A simple starfish craft activity is the pasta starfish. Preschoolers can easily create this textured sea creature. Start with a printed starfish shape. Trace it onto construction paper. The students will then cut out the starfish shape. Use a foam brush to paint the front of the starfish with glue. Sprinkle pastina pasta (a star-shaped pasta) over the glue. Be sure to have the children cover the entire surface with pasta. Let dry.
Preschool children find fun in expressing themselves by dressing up. The children can create a unique starfish necklace to show everyone what they have learned. Place a piece of wax paper on the work surface. Squirt white school glue in a starfish shape onto the wax paper. Fill in the entire shape with glue. Bend a paperclip into an upside down "V" shape and place in the glue at the top of the starfish shape. Sprinkle sand or glitter over the glue. Be sure to cover all of the glue. Gently shake the wax paper to remove all of the excess sand or glitter. Let dry 24 to 48 hours. When the starfish has dried completely, peel the shape from the wax paper. Cut a piece of yarn, thread it through the paperclip "V" and tie in a knot.
A nice way to teach students about the habitat of the starfish is to have them create an example of it. Starfish on the sand is a simple activity that shows the starfish and its surroundings. Cut out a starfish shape and trace it on a piece of thin cardboard or thick construction paper. Cut out the starfish. Spread glue all over the starfish shape. Sprinkle beads or glitter on the starfish and gently shake off the excess. Glue the starfish to a sheet of sandpaper. Let the students add little shells or blue yarn to decorate their "beach."
Starfish have five points as people have five fingers. This activity will teach the preschoolers about starfish and counting. On a piece of construction paper, have the kids use their fingers to paint each point of the starfish with finger paint. Let them choose crazy colors and add googly eyes. They can use one finger at a time to create the starfish's body or they can use a hand print to create the body at once.