Welcome to Water Week at Camp Khan Kids! This week, kids will take a deep dive into learning with sensational sea animals of the ocean realm. Explore the wonders of water by reading about magnificent mammals, colorful coral reefs, tidepool treasures, ice-blue glaciers, and more.
[Click here to download this week’s printable packet]
[Click here to download Khan Academy Kids]
See the schedule below for this week’s activities. Scroll down the page to find details and links. Feel free to mix and match activities to fit your family's needs.
- Monday: Whales
- Tuesday: Sharks
- Wednesday: Aquariums and coral reefs
- Thursday: Sea otters and seashores
- Friday: Science: Wonders of water
Having fun during Camp Khan Kids? Share your photos and stories with us on social media. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, and include #campkhankids in your posts. You’re also welcome to submit your child’s artwork to be featured in our art show!
Monday: Whales
Watch: The Blue Whale with Nat Geo Kids
We’re starting Water Week by learning about the biggest mammal on earth - the blue whale! Did you know that the tongue of a blue whale weighs more than an elephant? Watch this video from Nat Geo Kids that has fun facts about blue whales. If your campers would like to keep learning about whales, check out more educational videos from Hey Guess What and BBC Earth Kids.
Read: Whales
See whales up close in the Humpback Whales book by Bellwether Media in the Khan Kids app. Find it in the Books section of the Khan Kids Library which features Camp Khan Kids summer reading during the month of July. We can’t wait to hear what your kids think about flukes, fins, flippers, and baleen!
Children who are just beginning to read can choose Read to Me, and readers who would like to practice reading independently can try Read by Myself.
Write: Color whales and write a tale
Color today’s ocean scene in the Khan Kids app. Find it in our printable packet, or at the top of the Create tab in the Khan Kids Library for the month of July. Campers can also download this free whale coloring page from our friends at Crayola. After filling in your artwork with an ocean of color, turn the pages over to write some tales about whales.
Learn: Words with the letter W
The letter W is Wonderful! Let’s learn about it by heading to Ollo’s Letters tab in the Khan Academy Kids app. Tap on the W lessons to review letter recognition and sounds. There are so many words that start with W. Wow!
Play: Make your own mermaid tail and more!
Whales have such beautiful tales. Let's try recycling paper or foil into seaworthy tails of our own—like mermaid tails! An easy way to start is to color white paper, draw a tail, doodle the scales, cut it out, and decorate it with art supplies. For inspiration, we tried some tails of our own on paper and foil (only permanent marker worked for coloring the foil) and then glued them onto a colored background.
Image from Camp Counselor Lorraine
Once your tails are made, we'd love to see the creations. Tag us on social media with the hashtag #campkhankids or submit them to be included in our art show.
💙 Note: When we play at Camp Khan Kids, we can be as flexible or creative as necessary. Do what works best for you. If you'd rather not make a mermaid tail, try watercoloring some whale flukes!
And if you're a mermaid fan, there are plenty more craft ideas to explore—like these cardboard tube mermaids from our friends at Crayola. TOO cute!
Image from Crayola
Tuesday: Sharks
Watch: Super Sharks with SciShow Kids
This Tuesday is going to be terrific because we’re continuing Water Week by learning about sharks! Start the day with a shark overview from SciShow Kids. See what makes a shark a shark by learning fun facts about its skeleton, teeth, and skin. If your child loves sharks, keep learning by watching sharks swim on FreeSchool and by hearing fun shark facts from Nat Geo Kids.
Read: Sharks
Today, let’s read about the world’s largest predatory fish on earth—the Great White Shark! Open the Khan Kids app to the Great White Sharks book (featured at the top of our Library during the month of July) and gaze at their awesomeness in the deep blue sea. Learn about their size, structure, and savage serrated teeth!
Write: Color sharks and name their species
Color in your very own pair of great white sharks. Find this coloring page in our printable packet, or in the Create tab of the Khan Kids Library for the month of July. For a writing activity, turn the page over and ask kids to name as many types of sharks as they can, starting with the great white!
Learn: Count with Peck and NEW sea animal counters!
With so many teeth in every shark's mouth, counting them up can be quite a task. Luckily, Peck loves counting. Let’s ramp up our number game by heading to the Math tab in the Khan Kids app. Younger learners can count and identify numbers, while older learners can practice multi-digit addition, equations, and word problems.
Extend today's counting practice with these fun sea animal counters that kids can color in! Little learners will have fun cutting, coloring, and counting them. Older learners can use the ten frames in the printable pack to practice adding and subtracting.
Play: Draw Baby Shark
Let’s head over to play with our friends at Super Simple Songs. They have fun shark activities on their website. We love their crafts, like this Finny the Shark drawing video and Baby Shark printable playset.
Can your kids draw Baby Shark? Share their artwork with us so we can feature it in the #campkhankids art show!
P.S. If your kids love Finny the Shark, keep those fins moving with our friends at Super Simple. They’ll have a whole week of programming to celebrate sharks later this month.
Wednesday: Aquariums and coral reefs
Watch: Aquarium field trip with Caitie’s Classroom
Today, little ones can head to an aquarium with Caitie from Super Simple Songs. Listen to a conversation Caitie has with a shark biologist to learn how sharks diversify what they eat. Then, watch as Caitie cruises through an underwater tunnel to see beautiful fish all around. Finish up with a festive rendition of the Baby Shark song.
After seeing Catie in such a colorful aquarium, learn about more colors of the ocean in this coral reef video from Little Cozy Nook. We love their introduction to this vibrant underwater ecosystem.
Read: Coral Reefs
Read the book Coral Reefs by Bellwether Media in the Khan Academy Kids app. You'll find this title at the top of the Khan Kids Library during the month of July. See colorful coral from around the world and learn about the plants and animals that make the reef their home.
Write: Label animals in the reef
Color in today’s reef scene. Based on what children learned from today’s book and video, label the names of what they see on the page. We see some fish, coral, rays, and a sea star! Try using the pencil icon to open special features like changing the art tool, adding stickers, or recording a voice.
Learn: Sorting and matching
Reefs are full of so many colorful things. For learning time today, let’s learn how to sort colorful objects by following Kodi’s directions. Head to the Logic+ section of the Khan Kids Library, select the Kindergarten learning level, and try fishbowl sorting lessons under Focus, Memory, and Flexible Thinking.
After kids sort in the app, continue the lesson with our shape sorting printable. Start by coloring the triangles blue, the circles green, and the squares orange. What blue, green, and orange things can kids find in the sea? Water, seaweed, and crabs - that's right!
Play: Aquarium in a Bottle
Make an aquarium in a bottle by reusing a plastic bottle to fill it with ocean magic. Start by removing the label from a clear empty bottle so you can see through it. Fill the bottle with items you can find around the house, like a few rocks, sand, grass for seaweed, or small treasures (shells, sea animal toys, craft gems, glitter). Add water. If you have some, add blue food coloring to make the water look like the sea, or add baby oil for a bubble effect.
Share these mini aquariums with us so we can feature them in the #campkhankids art show!
For inspiration, check out the Ocean in a Bottle video from Nat Geo Kids!
Thursday: Sea otters and seashores
Watch: Sea otters of Monterey Bay
We started Water Week in the deep blue sea with whales and sharks. Now, we’re taking a trip to the seashore to learn about the cute and playful sea otters of coastal California. Start by watching these videos from Monterey Bay Aquarium, then take a ride with biologists who rescue baby sea otter pups!
Read: Sea Otters
Read the Book Sea Otters by Bellwether Media in the Khan Academy Kids app. Learn how sea otters move through the water and float. We especially love how mama sea otters hold on to their pup until they can swim. Otter hug!
Write: Self-portrait on the seashore
Color today’s seashore scene in the printable pack or in the Create tab of the Khan Kids app. Let kids use their imagination to envision themselves at the beach. Try drawing a self-portrait sitting on the lounge chair. Then, use the writing paper in the printable packet to write about an incredible beach adventure.
Learn: Teamwork and friendship
Listen to the book Hold On, a seashore saga of how Seahorse and Jellyfish helped each other face their fears. Friendship is a great way to conquer any storm. Little learners can watch the story on Circle Time, and older learners can find it in Reya's Reading tab for a reading comprehension lesson to go along with the story.
Play: Pour and play with water
It’s time to turn on the water so kids can splash into water play. Skim this list of ideas to see what works best with your child’s age and stage. We especially love this DIY tide pool activity from Buggy and Buddy!
Image from Buggy and Buddy
- Wash the dishes: Start with a simple activity like washing the dishes. Put a step stool next to the sink in the kitchen or bathroom. Fill a sink full of sudsy water and have kids step up to do some washing. They can start by pouring in some dish soap, turning on the tap, and filling the sink. Measuring cups, plastic cups, and water bottles are a great way to start. Let them play for as long as the suds last.
- Wash the toys: Kids can even bring their toy animals to the sink to give them a bath.
- Make mini tidepools outdoors: Keep the activity flowing by grabbing some pans from the kitchen and heading outside to turn on the hose. Create little tidepools by putting interesting rocks and nature objects into their mini underwater worlds.
- Take an ocean-themed bath: If you have an extra sponge, cut it into a star shape to make a sea star. Or, gather the middle of a washcloth with a rubber band to make the head of an octopus. Don’t be surprised if an entirely new species of sea creature emerges from the bathtub depths!
Friday: Science Day: Wonders of water
Watch: Water Cycle with Sci Show Kids
Where does water come from? Answer this question with our friends at SciShow Kids. Listen as they explain the steps of the water cycle. All of the water on Earth goes through a cycle that repeats. What starts as rain may end up in the ocean or as water vapor in the clouds. Fascinating!
If you have middle schoolers in the household this summer, don't miss Sal Khan's explanation of the water cycle on Khan Academy's YouTube channel.
Read: Glaciers and arctic explorers
In extreme temperatures, water can turn into fantastic forms. Read about glaciers in the book Extreme Ice to follow a scientist who studies these huge rivers of ice. Find this title in the Camp Khan Kids section of the app's Library during the month of July.
Learn more about the wonders of ice by heading to the "Women Leading the Way" section of the Library to read about the famous Arctic explorer Ann Bancroft. She was the first woman to successfully finish an ice-filled Arctic expedition. If you have younger learners, read the story Glide on Ice to enjoy Ollo's ice skating adventure.
Write: Fill in your certificate for completing the week!
Time to celebrate! Invite campers to fill out their certificates for completing the week. Find the certificate in the printable packet. During the month of July, you can also find a digital version inside the app that campers can export and save. Consider sharing your certificate with a friend so they can join Camp Khan Kids too. All of our programs are available for free—for anyone, anywhere!
Learn: Surf yoga
Waves are another wonderful water formation. Today, use your mind, body, and imagination to learn to surf those waves. Josh from Alo Yoga leads kids through a fun yoga practice to get kids up, moving, and flowing. Watch it here, or find it in the Videos tab (1st grade) of the Khan Kids Library under Yoga & Movement. Hang 10!
Play: Homemade Popsicles
Explore the wonders of water with an ice-cold frozen treat—like homemade popsicles. Lemonade, apple juice, or smoothies all taste great in frozen form. Have kids choose their beverage of choice, and pour it into an ice cube tray to freeze for later. If you’re using an ice cube tray, add a toothpick for the handle. During the weekend, pull them out to enjoy a cool refreshment.
Image by In The Kitchen with Matt
Share your artwork
Having fun during Camp Khan Kids? Share your photos and stories with us on social media. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok, and include #campkhankids in your posts. You’re also welcome to submit your child’s artwork to be featured in our art show!
👇 Download this week’s printable packet
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