Throw an Indoor Beach Party

Whether it is the heart of winter or a rainy summer day, the children are showing signs of cabin fever and you looking for a way to break those bad weather doldrums. Maybe it is time for an indoor beach partyin your preschool!

Regardless of how cold and dismal it is outside you can bring a little bit of summertime fun and sun to your preschool.

Set the Stage

There are many ways to set the stage for your beach party. You can decorate the room with beach towels, umbrellas, sand,seashells or anything else one could see at the beach. Everyone can wear beach attire, sandals, and even funky sunglasses. A good choice of background music will add to the mood; maybe steel drums or a Beach Boys tape.

Games and Activities

• "Lifeguard, lifeguard, where's your whistle?" This is a simple variation of the old favorite, "Doggy doggy where's your bone?"

• Volleyball, the standard beach game, can be brought indoors by using an inflatable beach ball. For younger children or small rooms, have everyone sit and volley the ball within the circle.

• Imagination pantomime. Encourage children to use their creativity and move the way you suggest. Pretend you are swimming in the ocean waves. Pretend you are walking barefoot over the hot sand. Pretend you are surfing. Pretend you a crab and do the crab walk (to do the crab walk you need to sit on the floor and rise up and walk backwards on your hands and feet).

• Have a scavenger hunt for seashells. Use paper shapes if you can't get real ones.

Craft Projects

• Sand drizzles. A simple project children of all ages can do. Drip, drizzle and swirl white craft glue on heavy construction paper or cardboard. Then sprinkle sand over the top, shake off the excess and let dry.

• Ocean in a bottle. In a small jar combine vegatable oil with a drop of blue food coloring. Children can then add various materials such as driftwood and shells.

Songs and Rhymes

"5 Little Seagulls"

5 little seagulls sitting on the beach.
One walked along the shore,
then there were four.
4 little seagulls sitting on the beach.
One hid behind a tree,
then there were three.
3 little seagulls sitting on the beach.
One got up and flew,
then there were two.
2 little seagulls sitting on the beach.
One went to have some fun,
then there was one.
1 little seagull sitting on the beach.
she went to chase the sun,
then there were none.

"We are Going to the Beach" (to the tune of Mary Had a Little Lamb)

We are going to the beach, to the beach to the beach to the beach.
We are going to the beach, we're gonna have some fun.
I shall like to swim all day, swim all day, swim all day.
I shall like to swim all day, then lay out in the sun.
I will build a castle here, castle here, castle here.
I will build a castle here, I'll have the tallest one.