In this post: Take your kids on a bilingual marine adventure with our ocean-themed Spanish resources and lessons.
Looking for some no-prep Spanish lessons about the ocean?
The weather is warming up and summer is just around the corner making ‘el océano’ the perfect learning theme for your kids!
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Topping the list of must-do summer activities are visits to amusement parks, barbecues, picnics and let’s not forget those much-anticipated outings to the beach and sea!
We can support you in teaching your kids about marine life and the overall beauty of the ocean en español!
Related Post: Weather and Seasons in Spanish
We love using this thematic method to develop all our lessons and curricula here at Llamitas Spanish. One major advantage is that this approach uses a range of teaching methods and integrates many disciplines to support different learning styles.
With that said, let’s dive right in! (see what we did there?)
Table of Contents
Ocean Vocabulary in Spanish
There’s so much to learn about the ocean that it’s impossible to know half of the vocabulary EVEN in English. However, we’ve compiled a bilingual list of some of the most common words that young learners will be able to easily pronounce and learn.
It’s also a great idea to revisit the topics in the future and add a few words at a time to expand on theme-specific vocabulary. That way, your kids won’t feel overwhelmed which helps to keep learning fun and meaningful.
Our curriculum and lessons come fully open-and-go with audio playlists to help you pronounce these keywords!
| Spanish | English |
| barco | boat |
| mar | sea |
| concha | shell |
| alga | seaweed |
| coral | coral |
| marinero | sailor |
| olas | waves |
| salvavidas | life jackets |
| ancla | anchor |
As for marine life, here’s a list you can start with:
| Spanish | English |
| pulpo | octopus |
| cangrejo | crab |
| delfín | dolphin |
| tiburón | shark |
| pez | fish |
| ballena | whale |
| tortuga | turtle |
| medusa | jellyfish |
| foca | seal |
| langosta | lobster |
Spanish Lessons about the Ocean
The first unit in our Level 1 Curriculum is ocean themed! Using our ocean-themed resources, your kids will be able to name 12 ocean words, count to 10 and expand their knowledge of the alphabet and Spanish pronunciation by learning about the letters Mm, Pp, Bb, Dd.
This is all done using the thematic approach we mentioned earlier in this post which incorporates hands-on activities with tracing, counting, matching, coloring, games, songs and lots more.
Your kids won’t get bored with these interactive activities and you’ll enjoy facilitating every second of this lesson. Get started and have fun with this theme using unit 1 of our Level 1 Curriculum.
Spanish Books about the Ocean
Hola Mar/ Hello Ocean by Pam Muñoz Ryan
This bilingual read is a wonderful, realistic poetic story of a child exploring the ocean with her five senses.
¿Quién se esconde en el mar? by Marc Clamens
This is an interactive puzzle book. Help find the homes of several sea creatures and learn about them along the way!
Secretos de la costa by Usborne Books
Shine a light behind the pages to reveal hidden images. This is a very interactive book and great for themed vocabulary learning.
Un día en la playa by Graciela Castellanos
Take a trip to the beach and gain a greater appreciation for all the things in nature. There’s also a website for you to access free interactive activities for the book.
Nadarín by Leo Lionni
Here’s the story of a little fish with great intelligence who finds a way to protect an entire school of fish from their predators.
Alma del Mar by Jaime Gamboa
Join the adventures of a girl named Alma and her father as they share their love for the sea and so much more.
Una casa para cangrejo ermitaño by Eric Carle
This story of growth and change will resonate with lots of young readers and help them to process their own feelings while learning more about marine life.
La red de Inés by Paula Merlán Bajo
Accompany Inés to the depths of the ocean to learn more about marine habitats, the impact humans can have on these habitats and much more.
Planning to incorporate more reading and less screen time this summer? Check out our round-up of the best summer Spanish books for kids.
Spanish Songs about the Ocean
We include songs in our curriculum with bilingual lyrics but we always love sharing more on our blog for continued learning and fun. So warm up those voices and get singing with these Spanish songs about the ocean!
What happens when one tiny fish goes swimming in the ocean and encounters a shark? Find out what the little fish does and practice pronunciation with this song by ChiquitinesTV.
Admire the determination of Rickie Chickie as he sets out to sail a boat and eventually gets it right. Follow along with the lyrics on the screen to review numbers in Spanish and learn new phrases!
Sing with Jess to learn the names and actions of many of the sea creatures we mentioned earlier including turtles, jellyfish, octopuses and more. The visuals of the animals are also super helpful for remembering the names as you go along.
Chances are you’ve heard the English version of this one, Baby Shark. Now this favorite kid song will be stuck in your head in 2 languages. On the bright side, your kids may never forget the word tiburón.
Uncover the treasures of this shark for a fun and easy way to practice writing the capital and common form of the letter t. You’ll also learn many other words that start with this letter.
Spanish Curriculum for the Early Years
There are many resources that will help you to teach your kids Spanish so how do you know which one to choose?
At Llamitas Spanish® we offer a structured, full-year, open-and-go program rooted in thematic learning for the early years.
Our program is the perfect option if you:
- Want to learn Spanish alongside your child
- Are a bilingual or native Spanish-speaking family
- Enjoy working with beautifully illustrated worksheets and hands-on activities
- Want your child to gain a solid foundation in phonics, early math and literacy
- Want an authentic curriculum rooted in Hispanic music and art
If this sounds like a program you’re interested in, head over to our curriculum shop to enroll now, set up your account and get immediate access.
Kimberly is a freelance writer from Trinidad and Tobago who was always fascinated by language and holds a B.A in Spanish with a minor in Linguistics. She considers herself to be a multipotentialite due to her many interests and a few of her favorite things include coffee, pasta and scented candles.