Sharks are some of the largest, most fascinating creatures in the ocean.  

It’s no wonder these awesome sea creatures have inspired numerous books and movies.  There is even a whole week dedicated to sharks each summer. 

Whether you’re looking for some family friendly activities to do during Shark Week, or you are planning a shark birthday party, these DIY Shark Party Games are sure to get the kids smiling and having fun.  

You may also want to check out some of these other shark games for kids.

Affiliate links have been provided below.  See my full disclosure policy here.

Do you know a child that loves sharks?  

Like so many boys his age, my son loves sharks.   He has even had a shark-themed birthday party, complete with a variety of  shark party games  and a “Jawsome” DIY shark cake.

If you are looking for shark party ideas, these games are a great place to start.  

DIY Shark Party Games

These 4 simple DIY Shark themed Games are perfect for a shark birthday party.  They’d also be fun to play during Shark Week in the summer.

Feed the Shark Game

Start by creating your very own game of “Feed the Shark.”   

Use a large piece of cardboard to create this simple ball toss game. 

Simply draw a basic shark head and cut out the mouth.  You can even add in some pointy teeth with white construction paper.  

(Want to see more detailed directions on how to make your own cardboard ball toss?  Check out our Feed the Monster game.)

To feed your shark, tape tissue paper tails to some plastic ball pit balls to make fish.  You could also use bean bags, or you could even use rolled up socks.  (Sometimes simple is best!) 

Put your “fish” in a bucket, and have kids take turns tossing the fish into the shark’s mouth.  

Kids of all ages will have fun “feeding the shark.”  

Have older kids stand farther away from the target.  Younger kids can stand closer to it.  

What’s great about this game is that once you are finished playing, it makes a fun picture opportunity! 

It’s perfect to print out and hand to party guests as a fun souvenir.

Related post:  The BEST Shark Books for Kids. 

Keep the Shark Away

Another very simple party game is “keep the shark away.”  

Use a permanent marker to draw shark faces on blue balloons.  

Cut several pool noodles in half.  

Have kids try to keep the balloons in the air, and not let them touch their bodies, while only using the pool noodles pieces to keep the “sharks” away.  

Walk the Plank

A wood board makes a fun pretend plank for this game.   

Turn it into a kids shark game by placing a blue plastic tablecloth under the plank to serve as your ocean. 

Create shark fins by cutting large triangles out of cardboard. 

Cut a slit in the bottom of the triangle and slide a smaller rectangle of cardboard into the slit to make your triangle fin stand up.  

Place the fins around the plank.  

The object of the game is to walk the plank and not fall in to the shark-infested water.    

Save the Sea Animals Game

Looking for one more shark themed party game? 

Have kids save toy sharks and other sea animals in the Save the Sea Animals game.

There you have it, simple and fun shark party games, just in time to add to your Shark Week activities.

You may also like:

• Educational Shark Themed Games
• Wacky Water Wing Game
• Fun Games for Kids 
• Super Awesome Camp Crafts
• How to Have an Awesome Star Wars Party on a Tight Budget

Originally published June 20, 2015.

The post Shark Party Games — Perfect for Shark Week or a Shark-Themed Birthday Party first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

With Shark Week soming up, you can find plenty of Shark Activities to do with the kids.

Summer is also perfect for sharing these awesome shark books for kids.  

Do you have a child that loves sharks?  These Shark Party Games are fun for summer and all year long.  

Shark Books for Kids 

My son has always loved sharks.  He has even had a shark birthday, complete with a 3-D shark cake. 

The following kids books about sharks are some of our favorite  books that we either own  or have gotten from the library numerous times.  

I have broken the list down into fiction and nonfiction books.

Clicking the book title will take you to more information about the book on Amazon using an affiliate link.  For more details, check out my full disclosure. 

Fiction Shark Books

These kids books featuring sharks are perfect for snuggling up together to read.   

Little Shark Finger Puppet Book  —  Finger puppet books are a cute way to interact with your child during reading time.  This adorable book allows even your youngest family member to get into the shark action.

Clark the Shark  —  This is a great read aloud picture book.  Clark the Shark is full of energy and is a bit too rowdy at times.  In this book his teacher helps him find a way to tone that energy down a bit.  Good for helping kids learn self control how their behavior affects others.

Shadow of the Shark (Magic Treehouse series)  —  This is book 53 from the popular Magic Treehouse series.  Jack and Annie are whisked off on a dream vacation to Mexico.  But, that dream vacation takes a twist when a hungry shark attacks.

I Survived:  The Shark Attacks of 1916  —  Based on true events when the Jersey shore was terrorized by Great White Shark attacks.  The I Survived book series is a huge hit with kids.  Each book is full of excitement, and this book is no exception.  You’ll find yourself anxious to see what happens next at the end of each chapter.

How to Survive as a Shark — Humorous book packed full of jokes and facts about sharks.

Nonfiction Shark Books

It’s important for young readers to be exposed to both fiction and nonfiction texts.  

These early reader nonfiction shark books for kids will inspire your child to learn more about these fascinating creatures.  Plus, young children are excited when they can read independently about a topic that interests them.

Amazing Sharks! (I Can Read book, level 2)  —  Perfect for early readers and filled with beautiful photographs, kids will enjoy reading about sharks in this easy to read book.

Fly Guy Presents Sharks  (Scholastic Reader, level 2)  —  The popular Fly Guy is back in this nonfiction reader which combines kid-friendly humor with the topic of sharks.  Your child will be laughing and learning, a perfect combination.

Sharks (Reading Discovery Nature Series, level 3)  —  Discover facts about the ultimate predator in this leveled reader.  With 15 of the most well-known sharks featured, your child will enjoy learning something new each time they read it.

Incredible Sharks (See More Readers, level 1)  —  Simple sentences allow early readers to easily read this level 1 nonfiction shark book.

National Geographic Kids:  Everything Sharks  —  With 64 pages packed full of facts and amazing pictures, it’s everything you expect from National Geographic.  We like that the pages are broken up so you can read the whole page or choose which facts interest you at the time.  Plus, the index at the back makes it easy to look up your favorite shark.

Sharks (Discovery Kids)  —  Perfect for Discovery Channel’s Shark Week!  Includes information about shark habitats, behavior, and feeding habits.  Plus, learn how we can help the shark population.

Pocket Genius: Sharks  —  The small size of this book makes it perfect for taking on the go.  It is full of information on over 150 different sharks and rays, including ancient sharks.  The table of contents and index make it super simple to find just the shark you’re looking for.

Paleo Sharks  —  Find out about prehistoric sharks!  What did they look like?  How big were they?  Each shark featured has a section comparing its size to an adult human.  Bonus points if you can pronounce some of the tongue-twister names in the book.

Sharks and Other Predators:  A Non-Fiction Companion to Magic Treehouse #53  —  Perfect for fans of the Magic Treehouse series, or anyone wanting to learn more about sharks.  This nonfiction Fact Tracker is full of information, pictures and fun tidbits from Jack and Annie.

Shark Activity Books

Mixing facts about sharks with coloring, puzzles, and stickers makes learning about sharks even more fun! 

National Geographic Kids Shark Sticker Activity Book  —  This activity book is packed full mazes, games, and facts about sharks.  So much fun the kids won’t even know they’re learning.

Scholastic Sharks Sticker Book  —  This activity book contains colorful pages full of shark facts and jokes, plus 260 stickers for your child to place on the pages.  We love the jokes in the thought bubbles from the sharks and fish.

Sharks of the World Coloring Book  —  The detailed pictures in this book are perfect for kids as well as shark-loving adults.  There are 25 different species of sharks to color, each accompanied by a fact-filled caption.  There is also a double-page illustration of all the 25 species drawn to scale, helping kids better understand how big that Great White Shark is compared to the small Cookie Cutter shark.

Whether you’re looking for books that your own shark fan will enjoy, or you’re looking for books to help celebrate Shark Week, these shark books for kids are some of the best.

You may also like:

• Shark Party Games
• 20 Sea Animal Crafts
• Simple Squid Craft

The post The BEST Shark Books for Kids first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

The squid attack on the Nautilus was one of our favorite parts, and it inspired this simple squid craft.

It’s one of our favorite sea animal crafts.  I bet your child will love it, too!

This simple ocean animal craft is perfect for a sea animal unit.  It also makes a fun summer craft.

Squid Craft

Materials Needed:

Affiliate links provided for your convenience.  See my full disclosure policy for more details. 

• Construction Paper (We used multi-colored scrapbooking paper.)
• Craft Glue
• Wiggly Eyes
• Ribbon 
• Ruler (optional)
• Scissors
• Clear Tape

To make your squid, cut your colored paper into the following parts:

• 4 1/2 x 7 inch rectangle
• triangle with a 6 inch base
• 2 inch square
• 2 slightly pointy ovals

For younger children you may want to have the pieces cut out ahead of time, or you could draw them and have your child cut out the pieces.  (This is a great way for preschoolers to practice scissor skills.)

For older children you can show them how to use the ruler to measure and draw the parts themselves.

Once you have your pieces cut out, glue the square to the back of the triangle to form the squid’s fins.  Then glue the triangle to the top of the rectangle to form the mantle.

Using clear tape, secure 2 pieces of ribbon (ours our 10 inches long) to the back of the squid’s mantle.  These will form the feeding tentacles.  

Use another small piece of tape to attach the pointy oval pieces to the ribbon.

Cut 8 tentacles at the bottom of the squid’s body, going approximately half way up the rectangle.

Glue on wiggly eyes and your adorable paper squid craft is finished.

This simple sea animal craft to go with 20,000 Leagues under the Sea was a huge hit.

At our house paper squids have been attacking toy cars, Barbie dolls and recreating the attack on the Nautilus all week.

Other ocean animal crafts you may enjoy:

• Paper Plate Pufferfish
• Recycled Water Bottle Fish
• Make a Shark Cake 

The post Simple Squid Craft first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

Of course he wanted a shark cake and fun shark party games to celebrate.

I searched everywhere to find just the right cake, but they all included miniature toys sharks or were just round cakes with a toothy shark grin.  He wanted one that was 3-dimensional.  

It took a bit of tinkering, but eventually I figured out how to make a shark cake.

Affiliate links have been used below.  See my full disclosure for more details. 

This fun cake is perfect for a shark party or to do as a shark week activity.  

DIY Shark Cake

Materials Needed:

• 2 Boxed Cake Mixes 
• 3 – 16 oz. Cans of White Frosting
• 16 inch round cake pan
• Serrated Knife
• Marshmallows 
• Black Decorator Icing
• Large Tray (to display cake)

When making a shaped cake like this, a pound cake mix works best because it doesn’t crumble as easily when you cut it.  However, you can choose another flavor (we did chocolate).  

Follow the directions on your cake mix, then pour both cake batters into your 16 inch round cake pan.

Since most box mixes don’t have directions for how long to cook the cake, you will need to check it often after it’s been in the oven for 25 minutes.  

Once your cake is cooked, let it cool completely.  This is very important, as a warm cake will fall apart when you cut it.  

How to Make a Shark Cake

Once the cake is completely cooled, it is time to start assembling your homemade shark cake.  

If you baked a cake that is something other than a pound cake, such as the chocolate cake we made, you will want to pop it into the freezer for 15 minutes or so.  This will help you cut the cake with less crumbling.  

Use a serrated knife to cut the circular cake down the middle with an “S” shape.  It should look like a yin-yang shape (or 2 paisleys side by side). 

Half of the cake will become the base of the shark.  

Use your serrated knife to cut the circular portion off the second paisley shape.  This will form the top of the shark’s head.   

Use frosting to secure the circle onto the circular portion of the shark’s base.  

Then cut the pointy part off the other half of cake.  Use your serrated knife to carefully cut this pointed piece in half horizontally to create 2 side fins for your shark.  Use frosting to attach them to the cake.  (See photo below.)

Finally, cut a triangular piece from what was left to make the shark’s tail and another to be its dorsal fin.  (Tip:  Use a serrated knife to tapper the sides of your triangles so they are thinner on top.  This will help them stand up better.)

Use icing to stick the dorsal fin and tail onto the shark’s base.  (You may want to wait to do this until it is close to party time, as they are fragile pieces.  I actually used a few carefully hidden toothpicks to hold up the tail.)

We used blue food coloring to color the remaing white frosting.  You could also make it grey or leave it white.  

Carefully cover the cake with your frosting.   For a more finished look, use fondant icing.   (We have food allergies here, so we stuck with basic frosting.)

To make eyes, cut thin slices from marshmallows and stick them in place.  Use black decorator icing to make the pupil.  

Then cut a few more marshmallows into triangles to form teeth.  

Finish the mouth by outlining it with black decorating icing.  

This shark shaped cake was a huge hit at my son’s birthday party.  

He had fun comparing it to the creatures in his favorite shark books for kids.  

I’m sure your own shark fan will love it, too.  

You may also like:

The post How to Make a “Jawsome” Shark Cake first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

Whatever the occasion, if you are looking for fun ocean themed party games, this one will have them cheering each other on.

You may also want to check out these fun shark games for kids.

No matter what party, you just can’t beat a few fun games for kids.  

We had lots of fun playing this simple game as one of our shark party games for my son’s birthday party.  It works great for a wide range of ages, from toddler to elementary school aged kids.

For more wacky summer fun, check out this water wing game. 

Save the Sea Animals — Ocean Themed Party Game

Affiliate links have been used below.  See my full disclosure for more details. 

You will need:

• 1 large plastic tub, kiddie pool, or storage container
• Collection of small plastic sea animals
• Sand buckets and shovels (1 bucket and shovel for each team you will have)
• Can of shaving cream
• Water

To play, place plastic sea animals into your plastic tub or kiddie pool.  

Fill the container part way with water, making sure to at least cover the animals.

Then spray shaving cream on top, covering the animals so they can’t be seen.  

Divide kids into teams, making sure each team has a plastic sand bucket and shovel.

Line the teams up behind the buckets.  We had our buckets about 12 feet away from the plastic tub of animals, but you could make the distance longer or shorter depending on the age of the kids.  

Tell the players that it is their job to save the sea animals from the pollution (shaving cream).  They must use the shovel to scoop up the animals and carry them back to their bucket without dropping them.  

If they drop the creature, have them go back and try again with a new animal.  

Once a child’s delivers a sea animal to their bucket, they should pass the shovel to the next person in line.

Play continues until all the figures our out of the shaving cream and water.  

The team with the most animals in their bucket, wins.

For younger children, you could just finish with, “Yeah!  we saved all the animals!” and not announce a winner.

 ***

Increase the Challenge for the Ocean Animals Party Game

• Have players wear an inner tube around their waist or arm floats when its their turn.  Or, for older children, you could use a pair of swim flippers.
• Use different sized animals.  It’s hard to get more than one large animal on the shovel at a time!
• Toss in a handful of seashells with the animals.  The shaving cream makes it hard to see what you’re really scooping up.
• Tell players they must keep one arm behind their back when it’s their turn.
• If players drop a sea animal, don’t let them pick it back up.

You may also like:

• Educational Shark Games
• How to Make  Shark Cake 
• Frozen Shaving Cream Sensory Play 

The post Save the Sea Animals! Simple Party Game for Summer first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

Heading to the beach this summer?  If your kids are anything like mine you will come home with buckets of seashells.  This simple shell craft is the perfect summer craft after that trip to the beach.

Spread out a variety of seashells for the kids to choose from.  You will also need a variety of permanent markers.  I love my collection of Sharpie markers (affiliate link).

This is a totally open-ended camp craft.  Allow the kids to decorate the shells however they want to.  They may do stripes and polka dots, or they may turn those shells into animals and favorite cartoon characters.

We had shells decorated with Minecraft characters, tigers, rainbows, camouflage…all as different and unique as the kids who were decorating them!

I never expected this simple craft would be such a huge hit!  In fact, my daughter begged to do it again several times that week.  And, if a bit of permanent marker winds up where it shouldn’t, it’s a breeze to clean with this tip to remove permanent marker from little fingers and table tops.

Want to take this craft a bit further?   Get out googly eyes for kids to add on, or try adding arms/legs to characters using pipe cleaners and hot glue.

This summer when the kids collect handfuls of white shells you will have the perfect seashell craft to do when you get home.

You may also like:

• Seashell Fairy House
• TMNT-Inspired Seashell Craft
• Awesome Camp Crafts
• Duct Tape Sit-Upon Craft (perfect for camping)

The post Simple Shell Art for Kids first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.