Birthday week was quite the whirlwind around here. There were monster cakes, lunch dates, popsicles and concerts in the park and one very special trip to Sea World San Antonio’s Bay of Play. But like most childhood discoveries, the best things are usually not something you’ve planned.
My guys have been pining away for some miniature ocean animal figurines they spotted at Sea World for the last few months. I’m not one to buy things every time we go somewhere (or I would be broke) but since they had been wanting them for quite some time and it WAS Little’s birthday … I decided to splurge a little.
Each kid got a small box to fill with as many figurines as the box would carry. We paid and made our way out of the park and I really thought that would be the end of that. But … when we got home, that’s when the excitement really started. They wanted to know about each and every animal and honestly, I didn’t know many of them. We sat down with our sea creatures and began to Google.
We carefully identified each one, using their colors and features as clues – White Beaked Dolphin, Speckled Dolphin, Chinese White Dolphin. The searches got more and more interesting and the process became more and more rewarding. We spent the next 3 days studying, inquiring and absorbing all things marine life. It was a homeschooling dream that cultivated with a trip to the coast this past weekend to talk about all that we had learned at home.
Those little sea creatures are the best $8 dollars I’ve ever spent! There’s no price tag for the love of nature, life and the majesty of the seas they inspired. And what kind of friend would I be if I didn’t send a bit of that magic on to you. Here are a few things we found while researching, perfect for preschoolers.
Animated Ocean Movie (** Highly Recommended & a great way to introduce your child to endangered animals and why we need to keep our oceans clean **)
And here’s a few coloring pages, follow the links to print these out for your little marine biologists.
Narwhal Whale – my new favorite creature!!
Humpback Whale
Whale Shark
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How fun! I love it when that happens! Last week Caden watched a special about Jesse James. We had to make an impromptu trip to the library!! It kinda made me wished I home schooled! I guess I’ll do what I can over the summer
Amy C´s last [type] ..Project 52 Week 15 Paper
How fun! Have you guys checked out the new library that opened near you yet? I had the chance to s”steal away” for a few minutes to check out the new library by the missions. So so so so glad they opened one near our home.
So glad to see you blog pop up this AM. Missed you!
dana´s last [type] ..LifeThe Holstee Manifesto
Aw, hi friend! I have missed you so much too! I have several posts of yours built up in my reader (I tend to save my favorites to enjoy all at once) waiting till I was able to leave you an email & try to catch up a bit. Making that a priority this week! Cause I miss seeing those smiling faces of yours. Hope Mothers Day was wonderful for you
Hi Stacy! Thanks for the great post! I can’t wait to try out these ideas with my son. Also, thanks for the kind words on my blog.
Cindy @ OnePartSunshine´s last [type] ..Dear Mom- Sorry I Was Such a &!@
Stacy,
Thank you for coming over to my blog and leaving that lovely comment. BY your doing that, I have found such a wonderful blog of yours and a person – that is you – who I think I will connect with beautifully. I can see that you and I share some common passions – green living, photography, nurturing learning and creativity in our kids and making the home a warm and loved place.
I can so understand your sentiments about those 8 dollars spent. Studying about the ocean world is such a fantastic activity. My daughter and I have a permanent project going on about the ocean world. We read almost everyday about the sea creatures and she makes something on this theme every now and then (like an under water aquarium). Thanks for sharing those links. The movies and the games on that site look so much fun. And the colouring templates are so cute!
Oh Rashmie, I am so thrilled you stopped by and took the time to comment. I, too can tell we will become great friends. I didn’t know about your other site Gorgeous Karma until now but I’m signing up for everything! We certainly share the same passions and I’ve had some difficulty sharing some of them here. I know finding your site was a blessing and by watching you hopefully I will become more at ease and able to express my own ideals here.
I’ve subscribed to your site and liked on FB.
This is my first time visiting and I will definitely be visiting again! I love this post. It’s great to find opportunities to teach your kids and learn at the same time!
Your right, sometimes the “unplanned things” turn out better than what you planned. I was planning a birthday party for my niece and her friends. All the kids played with were the balloons I got for $1.99. I bought several different kinds of toys and board games, but they only were interested in hitting the balloon back and forth. Goes to show that sometimes life is enjoyable because it can be so simple. Makes me wonder if it is worth putting much effort into planning for parties.
You are right–that is a homeschooler’s dream. What a great mom you are for going with the flow and following their interest.
MissMOE´s last [type] ..Teaching Economics
Too fun! My kids leave Seaworld wanting more and more too! So fun! It was great meeting you!
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