| Children may encounter jellyfish at the beach during the summer. Jellyfish can seem like mysterious animals that may intrigue students. The activities described below introduce children to the life cycle of jellyfish, their movements, what they eat as well as what eats them. Print out pictures of what jellyfish look like so the children can see the variety possessed by these creatures. Incorporate some jellyfish dancing and a simple craft to finish off a day learning about these ocean-dwelling animals.
Ocean Life Cycle
Print out a picture of the jellyfish’s life cycle. The instructor points to the drawing of the different stages of a jellyfish’s life. Ask the children if a baby jellyfish looks like the adult. Can they think of any other animals that undergo metamorphosis, or change as they get older? (Butterflies/moths; frogs) Discuss how jellyfish protect themselves at the different stages of their lives.
Jelly Fishing
Make plastic wrap jellyfish. Cut squares of plastic wrap. Hold the thumb and fingers of one hand into an “O” shape and set a square of plastic over that hand. Poke a finger from the free hand into the plastic wrap and squeeze the plastic so it sticks together. The corners of the plastic wrap square will stay loose.
Make three-to-five jellyfish for each child. Scatter the jellyfish over the play area. Students pretend to be hungry sea turtles and gather as many jellyfish as they can. Play another round, if desired.
How Jellyfish Move
Many jellyfish move by drifting with the ocean’s currents. They have limited horizontal mobility; however, they can contract their body and force the water to propel themselves vertically and out of potential danger.
Show the children how to use a pipette; squeezing the bulb, inserting the tip in water, releasing pressure on the bulb (allowing water to go up into the bulb), and then drawing the pipette from the water. They can then squeeze the bulb to push the water from the pipette.
Fill aluminum trays with water and scatter paper punch dots over the water. The children use the pipette to show how the jellyfish manipulates its body to push out water and move (this activity incorporates horizontal, not vertical movement, but kids will experience the action). Encourage the children to squeeze the water from the pipette while the tip is under the water. They will know they are successful when the paper dots move.
Jellyfish Dancing
Hand the children paper streamers (or wrap pieces around their wrists with plenty of extra hanging down). Put on slow (classical) music and have the children dance around, moving as slowly as possible as they wave their tentacles.
Freeze Tag
Play this like Freeze Tag – players must stop when they are tagged. Players are fish that are trying to escape the jellyfish. The jellyfish’s venom causes the fish to freeze until another fish tags them and they are free to run again. Allow the role of the jellyfish to be played by varying students.
Jellyfish Craft for Kids
Cut a paper plate in half. Glue or tape on strips of paper or streamers as tentacles. Punch a hole in the top of the plate and add string so kids can run with their jellyfish and make them “swim.”
The above activities teach children about this mysterious, ocean-dwelling animal. Through these activities, children can learn how jellyfish move, what they eat, and what eats them. This lesson in jellyfish can be just one way to combine learning about wildlife with seasons and observation days.
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