean-themed craft that they’ll enjoy making. Plus, it’s a great way to teach them about whales!

Printable Ocean Activities For Kids

If your kids or students love board games, try one of these fun ocean themed board games for kids!

Kids will love these fun and educational ocean animal printable preschool worksheets. They’ll help kids practice patterns, scissor skills, visual motor skills, fine motor skills, and more. Plus they’re just plain adorable!

Sail the seas with these ocean pattern block mats. We couldn’t resist creating these cute printables to help kids learn to recognize shapes and practice fine motor skills. This is a great way to keep your little ones entertained on those rainy days, or just as an activity anytime.

Who doesn’t love a good color by number activity? These color by number ocean animal printables are perfect for kids who love the sea. Each printable features a different animal, and the colors correspond with the numbers on the page. Have fun coloring in your favorite sea creatures!

These free ocean bingo printables are perfect for summer! They feature different ocean animals and objects so kids can learn while playing. Simply print out the bingo cards and use small toys or bingo markers to play. You can also laminate the cards for repeated use!

Super Fun Octopus Paper Chain Craft

This ocean play dough kit is the perfect way to keep your kids entertained. It’s loaded with fun trinkets and it’s a great screen-free activity. Let their imaginations run wild as they create oceans of their own.

Ocean Animal Matching Game Printable