Who loves a trip to the beach?

*ducks as everyone raises their hand*

While we’re waiting for our family trip to the shore this year, I thought we’d try a fun printable beach unit study with the kids.

Which is how this All About Beaches early elementary unit was born!

There’s so much more to the beach than sand and surf!

There are animals that live on the beach, scientific principles that explain how sand is formed, ways to learn about notable beaches around the world, and more that kids can discover in this printable unit study.

This unit is full of beach-themed activities that you can use with young learners and early elementary students.

Read on to see how to get your copy!

Looking for more beach-themed fun for the summer? Don’t miss our list of beach books for kids and our beach play sand you can make at home!

Printable Beach Unit Study: All About Beaches

To use this printable beach unit study, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

• Printer (with ink)
• Printer Paper
• Pencils
• Crayons
• Laminator (optional)
• Scissors (for separating the flashcards)

All About Beaches begins with a two-page lesson about how sand is formed.

Then we’re on to geography with an activity that helps kids place the locations of beaches around the U.S. and around the world.

A full answer key is located at the back.

Complete a fun unscramble activity to spot the names of animals that live on the beach!

And kids who love word games will have fun with a printable beach word search!

There’s a two-page story about a day at the beach, followed by a grammar exercise to help kids review parts of speech.

Several beach-themed coloring pages are also included!

And little ones can practice counting to ten with beach ball flashcards in English…

…and Spanish too! You might want to laminate these for durability, by the way.

Scroll down to get your copy of our Printable Beach Unit Study: All About Beaches!

Don’t miss these other beach activities for kids!

The post Printable Beach Unit Study: All About Beaches appeared first on Look! We're Learning!.

If you like using unit studies with your students, I’m sharing a fun beach unit for kids that’s a perfect way to learn about these natural wonders!

I absolutely adore the beach.

What can I say? I’m from Florida.

It turns out that beaches actually provide lots of educational opportunities.

You can learn about animals that live near or on the beach, how beach sand is formed, and weather that frequently occurs near shorelines – just to name a few.

This unit study features plenty of beach activities for kids!

Below, you’ll find beach books for kids, as well as beach crafts and activities kids can try.

You’ll also see educational videos that teach students about how beaches are formed, how waves develop, and what kinds of cool creatures live near the beach!

Read on to see the full list of beach learning ideas. And, check out a free beach scavenger hunt you can pick up too!

Want more beach-y ways to learn over the summer? Don’t miss our printable Beach Ball Counting to Ten Cards!

How to Use This Beach Unit for Kids

If you feel a little overwhelmed by all of the information in this unit, don’t worry. You can determine how many of the resources to use with your students.

Here’s a suggestion: Take this theme and break it up over a week or two. On one day, you might watch a video and answer the questions.

Then, you can choose a beach learning activity or craft to try. Repeat until you’ve covered the material you wanted from this unit.

Feel free to add any other awesome beach activities you find! I’m sure your students will love them.

Printable Beach Writing Pages

Pick up these free beach writing pages to get started on this beach unit study! They’re perfect for writing down the answers to the questions in the next section.

You can also let students use them to write a report on what they learn or to practice handwriting!

Just the click the image or the link below to have them sent directly to your inbox. You’ll also get our weekly newsletter this Sunday!

>>> Printable Beach Writing Pages <<<

How are Beaches Formed?

It takes many, many years for beaches to form. What makes up a beach anyway?

1. What landform do beaches start from? (Answer: Mountains)

2. How do mountains lose particles? (Answer: Particles from mountains are eroded away and washed down rivers.)

3. How do particles from mountains end up on the beach? (Answer: They sink to the bottom of the river floor and are transported to the shore over time, forming beaches.)

4. Why don’t plants grow on the beach? (Answer: The salty air prevents plants from growing.)

How Do Ocean Waves Form?

Waves also contribute to the shape of beaches.

As they break onshore, waves wash particles away from the beach, eroding sand off the shore and down to the ocean floor.

1. What causes waves? (Answer: Weather events happening far away from the shore)

2. What determines how big waves are? (Answer: 1) How strong the winds offshore are blowing, 2) How long the winds have been blowing, and 3) How large an area the winds have been blowing over)

3. How do localized winds affect waves? (Answer: Localized winds are winds that blow just a few miles offshore. These winds can cause smaller waves near the beach.)

What Animals Live on the Beach?

Did you know that there are animals hiding in tide pools near the beach?

They hide under rocks when the tide goes out, but they’re there!

1. What is the correct name for a starfish? (Answer: Sea star)

2. How did the Leather Star get its name? (Answer: It feels like wet leather when touched.)

3. What animals are sea anemones related to? (Answer: Coral and jellyfish)

4. How long can a nereid worm grow? (Answer: Up to 2 feet in length)

5. Name three types of crabs found on the beach. (Answer: Purple Shore Crab, Striped Shore Crab, Pacific Rock Crab)

6. How are prickleback fish different from most fish? (Answer: They can breathe air.)

7. How long can prickleback fish get? (Answer: Up to 2 1/2 feet in length.)

Beach Activities and Crafts for Kids

Try some of these fun beach-y activities during your beach unit for kids!

Fun Beach Activities for Kids

Share some of these fun beach theme activities for kids!

1

DIY Beach Play Sand Sensory Activity for Kids

Make up a batch of this DIY play beach sand for beach fun, even when you can't get to the shore!

Try This Idea

2

All About Beaches! Printable Unit Study

Learn about the science of sand, the geography of beaches, and even get some counting practice with this printable beach unit study!

Try This Idea

3

Beach 0-9 Number Playdough Mats

Help early learners practice forming and reading numbers 0 to 9 with these beach themed playdough number mats!

Try This Idea

4

Counting Beach Balls to Ten Learning Cards

These beach ball-themed counting to ten cards are perfect for counting objects and reading number words!

Try This Idea

5

Beach Shoebox Diorama Craft for Kids

Take an old shoebox and turn it into an ecosystem with this easy beach shoebox diorama craft! Printable template is included!

Try This Idea

6

Coffee Filter Crab Craft for Kids

Use just a few supplies you already have to make this beach-dwelling crab craft with kids!

Try This Idea

Printable Beach Scavenger Hunt for Kids

Want to have some simple fun at the beach with the kids?

Pick up this printable beach scavenger hunt and let the kids mark off the things they find!

This is just a suggestion, but it might help: Consider laminating this scavenger hunt and using a dry-erase marker.

Then you can reuse it afterwards!

You can also use this virtually!

Let students watch videos about the beach and challenge them to spot as many of these items as they can in the background!

To get this printable beach scavenger hunt, click the image or the link below to have it sent directly to your inbox!

You’ll get even more fun learning ideas in this week’s newsletter!

>>> Printable Beach Scavenger Hunt <<<

I hope you enjoy using this fun beach unit!

Try some of these other beach ideas for kids!

The post Unit Studies for Kids: Beach Unit for Kids appeared first on Look! We're Learning!.

What I love about studying the beach with kids is that the topic is so broad! You can learn about the sun, the ocean, ocean animals, beach sand, animals that live on the beach, seashells, ice cream, and so much more! So there are crafts for all these things below!

Read on to find some fun beach crafts you can try too!

25 Beach Crafts for Kids

1. Beach Diorama for Kids from Look! We’re Learning!

2. Puffy Paint Ocean Collage from ArtsyMomma

3. Seashell Keepsake Craft from Moms and Crafters

4. Beach-Themed Sand and Shell Art from Happiness is Homemade

5. Sand Footprint Craft from Paging Fun Mums

6. Newspaper Shark Craft from I Heart Crafty Things

7. Paper Plate Sun Craft from Buggy and Buddy

8. Starfish Ocean Button Craft from A Little Pinch of Perfect

9. Shell Sunflower Craft from Rhythms of Play

10. Sand Handprint Keepsakes from The Imagination Tree

11. DIY Beach Sand from Look! We’re Learning!

12. Cupcake Liner Sun Craft from I Heart Crafty Things

13. 3-Ingredient Ocean in a Bottle from Happy Hooligans

14. Paper Plate Seashell Craft from Artsy Crafty Mom

15. Sand in a Bottle Craft from Gift of Curiosity

16. Coffee Filter Beach Ball Craft from Look! We’re Learning!

17. Popsicle Stick Mosaic Sun Craft from Kids Activities Blog

18. Cupcake Liner Lighthouse Craft from Sugar Aunts

19. DIY Seashell Mobile from Nurture Store

20. Egg Carton Ocean Craft from The Imagination Tree

21. Bubbling Shell Painting from Mess for Less

22. DIY Moon Sand from Look! We’re Learning!

23. Paper Plate Beach Ball Craft from Glued to My Crafts

24. Sun Craft Scissor Skills Activity from A Little Pinch of Perfect

25. Beach Keepsake Craft from Fireflies and Mudpies

Need more summer learning ideas? Try these with your kids!

Plus, get even more ideas on my Summer Activities for Kids Pinterest Board!

And don’t miss my All About Beaches Printable Pack – perfect for keeping kids learning over the summer!

This post is part of the Summer Activities for Kids Blog Hop! Check out more summer fun for kids below!

Flower Suncatcher Nature Craft – Messy Little Monster

Make a Bee Bath – Kitchen Counter Chronicles

Water Play Car Wash – Play and Learn Everyday

Tic Tac Toe Races – Royal Baloo

Finding Dory Wind Sock Craft – The Gingerbread House

The post 25 Beach Crafts for Kids appeared first on Look! We're Learning!.

Summer’s here and we’re getting into a “beachy” frame of mind around here.

I’m from Florida and I absolutely adore the beach, so for this book roundup, I decided to feature the best beach books for kids!

There are 25 books about the beach for toddlers, preschoolers, and early elementary-aged kids to look at, read, and enjoy.

What I love about these books is that they focus on the beach itself, not just stories that take place there.

So, if you’re doing a beach unit soon, these are excellent reading choices!

Read on to see the full list. And, keep reading to pick up a fun beach themed counting resource too!

If these are a hit, check out some other summer reads, including some cool ice cream books for kids!

25 of the Best Beach Books for Kids

Whether you live near the shore or not, the beach is a wonderful theme for early learners.

There are so many animals that live near the beach to learn about.

Plus, we get to find out about incredible scientific principles such as buoyancy, erosion, and evaporation.

There are also plenty of beach crafts for kids and beach-y treats to make. Take a look at some of our favorite beach crafts for some inspiration!

25 of The Best Beach Books for Kids

Share some of these lovely and fun beach books for kids during read aloud time this summer!

1

At the Beach by Anne Rockwell

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2

Beach by Elisha Cooper

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3

Hello Ocean by Pam Muñoz Ryan

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4

Beach Day by Karen Roosa

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5

Curious George Goes to the Beach by Margret & H.A. Rey

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6

Hide and Seek Harry at the Beach by Kenny Harrison

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7

Pete the Cat: Pete at the Beach by James Dean

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8

If You Ever Want to Bring a Piano to the Beach, Don't! by Elise Parsley

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9

Llama Llama Sand and Sun by Anna Dewdley

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10

A Day at the Seashore by Kathryn Jackson

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11

Fancy Nancy: Sand Castles and Sand Palaces by Jane O'Connor

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12

How Will We Get to the Beach? by Brigitte Luciani

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13

Duck & Goose Go to the Beach by Tad Hills

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14

Beach Baby by Laurie Elmquist

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15

On My Beach by Sara Gillingham

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16

Beach Bugs: A Sunny Pop-up Book by David A. Carter

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17

Ladybug Girl at the Beach by David Soman

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18

Daniel's Day at the Beach (Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood) by Becky Friedman

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19

Biscuit's First Beach Day by Alyssa Satin Capucilli

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20

Clam-I-Am!: All About the Beach by Tish Rabe

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21

Daisy Dawson at the Beach by Steve Voake

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22

Beach House by Deana Caswell

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23

A Beach Tail by Karen Lynn Williams

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24

Scaredy Squirrel at the Beach by Melanie Watt

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25

Hum and Swish by Matt Myers

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Printable Beach Ball Counting Cards

Add even more beach learning fun to your beach theme with these printable beach ball counting to ten cards!

These feature beach balls in groups of one to ten with number words underneath.

There are also a set of cards with blank spaces for attaching number word labels.

Perfect for early math centers!

To get your set of these beach ball counting cards free, just click the image or the link below to have them sent directly to your inbox!

You’ll also get our newsletter this Sunday!

>>> Beach Ball Counting Cards <<<

Did you enjoy these beach books for kids? Don’t miss these other beach ideas to share!

This post is part of the Beach Unit Study blog hop! Check out more awesome beach posts below!

The post 25 of The Best Beach Books for Kids appeared first on Look! We're Learning!.