Potato sailboats, sensory bins with blue ice, boat building STEM challenges, peanut butter banana boat snacks, and more!
BOAT theme is so adorable, I just can’t pass up getting this resource out to readers. This one will be short and sweet, which is nice during these times of COVID and overconsumption of screens. I write this (two or three years after doing the camp with my boys) in July as we embark on Pirate Week (coming soon!) in our house, and the overlap works well, but I still think each deserves it’s own post. This was one of the first themes during which I was able to focus more on my younger child, so there are some lovely opportunities for toddler activities and preschool learning here. Let’s sail away!
Discussion questions to get y’all thinking:
- What is transportation, and what other types of vehicles besides boats are considered to be transportation?
- What kinds of boats can you think of, and which are motor powered & which are not?
- Which professions use boats to do their jobs?
- What type of boats do fishermen use? How about companies that transport goods? What types of boats to people vacation on, or use for leisure?
- How do boats help people and/or the environment?
R E A D I N G
A R T
Boats, boats, boats and more boats! Here are a few fun ways to make boats from paint, mixed media art, and even ice! If you’ve got little ones at home, I love the Footprint Sailboats for a keepsake you can give as a gift or tuck into a memory book.
Paper Plate Boat Scene. Those cheap, flimsy paper plates that you probably don’t use as often for eating have become one of my favorite craft materials during “homeschooling” quarantine. You can make almost anything with them, including this cute painted boat scene. Make sure you always have these on hand!
Winslow Homer Drawing Lesson by Deep Space Sparkle. One of my favorite art teaching resources EVER, this is a great way to incorporate art history, and a great option if you’re wanting to engage older kids. There are several tips here for how to blend shades of blue and use mixed media to create these fantastic ships.
Potato Sailboats. It’s been a while since I used potatoes as stamps in the classroom, but kids love this hands-on experience of printing using real food. Just make sure you do the cutting (or supervise older kids closely).
Footprint Sailboats. If you’ve got a little one, this project is a great keepsake you’ll be glad you made during your DIY Boat Summer Camp that one summer… get ready for painty feet and lots of fun.
Colorful Ice Boats by Busy Toddler. Start with an ice tray filled with water, and mix different shades of food coloring into different cups. Use foil to balance straws (used as the boat’s masts) and paint small, triangular papers with watercolor, and tape on for sails. Pop out the tiny boats and take them for a sail in a bin of water!
S E N S O R Y & S T E M (science. technology. engineering. math.)
My two older boys have done countless building challenges involving how many pennies, rocks, and other materials a floating device can hold. Boat Week is perfect for these STEM activities! Use whatever you’ve got in the house- craft sticks, pipe cleaners, tin foil, styrofoam, whatever! For younger babes, floating toys in a bin of water make for wonderful sensory play.
Tin Foil Boats & STEM Penny Challenge. Super easy, and you’ve probably got tin foil in the kitchen and some pennies in your couch cushions. Can you mold your foil boat into a shape that supports the most pennies? Let’s find out!
Build a Raft STEM Challenge. We used straws, but you can go outside and collect sticks, or use popsicle craft sticks or whatever you have lying around the house. The best part? Floating the finished boats in a tub of water to see if they work!
Pool Noodle Boats Water Sensory Bin. My preschooler loved this activity! Cut up a dollar store pool noodle into 2-3” pieces, poke toothpicks into the styrofoam and add a paper sail. Push and blow the tiny boats around in a plastic bin or bowl and watch them move around in the water.
Building Boats from Recycled Materials. We added blue ice cubes (dyed with food coloring) to our play bin for extra fun! It was neat to watch the ice melt and slowly turn the pool of water blue.
Water Table with Boat Toys. It’s as simple as it sounds! If you don’t have a water table, use a large plastic storage bin. Add any boat or bath toys you have in the house, and toddlers & preschoolers can enjoy playing with the concept of float vs. sink.
C O O K I N G
For once, I’ve come up with all healthy snacks! Haha. Turns out, boat snacks are a great way to have fun with food without adding too much sugar.
Cheese & Apple Boats. We’ve also done these using pepperoni sails, and we’ve recreated them multiple times since Boat Week. Cut apple slices into boat-shaped pieces, stick in a toothpick, and add a slice of cheese or pepperoni for the sail. Yum!
Mini Pepper Boats. So healthy and so cute! Instead of apple slices, sneak in a serving of veggies with these pepper boats!
Peanut Butter Banana Boat. A fun spin on “Ants on a Log,” just cut out a triangular section across the entire banana, and fill with peanut butter and raisins or chocolate chips. Watch your kids row those banana boats right into their tummies!
Bagel Bite Boats. A great after school snack, or even a lunch for those teensy toddler appetites. Grab a box of frozen Bagel Bites from the grocery store, and (again) add a toothpick and slice of cheese for the sail. Food at it’s FUNNEST!
F I E L D T R I P S & M O V E M E N T
Pirate Ship Races. Using the upcycled boats you built earlier in the week, head to the backyard and set up a race course. Or, just run across the length of the yard, toy or crafted boats leading the way! Who will win?! Kids love a good competition.
Visit a local boat museum. In Seattle, we’re lucky to be surrounded by water. A fun, free spot we visited (and it’s open during COVID!) is the Center for Wooden Boats. They also have family sails, if you register online in advance and make sure to follow new guidelines. Happy sailing!
Take a walk near a local marina. Simply observing the majestic boats on the waterfront is a great way to spark interest, curiosity, and questions about boats. I did this with my then-toddler and we strolled for almost an hour, admiring the “big ships!” And we all know FREE FUN is the best kind of fun.
Go boating! At the time, we had a ski boat, but we’ve since said goodbye to that carefree time in our lives (because, kids)…Our kids had a great time “driving” the boat on Dad’s lap and taking a look at the engine. If you don’t own a boat (you’re smart), there are plenty of places where you can rent a canoe, kayak, or rowboat and take it for a spin out on the lake. One of our favorite places to rent kayaks is the Leavenworth Outdoor Center. Also try the University of Washington Waterfront Activities Center (WAC).
