Ocean Animals -- 4/14/26 & 4/21/26

Story Times are held weekly on Monday and Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am. A monthly virtual Story Time is posted the first Tuesday of the month on the library's Facebook page.  It is available to view for one month before the next video is posted.

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

(There are so many great Ocean Animal books that we did two weeks of this theme.)

I Spy Under the Sea by Edward Gibbs
Secret Seahorse by Stella Blackstone
Plankton Is Pushy by Jonathan Fenske

Books:
Chomp: A Shark Romp by Michael Paul
Don't Worry, Little Crab by Chris Haughton
How to Put an Octopus to Bed by Sherri Dusky Rinker
I Need Pants! by Susan Sweet
I'm the Biggest Thing in the Ocean by Kevin Sherry
Milo Is Missing Something by Vern Kousky
Ocean Animals from Head to Tail by Stacey Roderick
Sharky McShark by Alison Murray
Tropical Terry by Jarvis

Craft: Squid
- Print template onto cardstock or heavy paper

- Cut out squid's head

- Color squid's head

- Cut 5 strips of crepe paper (about 4-5" long)

- cut each crepe paper strip in half longways

- Glue strips to bottom of squid's head

Craft: Shark

- Color paper plate and fold in half

- Draw on mouth and eye

- Print template onto cardstock or heavy paper

- Color and cut out pieces (fin, tail)

- Glue fin to top of shark along fold

- Glue tail to back of shark


Extension Activities:

- Go on an ocean animal scavenger hunt.  Hide ocean animal stuffies or print out pictures of various ocean animals to hide.

- Have fun with a parachute or a sheet as the ocean creating waves.  Alternate between gentle, soft waves and stormy, crashing waves.  Add ocean animal stuffies or a toy boat to the top of the "ocean" if you have them.

Squid Template --

Shark Template --

Beach -- 4/7/26

Story Times are held weekly on Monday and Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am. A monthly virtual Story Time is posted the first Tuesday of the month on the library's Facebook page.  It is available to view for one month before the next video is posted.

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

Just One Wave by Travis Jonker
Crabby Crab by Chris Raschka
Barnacle Is Bored by Jonathan Fenske

Books:
Beach by Elisha Cooper
Big Family Beach Day by Nina Crews
Chu's Day at the Beach by Neil Gaiman
Duck & Goose Go to the Beach by Tad Hills
Here Comes the Ocean by Meg Fleming
Sandy Feet! Whose Feet? Footprints at the Shore by Susan Wood
Six Sandy Sheep by Judith Ross Enderle

Craft: Starfish

- Print template onto cardstock or heavy paper

- Cut out starfish

- Color starfish

- Fold starfish so lap over each other and smile is one line and glue into place

- Fold legs along dotted lines so starfish will sit a little flat

- Optional: Glue on sparkles

Extension Activities:

- Have fun making waves in either a small kids play pool, bathtub, etc.  Try dropping different items to see how they make different types of waves.

- Try to walk like crabs.  Sit on the floor with legs bent and hand behind you on the floor.  Lift up onto your hands and legs.  Try walking sideways like a crab.  Maybe try racing each other.

Template --

Virtual Story Time: Ocean -- April 2026

Each month, Miss Amy records a virtual Story Time that goes along with the monthly theme.  It will be posted monthly in the morning of the first Tuesday of the month.  (The video is available to watch for one month before a new one is uploaded.) 

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

Ocean Animals from Head to Tail by Stacey Roderick

Books:
The Blobfish Book by Jessica Olien
Good Eating: The Short Life of Krill by Matt Lilley
I Am the Shark by Joan Holub
Ocean Counting by Janet Lawler





Extension Activities:
- Learn more about different ocean animals by checking out one of the informational books at the library.
- Visit the St. Louis Aquarium to view and learn more about various ocean animals.
- Get active by moving like different ocean animals (ex - crab walk, dolphin jump, octopus wave, fish wiggle, etc).