Has anyone ever been to a beach? What do you find at a beach? What can you do at a beach? Find out the children’s interests and start to plan things to do when you go to the real beach. Sit in a circle and roll a beach ball to a child. He tells something about the beach and rolls the ball back to you (or another child). Continue until all children have had a turn. Set up a beach play area. Use your sandbox or a sand table (we use a big Rubbermaid box inside on the table). Sing "This Is The Way We Play At The Beach" (to the tune of Mulberry Bush) This is the way we play at the beach, Play at the beach, play at the beach. This is the way we play at the beach, So early in the morning. This is the way we dig in the sand, This is the way we play in the surf, This is the way we lie in the sun, (Act out each verse and add others the kids come up with.) Sing "A Sailor Went To Sea Sea Sea" A Sailor went to sea, sea, sea, To see what he could see, see, see, But all that he could see, see, see, Was the bottom of the deep blue sea, sea, sea! Talk about Beach Safety: Never swim without a grown up Wear sunscreen to protect your skin (and hats and sunglasses) Drink water to keep from getting dehydrated in the sun Don't throw sand Set the rules for your trip to the beach. Ours were go into the water only to your knees. Don't mess up other people's sand castles. Make Sand Picture At The Beach Sheet of 9x12 white construction paper various colored construction paper diluted glue sand A wavy horizon line is drawn across each sheet of white construction paper. Beach umbrellas and beach balls are cut out of the colored construction paper. The child spreads the thinned glue over the paper below the horizon line. Sand is sprinkled on the glue and the excess is shaken off. An umbrella and a beach ball are then glued on the paper. Let the kids decide how they wanted to decorate their beach. They don’t necessarily have to do a beach ball and umbrella.