Make story time more fun with this rainbow fish craft. It is perfect for an ocean theme activity for preschool and kindergarten students. Not only will it work their fine motor skills, they’ll love pairing this activity with reading this beloved children’s book too.
RELATED: Ocean Animals Theme Activities Pack
The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister has been captivating the hearts and minds of children and adults alike since its publication in 1992. Its message of sharing and friendship resonates deeply, making it a beloved story in preschool classrooms around the world. One of the most enjoyable ways to bring this story to life is through crafting, and what better way to do so than by creating a paper plate rainbow fish?
This simple yet engaging craft allows preschoolers to express their creativity while reinforcing the book’s themes. So, gather your materials and dive into The Rainbow Fish’s colorful world!
Rainbow Fish Craft Discussion
Read The Rainbow Fish story aloud, allowing the children to follow along with the familiar tale as they hold their colorful creations. As you read, encourage them to compare their crafts to the illustrations in the book, noting the similarities and differences.
Following the story, engage the children in a reflective discussion about the themes and messages conveyed in The Rainbow Fish. Encourage preschoolers to share their thoughts and feelings about sharing, friendship, and the importance of kindness.
Ask open-ended questions such as, “Why do you think the Rainbow Fish decided to share his scales?” or “How did sharing make the Rainbow Fish and his friends feel?” This dialogue fosters empathy and social-emotional development in preschoolers.
Materials for the Paper Plate Rainbow Fish Craft
You’ll need these materials to make rainbow fishes in your classroom with your preschoolers.
- Tissue paper
- Scissors
- Glue (or glue sticks)
- Paper plate
- Markers or paint
- Big googly eye or make an eye out of paper
Extension Ideas for the Rainbow Fish Craft
Here are a few ideas for turning this craft activity into a complete Rainbow Fish preschool theme!
- Invite your preschoolers to act out scenes from the book using their crafted Rainbow Fish as props.
- Set up a sensory table filled with shiny materials such as sequins, beads, and metallic paper for the children to explore and create their own underwater scenes. You could also incorporate math concepts by counting and sorting the scales or practicing patterns and sequencing.
- Provide paper and crayons or markers for preschoolers to illustrate their favorite scenes from the Rainbow Fish story or write their own version of the tale, imagining new adventures for the Rainbow Fish and his friends.
- If you have a little one, pair this activity with the Free Ocean Shadow Matching Printable activity. It’s a great way to improve visual perception skills and teach kids about different sea animals.
These extension activities not only reinforce the themes and concepts of the book but also allow preschoolers to engage in meaningful and hands-on learning experiences.
How to Make the Paper Plate Fish Craft
Follow along with these step-by-step directions to make these paper plate Rainbow Fish with your preschoolers. It’s easy to make and so adorable!
You may want to cut the scales out of tissue paper before starting the activity with impatient little ones.
Use markers to color in a quarter of the paper plate (we used bright yellow). Encourage preschoolers to explore different color combinations, just like the vibrant scales of the Rainbow Fish in the book.
Next, take your scissors and carefully cut a triangle out of the middle of the colored section. This triangle will serve as the fish’s mouth, allowing it to share its shimmering scales with its friends. Be sure to supervise preschoolers closely during this step.
Now, take the triangle you cut out in the previous step and glue it to the opposite side of the plate. This triangle will become the tail of the Rainbow Fish, giving it a graceful and flowing appearance.
No Rainbow Fish would be complete without its striking eye! Attach a big googly eye to the front of the fish to give it a friendly and expressive face. If you don’t have googly eyes available, you can easily make an eye out of paper and glue it in place.
To add the iconic scales to your Rainbow Fish, take the tissue paper and cut out small scales in various shapes and colors. These scales will bring your fish to life, shimmering and shining just like those in the book.
Instead of round tissue paper scales, you can also use tissue paper squares instead.
Once you have a collection of scales ready, it’s time to decorate your fish! Using glue, carefully attach the scales to the body of the Rainbow Fish, slightly overlapping them to create a beautiful and textured effect. This is where the children can let their imaginations run wild, arranging the scales in patterns or designs of their choosing.
Once the glue has dried and your Rainbow Fish is complete, it’s time to display your masterpiece! Hang them on the walls of your classroom or create a colorful underwater scene to bring the story to life.
Feel free to add glitter if you’d like, it makes the craft even cuter.
Creating a paper plate Rainbow Fish craft is not only a fun and creative activity for preschoolers, but also a wonderful way to reinforce the themes of sharing and friendship found in The Rainbow Fish book.
By following these simple instructions and allowing preschoolers to explore their creativity, you can bring this beloved story to life in your classroom.
Will you be adding this craft to your ocean theme lesson plan?
Book inspired crafts help children look at different pictures, analyse them, and then take on their own spin to recreate these loved characters.
More Ocean-themed Activities
Here are more ocean-themed activities that you can try with your kids when completing an Oceans unit:
- These free ocean animal count and clip cards are also inspired by the book ‘Commotion in the Ocean,’ and are great for improving math and counting skills.
- Your little ones will love this Ocean Theme Preschool Sensory Bin!
- Are your kids obsessed with mermaids and sharks? Then check out this Mermaid Printable Pack and Shark Printable Pack which includes various themed math, literacy, and fine motor activities.
- Make this easy Under the Sea themed fluffy slime which your kids will love playing with.
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