Beach ActivitiesAimHere are lots of activities for exploring the beach for children of all ages. See also our Beach Studies Field Fieldwork guide on the Trailblazer website.

ExploringLet the children learn how to simply “explore” before introducing organised activities.

From the National Trust’s '50 things to do before you’re 11¾' challenge: No. 24 Go barefoot: Feel how soft and warm (or cold!) the sand is under

your feet. No. 5 Skim a stone: How many bounces can you do? Flat, smooth stones

are the best for skimming, and there are plenty to be found on our beaches.

No. 20 Go paddling: Enjoy feeling the water wash over your feet and legs. Feel the sand moving between your toes and giving your feet a gentle massage.

Listen to the sounds that you can hear at the beach. How are these similar / different to those that you might hear around school / at home?

Strand Line Scavenge Waves carry debris including seaweed and driftwood, which pile up and form

the strandline - this is a shoreline higher than the water level. Children can explore what’s been washed up by the tide.

See how many items they can scavenge. Can they link them to the creatures living in the sea or under the sand?

eg Mermaid’s Purse - these tough, leathery pouches washed up on the beach are actually the egg cases of sharks and rays.

Do they find things that aren’t from creatures? Everything that the sea washes ashore has a story to tell. What is it?

Where has it come from? How did it get here?

Treasure Hunt Resource Sheet: http://www.mcsuk.org/coolseas/coolseas_discover.php

What lives by the sea? - A Seashore Safari Use the seashore to hunt for creatures. Useful spotter sheets from the Wildlife Trust’s Wildlife Watch Shoreline Spotter:

Page 1 August 2021

https://www.wildlifewatch.org.uk/sites/default/files/2021-01/Shoreline %20detective_1.jpg

Rock PoolingAlways go rock pooling on a falling tide, 1-2 hours before low tide is best.

You will need: sampling nets; plastic trays – preferably white to empty sample into or buckets; magnifying pots and viewers pots; plastic spoons; identification guides / keys; recording sheets.

Scoop some water up into the observation trays / buckets - a few centimetres should be sufficient.

Place it well away from the rock pool edge. Ensure there is plenty of room to work and move around the edge of the pool without knocking into the tray or other equipment.

Make sure children kneel or crouch in a stable and comfortable position round the rock pool.

Encourage children to approach a pool quietly and try not to cast a shadow over it. Rock pool inhabitants could think they are a predator and will hide.

Lower the net in slowly and if you spot something like a shell moving along the bottom (it could be a hermit crab), or a small crab with pincers at the ready, sweep it up quickly.

Turn over a stone to see what is hiding underneath. Slower-moving things can be picked up by hand, but ensure children are careful - rockpools can be deeper than they appear.

The creatures that are caught might appreciate some cover so add a bit of seaweed, rocks or some sand. It's also important to ensure the water does not get too hot for them. Try to keep the bucket in the shade or return the catch to the rockpool if the water gets too warm. Ensure everything is returned to the rockpool at the end of the session.

Record and identify the findings. Take photos and use ID guides or spotter sheets to learn what is living there, and how it has adapted to survive.

Rocky Shore Name Trail from the FSC

https://www.field-studies-council.org/shop/publications/rocky-shore-name-trail/

Good Crabbing Practice

Page 2 August 2021

The Good Crabbing Guide video and the list of 'Do's and Don'ts', it will ensure that crabs will not suffer any unintentional harm and will stop them becoming too stressed. https://www.gonecrabbing.co.uk/pages/crabbing-guide

Page 3 August 2021

Useful spotter sheets from the Wildlife Trust’s Wildlife Watch Rockpool Spotter:

https://www.wildlifewatch.org.uk/sites/default/files/2020-07/Rockpool.jpg

Coastal Spotter:https://www.wildlifewatch.org.uk/sites/default/files/2020-07/Coastalspotter.jpg

Rock Pool Explorers Pack – younger years http://www.mcsuk.org/downloads/coolseas/teachit/Beside_the_Sea/

Rockpool_Explorers_1_Younger_years.pdf

Rock Pool Explorers Pack – older years http://www.mcsuk.org/downloads/coolseas/teachit/Beside_the_Sea/

Rockpool_Explorers_2_older_years.pdf

Explore the Shore – Beach Activities Series Step by step instructions for a range of beach activities for primary school

children. https://www.nature.scot/explore-shore-beach-activities-series

Name that Coastal Feature! A great activity to secure understanding of

geographical terminology. Make flags of different coastal terms. Give each group a set of flags of different colours,

and ask them to label the coastal features appropriately.

Discuss where they have placed their flags. This can be used as an assessment at the

beginning and end of the day and to check understanding.

Beach InspirationLots of beach ideas, particularly art, with Muddy Faceshttps://muddyfaces.co.uk/activities/whats-new/inspirations-beach

Page 4 August 2021

Page 5 August 2021

Mandalas Mandala is a Sanskrit word which means circle. A mandala is a complex

abstract design that is usually circular in form and generally has one identifiable centre point, from which emanates an array of symbols, shapes and forms. Mandalas can contain both geometric and organic forms. They can also contain recognizable images that carry meaning for the person who is creating it. The mandala may be based on a theme eg beach (using pebbles, shells, seaweed, etc) or be more open-ended.

You will need: a variety of natural materials eg stones, sticks, shells, leaves, berries, pine cones etc.

What Litter is Found on the Beach? Organise a beach clean and litter survey as part of the day’s activities.

Have a rubbish bag to put in the bin at the seashore or take to dispose of back at the school. Try to encourage a new habit of always picking up one piece of litter that has been left on the shore before the children leave the seashore. Take only memories or photographs from the seashore.

Details for carrying out a survey on the amount and type of litter on the beach (and other activities) can be found in Cool Seas Explorers – Teach on the Beach by the Marine Conservation Society http://www.mcsuk.org/coolseas/coolseas_discover.php(Also includes games and other activities).

Coastal Foraging All around us, ancient varieties of food are just waiting to be rediscovered.

From leaves like samphire and sea beet to seaweeds, blackberries, beech nuts and violets – you’ll be amazed at the abundance and variety and the recipes to use.https://rnli.org/magazine/magazine-featured-list/2018/july/give-it-a-go-coastal-foraging

Page 6 August 2021

Sandcastle Competition Have a sandcastle building competition… Which individual / team will make the ‘best’ sandcastle. Prizes could be awarded for best team, best design, most imaginative castle

etc.

Alphabet Hunting Try to find items which begin with each letter of the alphabet. These could

be recorded with written notes, sketches, photographs, videos or collection of items which are safe to pick up and bring back to school.

Beach Play – 10 Ideas from Creative Star Learning Ltd https://creativestarlearning.co.uk/early-years-outdoors/beach-play-10-ideas

Lessons and Resources from Surfers Against Sewage Including their digital ocean school https://www.sas.org.uk/digital-ocean-

school

Game: Tide in - Tide out! Activity duration: 30 minutes

Using cones or flags. mark out a large are (about 20m square). Children should stay in this area.

Split children into three teams: Seaweed, Winkles, Butterfish (these are long slippery fish that live in rock pools).

Each team should draw a home circle in the sand. Start the game by shouting “Tide In”. Children should run

around constantly whispering the name of their team. They aim to tag as many opponents as possible and take them back to their home base.

Seaweed can tangle butterfish Winkles can eat seaweed Butterfish can eat winkles. (No one can be caught when they are transporting their

prey back to base.) To end the game shout “Tide Out” everyone should stop still

and the team that has captured the most opponents wins a point.

Now repeat the game with the tide out. First ask children what might be different? Of course fish will not be hunting

when the tide is out. So for the next round butterfish should change into Seagulls.

Page 7 August 2021

Page 8 August 2021

Some Beach Citizen Science Projects to Participate in:Big Seaweed Search Contribute to real scientific research from the Natural History

Museum and the Marine Conservation Society by searching for 14 seaweed species at any UK seashore. You take part at any time of the year and as many times as you like.

http://www.bigseaweedsearch.org

Great Nurdle Hunt (FIDRA) Nurdles are small plastic pellets about the size of a lentil.

Countless billion are used each year to make nearly all our plastic products but many end up washing up on our shores. Others can be mistaken for food by marine wildlife like seabirds, fish, and crustaceans.

Do a ‘Nurdle Hunt’ and search for nurdles and then submit your findings online. https://www.nurdlehunt.org.uk

Great Eggcase Hunt You can become a citizen scientist by helping find and record

shark eggcases (or mermaid’s purses) for the Shark Trust. https://www.sharktrust.org/great-eggcase-hunt

The Great British Beach Clean The Great British Beach Clean is a week-long

citizen science event promoted by the Marine Conservation Society, where hundreds of beach cleans take place up and down the UK. Litter data collected drives MSC’s conservation work and also feeds into the International Coastal Clean-up (ICC).

This year's Great British Beach Clean will take place between Friday 17th - Sunday 26th September 2021.

https://www.mcsuk.org/what-you-can-do/join-a-beach-clean/the-great-british-beach-clean

Page 9 August 2021

Back in the Classroom:

Water Weigh-in Based on their visit to the beach, the children have discovered that

seawater contains salt. But how does the salt content affect the weight of seawater?

To find out, children pour fresh water into one container and an equal volume of seawater into a separate, identical container.

Weigh each container. How do the weights compare? Help the children make hypotheses and

conclusions. Seashore Fact: The salt in seawater makes it heavier, or denser, than

freshwater.

Crystal Creations Ocean and sea water is replenished by the water cycle. But what happens

to the salt in seawater during this process? Provide children with sheets of foil, eyedroppers, and containers of seawater

coloured with food colouring. Invite children to use the droppers to make colourful designs on the foil. Set their creations in the sun to dry. As the water evaporates, salt crystals are left on the foil. Seashore Fact: As saltwater evaporates, it leaves the salt behind. At the

beach, salt residue can be seen on the surface of cars, windows, and even on our skin.

WebsitesThe 2 Minute Beach School Learn all about our coastline, all the creatures that inhabit it and what you

can do to protect it. Videos and resources to download.https://beachclean.net/2minutebeachschool

Marine Biologist From Hampshire Outdoors Centres Would your class like a virtual visit from a Marine

Biologist, with stories of distant travels, bioluminescent night dives, tagging sharks and researching microplastics?

Page 10 August 2021

https://www.hants.gov.uk/thingstodo/outdoorcentres/ schooloutdoorcentres/news/virtual-marine-explorers

Page 11 August 2021

Teaching About Water SafetyEvery year, 300-400 people lose their lives by accidental drowning. It’s the third most common cause of death amongst children and young people.As Hampshire has about 230 miles of coastline, as well as many rivers, canals and lakes, it’s essential we educate children about water safety. Being at the beach provides a great opportunity to teach young people how to be safe near and in the water – and what to do if anything ever goes wrong.

Here are some FREE resources to enable you to do this.

The PSHE Association has worked in partnership with the Environment Agency to develop a new, free-to-download pack of guidance, lesson plans and resource for Key Stage 2, exploring water safety in relation to floods, and canals and rivers.Both lessons in the pack provide an age-appropriate understanding of potential hazards, how to manage emergency situations and keep safe. Supporting pupils to keep safe in the environment is an important element of the PSHE education curriculum and contributes to safeguarding pupils from harm.https://www.pshe-association.org.uk/curriculum-and-resources/resources/water-safety-guidance-lessons-and-resources-ks2

Royal Life Saving Society UK Resources to educate people to enjoy water safely, to keep

their families and friends safe and to know what to do in an emergency.https://www.rlss.org.uk/Pages/Category/water-safety-information

RNLI The RNLI has a selection of free to download

activity sheets and lesson plans on beach signs and water dangers suitable for all key stages.https://rnli.org/youth-education/education-resources

Stay Afloat An educational resource for secondary schools suitable for Key stages 3 and

4 (years 8, 9, 10 and 11).https://www.hants.gov.uk/educationandlearning/stayafloat

Page 12 August 2021