Read beach-themed books and have students complete extension activities. After reading "There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed a Shell" by Lucille Conlandro, have students use felt cutouts to retell the story on a felt board. Print pictures of items the old lady swallowed and have students order them by what was swallowed first, second, third and so on. After reading "Is This a House for Hermit Crab?" by Megan McDonald have students retell the story using pictures cutouts. Provide sandpaper blocks for students to make the "scritch-scatch, scritch-scratch" sounds during their retell. Have students place the items hermit crab tried out for his home in the order presented in the story.
Provide strips of paper and beach-themed stamps, stickers or small pictures. Invite kindergartners to create beach patterns on the paper strips. One student might alternate a beach ball, sun and crab pattern while another student creates a pattern with beach umbrellas and sandcastles. Encourage kindergartners to make patterns with two, three or four items. Let students make beach patterns on a felt board or large bulletin board. Invite students to share their patterns with the class and ask, "What comes next?"
Play games with an inflated beach ball when kindergartners need to release some energy or work on team cooperation skills. Break into two teams and play beach volleyball over a low net. Play crab soccer where students walk like crabs while kicking the beach ball toward their goal. Get a large parachute and have students toss the beach ball in the air as high as possible without the ball hitting the ground.
Allow kindergartners to play in the sand as if they were at the beach. Fill the sand table with sand and encourage kindergartners to practice correct letter formation. Invite students to write their names, the alphabet or sight words they know. Add water to the sand table and let kindergartners make sand formations that rise above the waterline. Encourage students to make waves and see how the sand changes with each wave.