• Use ocean creatures as inspiration for fun kids crafts.shark image by Timothy Lubcke from Fotolia.com
  
  Whether you are a school teacher looking for ways to teach children about ocean ecosystems or a parent wanting to spend quality time with your kids, crafts based on life underwater are a great way to engage children's minds. Crafts provide children with an outlet to express their creativity as well as helping improve their hand-eye coordination.
  
  

Finger Painted Sea Creatures

• Finger-painted sea creatures is an underwater craft appropriate for school children. The end result can decorate your wall for your child to show off their work. Have your child finger-paint a variety of sea creatures on a piece of blue construction paper. Help them decorate their painting with glitter, pom-poms, googly eyes and other embellishments.
  
  

Paper Plate Jellyfish

• A paper plate jellyfish is an easy-to-make craft to hang from the ceiling of your child's bedroom. Have your child paint the paper plate with pink acrylic craft paint. Attach strips of pink tissue paper to the back of the plate using a glue stick to create the tentacles, and add googly eyes to give the jellyfish a face. You can also add other embellishments to the craft such as glitter.
  
  

Rainbow Fish

• For an underwater craft appropriate for children of all ages, a paper-mache rainbow fish might be a hit. Blow a balloon up so that it is about three-fourths full and tie it off. Mix equal parts white glue and water together in a bowl and cut up strips of multicolored tissue paper. Apply the papers to the balloon using the glue mixture, and allow them to dry and solidify. Use a needle to pop the balloon once the papers are fully dry and cut out a section to create the mouth of the fish. This cut-out piece can be reused and glued onto the back to create the fish's tail.