3 Ways to teach kids about science at the beach

A beach is a great place where families can spend time together. You can bask in the sun, lie around and relax in the sand or do a little swimming. When you have kids around, the beach is a huge playground where learning and fun happen at the same time. And one of the many things that you can do is teach kids about science right at the beach.

Science is everywhere and the beach sure has plenty of science for you and your kids to explore. You just need a few materials plus your knowledge and you’re good to go. Let your kids explore and enjoy the beach with these activities. 

Learn about the ocean tides. Water activities are always fun. Take this opportunity to teach your kids about how the tides change. If you spend a day at the beach, you’ll surely experience high tides and low tides. Do a little research about the beach you are visiting and check online for the exact times when high tide and low tide will take place. Let your kids place a stick in the sand or mark a spot on the beach and later on have them check on it to see if anything has changed. This is a great time to explain to them about the gravitational pull of the moon causing high tides or low tides and why it actually happens. What’s also great about this is that during low tide, many interesting things that you don’t usually see will be revealed. It’s a great time to explore and take a closer look at these living things.

Play with sand. When you have kids at the beach, you should definitely play with sand. Bring along sand building toys and help your kids build sand castles and sand sculptures. This is a sensory activity that allows your kids to touch and feel the sand as well as a science activity where they can experiment and explore. Let them build and explore what happens if you use dry sand in building a sandcastle or if you add too much water. By digging and building, your kids can experiment with gravity by creating various design structures.

Explore creatures at the beach. You’ll never run out of things to see at the beach and this makes learning a lot more fun. There are different shells and corals as well as seaweeds. Let your kid touch and feel them and compare their textures. Explain the purpose of shells, corals, and seaweeds. If you’re lucky enough, you’ll find small crabs on the beach. Look for birds and fish as well. Explain to your kids why fish swim in schools and the importance of coral reefs. As your kids explore, educate them as well on the need to keep the ocean clean. 

Make your family beach experience a memorable one by doing various beach activities. You can use this time to do homeschool activities in Huntington Beach, play beach games, and bring home some seashells and a little sand to create your beach crafts. So spend a day at the beach, learn and explore beach science, and enjoy it with your family.