Fish Theme Activities for Infants & Toddlers

Observation

• Buy a small fishbowl and a betta fish. A betta fish is ideal for a classroom, since these fish are brightly colored and children will be captivated by them. They can live in a small tank or bowl without a pump and can also go a few days without eating, so they can survive in the classroom over weekends. Place the bowl where children can see it but not reach the top. For babies, put the bowl near a chair so you can hold the child and let him watch the fish. Talk about all the parts of the fish you see, like the fins and gills. Toddlers can learn about taking care of an animal. Keep the fish food on a high shelf, but allow the child to drop in a bit of food.

Catching Fish

• Cut fish shapes out of construction paper. Place a metal paper clip between two fish shapes and glue the edges of the fish together. Draw a picture of a pond on a large piece of paper. Place it on the ground and arrange the fish on the pond. Tie a magnet to one end of a string and a wooden dowel to the other end to make a fishing line. Let children take turns fishing in the pond. Toddlers should be able to do this on their own, while babies will need an adult to help.

Hand and Feet Fish

• Use the child's hands and feet to create fish. With her hand straight and her fingers held together, press the child's hand into a bowl of paint and then onto a piece of paper. When the paint dries, help her glue googly eyes onto each "fish" and draw a fin on its back. The same can be done with feet, although this will be messier. To make the activity cleaner, use a pencil to trace the hands or feet onto paper, then let children color them in.

"One Fish Two Fish"

• Read Dr. Seuss' book "One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish" out loud. Use the book to teach children about patterns and counting. Read it a second time and ask toddlers to help fill in lines. For instance, say "One fish, two fish ..." and children must recite the rest. While you read, children can use fingers to play along. Ask them to hold up one finger when you say "one" and point to a red object in the room when you say "red." Show babies one or two fingers and try to get them to mirror you.