Children have an innate fascination about life under the sea. As a parent, it is a good idea for you to encourage this curiosity. All life on Earth depends on the ocean’s to some degree, and teaching your child about the ocean now may inspire him or her to take a more active role in conservation as he or she grows up.
There are many ways to teach your children about the ocean, but books are available no matter where you live and can encourage literacy skills and critical thinking as well.
1. The Sea Mammal Alphabet Book
Young children often misunderstand all animals that live in the water to be fish. This book familiarizes them with the biggest whales in the world and what they have in common with humans. It also features other aquatic mammals, such as sea otters and manatees, all while helping young children learn the alphabet.
2. National Geographic Little Kids’ First Big Book of the Ocean
Every page of this book features interesting, easily digestible facts about the ocean accompanied by breathtaking photography. It is an excellent, age-appropriate introduction to the ocean by one of the foremost authorities in the world on the subject of nature.
3. A Small Blue Whale
Not all kids respond immediately to nonfiction books. To help your child learn about blue whales, you may need to help him or her identify with one first. This story is about a relatively small blue whale on a quest to find friendship among other ocean creatures. Most children have experienced loneliness, making the protagonist very relatable.
4. I’m the Biggest Thing in the Ocean
The protagonist of this book is a giant squid who brags about being the largest form of ocean life as he surveys smaller creatures. If you don’t want to spoil the ending for your child, you might want to read this one before the books about whales. On the other hand, it may help a child’s self-esteem to figure out the joke before the clueless giant squid, so you may want to save this one after all.
5. Mister Seahorse
Ocean life is often very different from life on land. For example, the female seahorse lays her eggs in the male’s pouch, and the male fertilizes them and carries them until they hatch. Eric Carle, the author of well-known books such as “The Very Hungry Caterpillar,” explains this in child-friendly terms, as well as illustrating how other male sea creatures help take care of their young. “Mister Seahorse” is a charming story and, like Carle’s other books, encourages interactive learning with the overlays on each page.
Books are an excellent way to teach kids about the ocean and the animals that live there. However, it is not the only way. People of all ages, including children, often retain first-hand experiences much longer than something that they read or heard about. Therefore, whale watching San Diego CA can be a very educational trip for your child, as well as a fun excursion for the whole family. There are sailing companies accepting bookings right now, so no need to wait to take this important step.
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