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Looking for a fun summer craft for the kids? Try making this shark suncatcher craft! All you need is some tissue paper and contact paper, and you can let the kids loose to create their unique designs.

Once they’re done, you can hang the suncatchers in the windows to add a splash of summer color to your home. The best part is that this craft will keep the kids entertained – and they’ll be proud to show off their finished suncatchers to all their friends.

So, whether you’re looking for a summertime activity or just a way to decorate your windows, try this shark themed craft! Also, check out all of our shark activities for kids.

contact paper shark craft image collage with the words shark suncatcher

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Ocean Suncatcher Craft

Enjoy learning about marine life with this simple DIY window decoration that’s perfect for celebrating Shark Week in your classroom, homeschool, or summer camp!

Supplies

Contact paper
Blue tissue paper
White cardstock or printer paper
Glue dot
Black marker
Double sided tape
Shark template (click the “click here to get your freebies” image at the end of the post)

Click here to see why I recommend these craft supplies

Directions

Start by downloading and printing the template. Once the template is printed, gather the materials for this fun activity. Get those scissors ready, and let’s help the kids bring this shark to life!

hand holding shark suncatcher craft template

Begin by cutting out two pieces of contact paper that are larger than the shark’s body.

Place the cut out shark template on the tabletop, then place a piece of contact paper above it, with the sticky side facing up. We recommend taping the four corners of the contact paper to the table so your child doesn’t accidentally touch it with their hands and pull it up.

Click here to see our favorite kids’ craft supplies.

Use tissue squares to cover the shark outline in a thin 1-2 layer of tissue paper. The reason you want the tissue paper thin is so it sticks to the other side of the contact paper and stays sealed.

hand placing tissue paper squares on contact paper

Parents: Peel off the other piece of contact paper and place it sticky side down onto the tissue paper. Smooth out any wrinkles.

hand placing contact paper onto tissue paper

Take the shark body and trace it on top of the sealed tissue paper. Cut the shark shape out.

hand tracing shark outline onto contact paper

Secure the shark’s eye near the end of the head with a piece of double-sided tape or a permanent glue dot.

hand gluing eye onto shark suncatcher craft

Use a black marker to draw a smile on below the eye.

hand drawing smile onto shark suncatcher craft

Finish up by taping it to a window or sliding glass door with double-sided tape.

That’s it! We think your kids will love making this fun ocean craft!

Fun Paper Plate Fish Craft

Kids’ Books About The Ocean

Most parents know that reading aloud to their kids is a great way to promote literacy and a love of reading. But did you know that reading aloud can also help kids develop in other ways?

When you read aloud, you provide a model of fluent, expressive reading for your child to imitate. You also expose them to a variety of vocabulary words and concepts that they might not otherwise be exposed to.

And as you discuss the book with your child, you help them to develop critical thinking skills. So next time you’re looking for a way to nurture your child’s development, reach for a book! Try one of these popular ocean books:

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 Kids’ Crafts

Crafting is a great way for kids to express their creativity while also developing important skills. Through crafting, kids can learn to follow instructions, solve problems, and think creatively.

In addition, crafting can also help kids to develop fine motor skills and improve hand-eye coordination. Finally, crafting can also be a great way for kids to socialize and make new friends!

Add in some more of these fun ocean crafts:

Related: Ocean Cutting Practice Pages

Paper Plate Shark Craft – This craft is perfect for a summer project. All you need is a paper plate, some paint, and some paper. The best part is that it’s easy to make and turns out looking really cute. Even if your child doesn’t usually enjoy crafts, we think they’ll still have fun making this project.

This image features four ocean-themed kids’ crafts. The top left shows two blue shark faces made from paper plates, the top right and bottom left display purple and orange octopus paper bag puppets, and the bottom right shows two colorful jellyfish drawings on blue backgrounds with ocean scenes.

Easy Jellyfish Painting – Jellyfish are such beautiful creatures that kids love painting them. And what’s even better, this jellyfish painting is great for creativity! Just print out the template, have the kids color it in however they like, and then explore their creativity with the watercolors.

They can make their jellyfish any color they want – or even mix colors to create new ones! This easy painting project is sure to be a hit with the kids.

Octopus Paper Bag Puppet Craft – This octopus craft is perfect for pretend ocean adventures. It’s a fun summer activity that will get your child’s imagination going. Plus, there’s a free template to make it super simple.

Ocean Activities

There’s no need to be bored on an indoor day when you’ve got a whole ocean of educational fun waiting for you with these printable ocean animal worksheets for kids! These no-prep worksheets are perfect for preschoolers and kindergarteners.

Try this Paper Plate Crab Craft

They can practice fine motor skills by tracing lines and curves, learn about patterns by completing the ocean animal pattern worksheet or work on scissor skills with the label a dolphin printable. With so many different activities to choose from, your child is sure to find something they enjoy!

This image displays four ocean-themed educational activities for young children. The top left shows alphabet tracing worksheets featuring sea animals (jellyfish, octopus, dolphin, shark, and whale), while the top and bottom right sections include color-by-number shark coloring pages. The bottom right features six illustrated flashcards of sharks labeled with different colors: red, blue, green, orange, purple, and yellow.

These shark color by number printables are a great way for kids to practice fine motor skills while having fun. By coloring in the sharks, kids can improve their pencil grip and develop their number recognition skills.

These printables are also a great way for kids to wind down after a busy day or week. So if you’re looking for a fun and educational activity for your kids, be sure to check out these coloring pages.

This ocean and sand sensory bin is great for sensory play and exploration. Kids can pretend they’re at the beach, digging in the sand and looking for shells. Or they can just have fun exploring all the different textures and colors.

Either way, it’s a great way to encourage sensory development and exploration. Plus, it’s just plain fun! So if you’re looking for a sensory-rich activity for your little ones, this bin is a great option.

Shark Headband Craft

Did you make this activity with your kids or students? We’d love to feature them on our social media!

For a chance to have your child’s project featured, simply snap a picture of the completed project and post it to our Facebook page, email it to us directly by clicking here, or use #simpleeverydaymom on your social media!

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