Fun Coral Reef Scene Activity

This week we’re learning about coral reefs. My kids love learning about the ocean. And what kid doesn’t love exploring the reefs and learning about sea urchins and all the animals that live in the reef. This is a fun activity for the kids to create their own coral reefs at home. All it takes is a few supplies that you may already have at home, or are very inexpensive to buy.

First, some facts

A coral reef is a habitat constructed from reef-building coral.
Coral reefs grow very slowly and often take hundreds of years to build up.
Coral is actually alive!
Coral reefs prefer shallow clean water, sunshine, and warmth.
Many sea animals and plants live on coral reefs.
Coral reefs are in danger due to pollution from humans, warmer temperatures, and damage from ships.
The largest coral reef is the Great Barrier Reef.

You will need ...

Cardboard bottom
Play doh or some kind of modeling clay
Dry Pasta
Pipe Cleaners
Coffee Filters
Markers
Pencil
Scissors
Cardstock Paper
Tissue Paper
Pony Beads
Glue

Step One

Cut out a piece of cardboard for the bottom of the reef. This will act as the support or the base.

Step Two

Create the reef items. It is helpful to create some of the items first so the kids have an idea of what they are making space for.

Tissue Paper Anemone

First, layer about 4-5 sheets of tissue paper together. Beginning at the bottom, fold the edge up about one inch. Proceed to accordion fold the tissue paper until the entire sheet is folded into a 1 inch strip. Take your scissors and cut into one end to create three points. You will cut into it four times to create two tiny triangles that will detach and leave three pointy ends remaining. Repeat on the other end.

Next, take a pipe cleaner and tie in in the center of the strip. Then, very carefully separate the layers of tissue paper. Some will tear and that’s ok. Just separate and fluff as best you can.

Cardstock Seaweed

To make the cardstock seaweed, take a piece of cardstock and draw a squiggly outline of a seaweed plant similar to a hand with fingers. Then cut it out and tape the bottom to a toothpick. You can then use the toothpick to poke the seaweed paper into the modeling clay and it will stand upright. Repeat with other colors and patterns.

Coffee Filter Coral

Fold a white coffee filter in half and half and half until it is pizza shaped. Then, take the markers and color the filter on both sides of the pizza. Next, place the bottom tip of the filter into a small dish of water. If the colors at the top of the filter are not blending, remove the bottom tip from the water and dip the top into the water for a few seconds to help the colors bleed. Once the colors are done “bleeding,” remove it from the water dish. Unfold it and let it dry.

Once the filters are all dry, take the filter and fold it into the pizza shape again but a little looser. Then wrap a pipe cleaner around the tip to secure it, leaving a tail that you will use to poke into the modeling clay. Go back and fluff out the filter to make it look flower like.

Step Three

Next, begin assembling the reef. Start by creating the base. Place some clumps of modeling clay down to represent rocks. I put them in the front of the cardboard as the tissue anemone are large and would block the rocks. I also stuck some pony beads on the modeling clay lumps to represent barnacles on rocks (be sure to place them with the open side facing out). Then, you could stick some pasta into the clay as well to give it height and shape. Finally, fill in with the rest of the decorations. And voila! A DIY coral reef.

The Mom Touch