Putting The Pretty In Preschool

Finding Beauty In Everyday Early Childhood Experiences

octopus

Octopus Christmas Craft

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Bells and Christmas go hand in hand, and this jingly octopus Christmas craft fits right in. It is easy to make and is guaranteed to be treasured by your little learners.

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Supplies To Collect

Gather the following supplies to make all three colors of this Christmas musical instrument craft:

  • red, green, and silver cardstock paper
  • large red, green, and silver jingle bells
  • small Christmas foam balls
  • wiggly eyes
  • white glue
  • scissors and pencil

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Making the Octopus Christmas Craft

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To make this festive musical craft, start by cutting out a circular design with eight curved legs from red, green, and silver cardstock paper. Feel free to download this octopus template to use for the craft.

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Octopus Craft PrintableDownload

This printable is for individual or one classroom use only.

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Next, use white glue or a glue gun to adhere a large jingle bell in the same color to the middle of the eight-legged base.

Afterward, glue a similarly colored small glitter foam ball to the tip of each paper leg.

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Finally, add two wiggly eyes to the jingle bell-themed octopus.

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Variations Of This Octopus Christmas Craft

Here are a few ways to vary the octopus craft to make it your own:

Instead of using a large jingle bell for the leggy craft, use a similarly-sized foam ball that has been spray-painted with red, green, or silver paint.

Rather than adhering small foam balls to the tips of the legs, glue on small jingle bells or large round beads cut from garland. Either of these will add a little weight to the octopus legs, allowing the metallic decoration to hang nicely when held.

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Each octopus Christmas craft can be made in two or three complementary colors instead of a monochrome palette.

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Christmas Octopus Craft Play

This jingle jangle Christmas craft is not just meant to look pretty sitting on a decorated mantle. Set the shiny octopuses out in a space your little learners can access. Tell them that this craft is a musical instrument, so should be handled gently. The wiggly-eyed octopuses will be moved around to different spots and your little charges will enjoy listening to their soft and gentle musical sounds.  

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The octopus Christmas craft also makes unique jingle bells for your little learners to use to accompany popular holiday songs such as Jingle Bells and Jingle Bells Rock.

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More Christmas Crafts

Paper Airplane Christmas Craft

Spin Painting Poinsettia Craft

Paper Bag Christmas Ornaments

Monochromatic Christmas Tree Art

CD Case Christmas Craft

Christmas Sheep Craft

Washi Tape Christmas Pots

Handprint Angel Craft

Turtle Christmas Craft

Christmas Tree Art

Christmas Dove Art

Handprint Angel Christmas Keepsake

Woodland Fox Treat Holder

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“Go Fishing” Sensory Tray

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Use toy fishing rods and accessories for a super fun "Go Fishing" active world tray. Add ocean-themed loose parts to extend play.

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This easy-to-set-up “Go Fishing” sensory tray allows your little learners to have a blast catching and transferring fish, and exploring related ocean-themed loose parts. And there are plenty of opportunities for learning in this hands-on, play-based activity.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Supplies To Collect

An ocean-themed loose part collection for a super fun "Go Fishing" active world tray. your early learners will love.

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To give your little charges a super fun, ocean-themed sensory experience, gather the following:

  • water table or active world tray
  • toy fishing sets
  • sea jelly dive toys
  • miniature ocean creatures
  • fish-themed fillable eggs
  • bowl with marbles
  • four hot dog baskets
  • strainer
  • shells
  • punch bowl

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The “Go Fishing” Sensory Tray

Fishing sets and ocean-themed loose parts are featured in this super fun "Go Fishing" active world tray your early learners will love.

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To set up this inviting, sea creature-filled sensory tray, start out by setting a non-breakable punch bowl in the center of an active world tray. Fill the bowl with water.

Then set fish from a few inexpensive toy fishing sets in a basket, and spread a few others around the punch bowl.

Tip: Dollar stores are a great place to find many of the supplies in this post.

Next, fill the other baskets with sea jelly dive toys, miniature ocean creatures, and sea creature-themed fillable eggs.

Note: Hot dog baskets are a perfect size for the activity.

Lastly, add toy fishing rods along with a bowl with marbles and a strainer with shells.

Setting up a sensory tray couldn’t be any easier. And I’m sure your little learners will dive right in.

Use toy fishing rods and accessories for a super fun "Go Fishing" active world tray. Add ocean-themed loose parts to extend play.

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Variations Of This Sensory Activity

If you have access to a water table, fill it with water and drop in all the supplies. Your little charges can transfer fish to baskets and explore the fillable eggs, sea jelly dive toys, miniature ocean creatures, marbles, and shells.

And adding mini fishing nets would be great for scooping up toy sea jellies. Including more strainers would be nice too.

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Benefits Of The “Go Fishing” Sensory Tray

Aside from being just plain fun, this fishing game sensory tray allows young children to:

  • develop eye-hand coordination
  • practice transferring objects from one place to another
  • sort fish and sea jelly dive toys by color
  • count all the fish they catch
  • label and discuss many different ocean creatures
  • learn that fish hatch from eggs

Can you think of anything to add to this sensory activity? Share in a comment below.

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Related:

Ocean Playdough Tray

Octopus Theme Activities

Sea Star Activities

Saving Green Sea Turtles

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0ctopus Theme Activities

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This post has been updated to include a free downloadable octopus template.

The octopus is a fascinating creature with no shortage of unique characteristics. The sea animals make a cheery topic for early learning activities. And after learning a few surprising facts about them, your family may even choose one for a pet!

Octopus theme facts, crafts, and small world play. The stunning feature art activity uses kitchen supplies. Art and science fun with learning for all ages.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more activities.

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Ten Fast Octopus Facts

  • Octopuses have 8 long arms with hundreds of tiny suction cups on them called suckers. Octopuses can feel, smell, and grab food and objects with them. They grow back an arm if they lose one.
  • Octopuses are very smart. They can solve simple puzzles and mazes. They take things apart. They have good memories.
  • Many octopuses prefer living on the ocean floor in deep waters. A few live in shallow waters.

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Octopus habitat.

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  • Octopuses live alone in dens they make or in shells they squeeze into and pull over themselves. They have no bones in their bodies, so they can fit into small spots.
  • Two large bulging eyes help octopuses see very well.
  • Having blue blood helps octopuses keep warm in colder water.
  • Crawling is the easiest way for octopuses to get around. Their hearts stop beating when they swim, which is much more tiring. They can also crawl on land.
  • Most octopuses are shy and solitary. An exception is the California two-spot octopus, which is not as afraid of people.
  • Octopuses squirt out a blackish, poisonous ink at animals that want to eat them. The ink makes the water dark and irritates the predators’ eyes. It also hurts their sense of smell and taste.
  • Camouflage is their specialty. Octopuses can change color and texture quickly so they look like the plants and rocks around them. They also use color to stand out or communicate with other octopuses. Some hues they can transform into are grey, brown, pink, blue, or green.

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California Two-Spot Octopus

Because of its striking eyespots underneath its real eyes, the California two-spot octopus is a standout. In a neutral surrounding, this octopus can look greyish with yellow spots. The false eyes range from lighter to darker shades of blue.

The California two-spot lives in shallow waters, so many people have seen one. This crustacean is friendlier than other octopuses and can make a good pet.

Click here for pictures and an informative article about this well-known octopus.

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California Two-Spot Octopus Art

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You will need:

  • cardstock paper octopus
  • yellow, blue, and metallic grey dot paint dabbers
  • black permanent felt pen

Trace and cut out a cardstock octopus. Feel free to download the template below to use for the project.

Download this free octopus template for art and craft projects.

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Octopus PrintableDownload

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Invite your early learner to draw eyes and a smile on the octopus with the felt pen. Ask your little one to decorate the octopus to look like the California two-spot using dot paint dabbers.

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Textured Octopus Craft

This painted, shiny pink and yellow octopus has neutral Toasted O’s suction cups.

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Octopus art activity using supplies easily found in the kitchen. An all-ages art activity.

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Your early learner can decorate a similar one with an easy-to-make, taste-safe paint using kitchen supplies.

Supplies To Collect:

  • white corn syrup
  • food coloring
  • Toasted O’s cereal
  • baby food jars
  • paintbrushes
  • spoons
  • cardstock paper octopus
  • black permanent felt pen
Invitation to paint an octopus with taste safe paint. An all=ages activity.

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Cut out an octopus pattern and ask your early learner to draw on a smile with the felt pen. (The downloadable octopus printable will work well for this craft too.)

Help your early learner mix a squirt or two of food coloring into a little white corn syrup poured into baby food jars.

Invite your little one to paint the octopus.

Octopus art activity using supplies easily found in the kitchen. An all-ages art activity.

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Afterward, your early learner can push craft eyes and Toasted O’s suction cups into the tacky paint to complete the project.

Octopus art activity using supplies easily found in the kitchen. An all-ages art activity.

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View a video tutorial for the Octopus Craft.

Octopus craft using taste safe ingredients.

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Octopus Sensory Tub

Your little one can help design and play in this simple sensory tub. The tub is a repurposed flying saucer sled.

Invitation to add cheerios cereal to a painted octopus. All supplies for this craft are easily found in the kitchen. An all-ages art activity.

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The sensory tub includes:

  • rocks, shells, and marine plants
  • an octopus figurine
  • other sea creatures such as a sea turtle, crab, and stingray fish
  • transparent gems

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Although shy and mysterious in the wild, octopuses have heaps of talent and spunky personalities. Would you consider having one for a pet?

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