Want a mission for your next beach day? Try finding a seashell with a natural hole in it. (These are often caused by various predators trying to get to the creatures inhabiting the shells.) We then used our shell (or in our case a fragment) to make a keepsake of our beach holiday! Materials Shell with a hole Elastic beading cord Beads Scissors Soap & water (*Optional: to wash the shell) Directions With an adult, look for a seashell or several that have a natural hole in them. Wash your shell(s) with soap and water and allow to dry overnight. Lace your shell(s) and beads onto your cord, creating a necklace or bracelet, tying a knot at end and trimming off any excess. If you would like to further this project, find out what kinds of predators make these holes and the reason why. We enjoyed learning about this during an aquarium visit. Enjoy your necklace as a reminder of your beach day! Purpose Getting out into nature with a specific intent in mind Learning about food chains (prey, predators) and what techniques various creatures might use to obtain food Developing one’s fine motor skills- lacing, cutting etc. Possibility for pattering (for example, alternating various bead attributes such as size, colour, number in a sequence etc.) Safety Notes Use scissors with care and adult supervision. Cord, yarn etc. can be a strangulation hazard, therefore be sure to use with direct supervision and for its intended purpose. Be sure to remove your necklace during play (e.g., the playground) or use a safety magnetic release clasp for younger children, rather than tying a knot. Beads can be a choking hazard therefore be sure to keep them out of the reach of children ages 0-3 years of age or those that tend to put things into their mouths. Please like & share: Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Your email address will not be published. Name* Email* Website Comment Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email.
