If you need an adorable letter c handprint craft to teach your child in a fun and creative way, I have some crafty crab fun for you made with their own two little precious hands. Also, look at my page How to Homeschool Preschool for more ideas.
This makes for a wonderful summer learning project for preschoolers as you discover all the amazing animals in and around the ocean.
This sounds like a great reason for multiple field trips to the beach don’t you think?
Crabs are fascinating creatures as they make their home in all oceans as well as fresh water.
Some crabs live on land, some live several miles from water. Some species, such as the fiddler crab live in burrows in the sand or mud.
Crabs all have a hard exoskeleton to protect and support their more delicate insides yet some, like the hermit crab, choose to also hide inside of shells for additional protection.
Most crabs have a total of 10 appendages, two pincers/claws at the front, 6 walking legs, and 2 swimming legs in the very back.
They can vary in size from just ¾ “, the Pea Crab, to an up to 13’ leg span of the Japanese Spider Crab.
That is a pretty big size spread for one creature!
Let’s fiddle around and see what fun activities we can do with our littles to learn all about these crustaceans.
First, look at these beautiful books about the ocean.
Ocean Books
I love living books when we study.
Then I love to add in reference books when we’re learning.
16 Ocean Books for Kids Who Love to Read and Be Read To
Choose a few of these ocean themed books to go along with your study of the Oceans. Whether you're looking for a spine for a unit study or literature, you'll love this roundup.
Join Danny Meadow Mouse, Jimmy Skunk, and Reddy Fox as they explore the seashore and take a closer look at the habits and habitats of the creatures they find. Discover the Seahorse, Shrimp, Crab, Anemone, Gull, and so many more.
The Burgess Seashore Book for Children is a wonderful way to introduce young ones to the fascinating world beneath us and is a perfect compliment to earlier books in this series, the Bird, Animal, and Flower books.
This edition is complete and unabridged with all of the beautiful illustrations by W.H. Southwick and George Sutton
Seaside Naturalist is an illustrated guide to marine plants and animals includes the characteristics of protozoa, arthropods, sponges, mollusks, reptiles, birds, fish, and mammals.
The book opens by explaining how different types of animals are able to breathe and survive underwater, and the different families to which they belong. Subsequent pages are dedicated to specific creatures, including sea turtles, whales, sharks, stingrays, and seahorses, and show varied life in specific habitats, such as a coral reef or deep sea bed. The Big Book of the Blue also explores the underwater world thematically, looking at animals in danger, learning how to spot creatures at the beach, and discovering how to do our part to save sea life. Beautiful and filled with fascinating facts, young, curious readers won’t be able to tear their eyes away from the page.
Island of the Blue Dolphins begins with a young girl named Karana who is living on the Island of the Blue Dolphins (fancy name, right?) with her younger brother, Ramo, and sister, Ulape. One day, a group of Russian hunters (Aleutians) land on the island to hunt for otter. This is when the trouble really begins.
Once upon a time in France, a baby was born under the summer sun. His parents named him Jacques. As he grew, Jacques fell in love with the sea. He dreamed of breathing beneath the waves and swimming as gracefully as a fish. In fact, he longed to become a manfish. Jacques Cousteau grew up to become a champion of the seas and one of the best-known oceanographers in the world. In this lovely biography, now in paperback, poetic text and gorgeous paintings come together to create a portrait of Cousteau that is as magical as it is inspiring.
A beautiful edition with 110 images from the 1875 English edition. Use Amazon's Look inside feature to compare this edition with others. You'll be impressed by the differences. Don't be fooled by other versions that have no illustrations or contain very small print. Reading our edition will make you feel that you are traveling the seas with Captain Nemo himself.
More than 100 original illustrations by Louis Rhead. You want to read this book with illustrations.
An introduction by W. D. Howells.
Nicely formatted text in an easy-to-read font.
A beautiful cover from the 1891 edition.
Embark on a captivating tour of the waters that cover 70 percent of our planet! See our oceans come to life in mind-blowing detail. This is the ultimate children’s visual encyclopedia about the awe-inspiring blue planet!
How did a nineteenth-century dressmaker revolutionize science? Jeanne Power was creative: she wanted to learn about the creatures that swim beneath the ocean waves, so she built glass tanks and changed the way we study underwater life forever. Jeanne Power was groundbreaking: she solved mysteries of sea animals and published her findings at a time when few of women’s contributions to science were acknowledged. Jeanne Power was persistent: when records of her research were lost, she set to work repeating her studies. And when men tried to take credit for her achievements, she stood firm and insisted on the recognition due to her.
Follow Rothman’s inquisitive mind and perceptive eye along shorelines, across the open ocean, and below the waves for an artistic exploration of the watery universe. Through her drawings, discover how the world’s oceans formed, why the sea is salty, and the forces behind oceanic phenomena such as rogue waves. Colorful anatomical profiles of sea creatures from crustacean to cetacean, surveys of seafaring vessels and lighthouses, and the impact of plastic and warming water temperatures are just part of this compendium of curiosities that will entertain and educate readers of all ages.
Do you know a kid who’s captivated by what goes on beneath the ocean’s surface? This amazing entry into ocean books for kids is packed with hundreds of incredible facts for hours of underwater exploration. Pages of full-color pictures feature life in and around the sea including fish, dolphins, and shipwrecks!
Dive into the mesmerizing world of bioluminescence with "All About Bioluminescence." In this captivating book, readers embark on a journey through the depths of the ocean to discover the extraordinary glow-in-the-dark creatures that inhabit its mysterious realm. From the enchanting sea angel to the infamous anglerfish, each page is filled with stunning illustrations and fascinating facts about these luminous beings.With a focus on deep-sea dwellers, readers will uncover the secrets behind bioluminescence and learn how these creatures use light to communicate, camouflage, and lure prey. But the adventure doesn't stop there! "All About Bioluminescence" also includes hands-on activities like a glow stick experiment, allowing readers to experience the magic of bioluminescence firsthand.
One of the most enduringly popular adventure tales, Treasure Island began in 1881 as a serialized adventure entitled "The Sea-Cook"in the periodical Young Folks. Completed during a stay at Davos, Switzerland, where Stevenson had gone for his health, it was published in 1883 in the form we know today.Set in the eighteenth century, Treasure Island spins a heady tale of piracy, a mysterious treasure map, and a host of sinister characters charged with diabolical intentions. Seen through the eyes of Jim Hawkins, the cabin boy of the Hispaniola, the action-packed adventure tells of a perilous sea journey across the Spanish Main, a mutiny led by the infamous Long John Silver, and a lethal scramble for buried treasure on an exotic isle.
In Oceans and Seas! With 25 Science Projects for Kids readers ages 7 though 10 dive into the underwater world of some of the most amazing landscapes on Earth. On this amazing underwater adventure, kids experience the ocean’s tropical reefs and spot crabs, sea sponges, and thousands of kinds of fish darting in its crags and folds. They’ll meet a giant squid with eyes the size of dinner plates and an mbrella-like bioluminescent jellyfish.
From both a historical and scientific point of view, above and below the surface, this engaging guide brings the world’s oceans to life through fun facts, illustrations, and in-depth information. Interactive activities appear throughout, ranging from making solar stills and simple fishing spears to experimenting with a homemade diving bell and figuring out how much water it really takes to survive. With the oceans being the least explored environment on Earth, this reference illuminates some of the most incredible and surprising plants and animals as well as how to survive and navigate these vast expanses.
An intricate study of tide pool life is presented in text and pictures through the story of Pagoo, a her-mit crab.
More Letter C Handprint Craft Ideas
- Another C handprint craft is this cute crawling Caterpillar Handprint Craft and it would go along wonderfully with The Very Hungry Caterpillar book.
- You could also go a farm route and create C is For Carrot handprint art.
- This Handprint Art- C is For Car is ideal for a transportation unit with preschoolers who love things that go.
- Dig into the desert with C is for Camel handprint craft as well as some other fabulous ideas for the theme.
- Make a quick and easy Cactus Handprint without messy paint to clean up.
More How to Homeschool Preschool Letter of the Week Activities
- How to Make a Fun Paper Plate Fish | F is for Fish
- P Is For Pineapple Craft | How To Make A Fun Handprint Pineapple
- Alphabet Letter A is for Apple Craft for Preschool | Fun Apple Study
- Letter O is for Owl Preschool Craft | Fun Great Horned Owl Study
- Alphabet Letter H Handprint Craft For Fun Preschool Horse Study
- How To Make An Alphabet Teeth Cleaning Activity | 5 Preschool Letter T Crafts
- Alphabet Letter R is for Rainbow Craft for Preschool | Fun Rain Mobile
- Alphabet Letter M is for Monkey Handprint Preschool Fun Monkey Study
- Alphabet Letter G is for Gorilla Fun Paper Plate Preschool Mask
- W Is For Winter Craft Easy Snowman Oobleck Activity
- Letter E Is For Eagle Easy Preschool Eagle Study
- Alphabet Letter N Is For Nest Handprint & Fun Nests Preschool Craft
- B is for Bird Craft | Free Preschool Bluebird Study
- X is for X Ray Craft | Unique Crayon Resist Skeleton
Ocean Crab Vocabulary Words
If you are going to create a crab handprint with your little you may as well turn it into a learning session as you do. Here are a few basic vocabulary words to teach the various anatomy of a crab.
- Crustaceans- They live mostly in water, have a hard shell, a segmented body, and jointed appendages.
- Exoskeleton- An outside skeleton that helps protect and support a crabs softer body.
- Cheliped-The front arm of a crab that supports the claw, also known as a pincer.
- Crawling Legs- These are the 8 other smaller legs on either side of a crab used to move around.
- Antennae- In general crabs have two pairs, they are also known as feelers. Crabs use them to eat, navigate, smell, and for movement.
Quick And Inexpensive Letter C Handprint Craft
You will need:
- Blue cardstock paper
- Tan cardstock paper
- Red paint
- Paintbrush
- Google eyes
- Glue stick
First, start with a blue background to look like the sky/water so that your crab is not just floating in white.
Tear a few strips of tan cardstock and use a glue stick to attach it along the bottom of the paper for sand layers.
Now you want to coat those little hands in a good thick layer of red and stamp them one at a time so the palms just touch at the wrist area.
Be sure to press the palm and each finger down so the paint transfers well. Thumbs pointing upwards make great antennae.
Allow the paint to dry completely then have them glue on googly eyes.
Whenever working on a project with preschool and younger children I like to write the letter on the paper as well or even ‘C is for Crab’ to help them make the connection that letters and words have meaning.
