Shark Themed Busy Box

Growing up my parents always enjoyed watching nature documentaries with my siblings and me. I don’t remember watching the annual Discovery Channel Shark Week with them but I am sure we did. Fast forward to my early days as an army wife. I missed my friends and family. Shark week came along and I took my love for hosting parties, carrying out and creating traditions, and need to make some serious new friends and put them together. Next thing I know my traditional Shark Week party was born. It is always a kid-friendly gathering. I have created trivia, games, food, and crafts for 7+ years now. This Shark Themed Busy Box will highlight some of the education learning games I created over the years.

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Pre-Reading Busy Box Activities

Print Awareness and Print Motivation

Sharks can be a very fun learning tool! Especially if you have a kiddo who is fond of the “Baby Shark” song. My Busy Box Themes are made to grab a kid’s interest and then get them learning those preschool skills we want so hard to teach.

Books are one of the biggest and best gateways for getting your child interested and teaching them to be lifelong learners. It is always a good idea to chose a mix of fiction and non-fiction. The collection of books about sharks in my house is pretty awesome. We can write all our shark week trivia with just help from our books.

Non-Fiction Shark Books

Fiction Shark Books

Letter Knowledge

When kids start to show interest in learning the alphabet we normally start with the shape and size of the letters. Uppercase vs. Lowercase. Pointy vs. Curved. Closed vs. Opened. Exploring the letters can be just as fun as learning about and playing with Sharks!! Here are some learning fun game ideas for the Shark Busy box. Get ready for your kiddos to gain some Letter Knowledge.

Phonemic Awareness

When kids start thinking and asking about the sounds that go with the letters they have been learning about we have crossed into the Phonemic Awareness side of Letter Learning. Learning how different letters make different sounds and how they are put together to create words is Phonemic Awareness. Practice letter sounds with these fun shark inspired games and activities.

Just Laminate the Printable and write your CVC and sight words a letter at a time into the sharks teeth with a dry erase marker!

Pre-Writing Busy Box Activities

Fine Motor

Learn more about Fine Motor Skills in Fine Motor Skills for Preschoolers- More than Just Writing.

Puzzles

Puzzles are great for using the pincer motion with the fingers. Lining up the pieces correctly also is great practice for spacial awareness.

Beads

Again, beads are great for practicing that pincer grip. They require the kids to use many of the small muscle groups in the fingers they will eventually need for writing.

Play Dough and Slime

Manipulative

Coloring, Tracing, and Cutting

Pre-Math Busy Box Activities

Lean more about How to Choose Entertaining Play-Based Math Activities for Strong Early Learning here!

Numbers and Counting

You can use the manipulative toys and beads from the fine motor section to fill in the ten frame, count, and practice creating number sets.

Sorting and Patterns

Use your child’s toys, stickers, stamps, beads, etc. to practice the skills of sorting, matching, and pattern creation.

Geometry and Spatial Reasoning

Sharks are fun!

If you ever notice something you or your child has a strong interest in, seize it! Use that interest to get them learning. Any theme or interest can be used to create some great learning games. Practice makes perfect. The more they practice these preschool skills, the more they will be ready for school and to become the lifelong learners you home them to be.