Use this jellyfish craft to teach your kids about the letter J! Jellyfish crafts fits into the Ocean Theme. You can reuse our Umbrella craft to create this jellyfish! You can also teach them the differences between a jellyfish and octopus!
Skills
Types of skills can include math, science, fine motor, dramatic play, social and emotional. Here is how this jellyfish applies these skills:
Math
Add in math concepts by having your child count how many legs are on jellyfish.
What color is the jellyfish?
What shapes was used to make the jellyfish?
Science
If you have other crafts with your child, have them classify the jellyfish along with the other crafts. For example, jellyfish fall under ocean animals, where ladybugs are classified as insects.
Fine Motor Skills
Your child will use a scissor to cut out the letter J and to work on his cutting skills along with hand eyes coordination.
They will also use a scissor to cut out the circle and yarn.
Using a writing utensil to trace the letter J template and/or circle will also help with their pincer grasp.
Finally, your child will use his thumb and finger to peel off the sticker eyes to improve their pincer grasp skills.
Dramatic Play and Social/Emotional
Children can use this jellyfish and pretend to be jellyfish swimming with all the other ocean animals.
Boundaries
Make sure you supervise your child when using scissors and other sharp items.
Materials
You will need the following items: letter J template, yellow construction paper, pencil, 3 different colors yarns, markers, sicker eyes, scissors, tape, and glue.
Steps
First, give the child the J template to trace onto the yellow construction paper with a pencil. Afterward, give the child a pair of scissors to cut on line to make a letter J.
Next, using a pencil draw a circle on the yellow construction paper and then a straight line in the middle of the circle. Allow the child to use a scissor to cut out the circle ignoring the straight line with an adult supervision. After, guide the child to cut on the straight line on the circle. (This will make the circle into half.)
Then, using the scissor have the child cut a 3-4 pieces of yarn about 6 inches long from each of the yarn provided. This will improve the child’s cutting skill, especially for beginning since it will be a quick snip.
Finally, put all of the pieces together to make the jelly fish in the following order:
- Using the glue, have the child glue 1 of the half circle on top of the letter J.
- Give the child the sticker eyes and let the child peel and stick it on top of the half circle.
- Give the child the option to draw eyebrows, nose or mouth to create a face.
- Now, flip the jellyfish over. Using the marker, make dots on the bottom of the half circle (which is the straight line, not the curve) to create mark for to glue and/or tape the legs. I used tape since it was easier by tearing off the tape to the size of the circle, lay the yarns on the dot, and put the sticky side of the tape on the yard to stick it to the paper!
Modifications
You can use googly eyes or sticker eyes. You can even have the child draw in the eyes to build upon the fine motor skills.
Your jellyfish can be whatever color you want it to be, so be free to use any color construction papers and or yarns!
To make simple, adults can draw and cut out the letter J and circle for children who does not have the cutting skills yet. However, teach them to use the scissor to make snips.
Jellyfish Swimming Away!
This letter craft for kids will make your child’s jellyfish squiggle and squirm and keep them entertained and happy. Make sure to squiggle along with them!