Get Ready for Summer with Beach Day at School

Are you getting ready for the end of the school year and beginning of summer? Why not celebrate with a beach day at school?

Whoo Hoo! Summer is almost here! Most of your lessons are finished for the year. You are desperately trying to get back all the library books. If it’s your responsibility, you have introduced the summer reading program. Now what? How are you going to keep the kids engaged for a couple more days (or weeks….sigh, if you live in the Northeast)? How about a beach day?

As a librarian, my thoughts always go to books. There are so many great books with beach themes, either fun fictional stories or nonfiction books about the ocean and sea creatures.

How Do You Have a Beach Day at School?

No kids, PLEEEASE don’t bring your actual library books to the beach…sand, seawater, lemonade…more hazardous than jellyfish! You can have a fun mock beach day right at school! Have the kids bring in beach towels, beach balls, frisbees, etc. If your principal allows it, go out into the schoolyard and sit on the ground to read a good beach book. Then, let the kids run around with the beach toys and pretend they are at the ocean. Maybe you can set up a water table with fake fish and shells. If you must stay indoors, put the towels right on the floor of the library (hopefully you have air conditioning or at least fans).

Older students can research ocean facts, such as efforts to control the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, or threats to endangered sea creatures. They can even practice coding, by writing instructions for classmates to “code” (that is, “build”) a sand castle.

Sand Castles and Sharks!

Back in the library or classroom, you can still continue beach-themed lessons for a few days. Younger students can sort beach items by size, color, or living/non-living. Bring in some shells, sea glass, toy fish, etc. I have a fun summer-themed BOOM card™ deck in my Teachers pay Teachers store about summer sorting.

Students sort summer items into two sand castles. If you haven’t used BOOM Cards, try them! They are digital task cards hosted on the BOOM Learning website. You can get a free subscription to try them out, or a paid subscription if you want to keep track of your students’ progress.

I also have a BOOM deck for older students. They read a word and identify a synonym. Then, they “feed” the synonym to the ocean animal (shark, whale, octopus, manta ray or sea turtle).

View this brief video to see how to play the game.

Younger students will enjoy a beach-themed activity in which they identify the color of the seashell:

Buy HERE on TpT

Or this one, where they identify the shape of the lemon slice in a pitcher of lemonade. Mmmm!

Buy HERE on TpT

So, even if you are in a land-locked location or have to stay in a hot classroom, you can still enjoy the fun of being at the beach! Have a great summer!