Shark Tale Movie: Educational Activities and Games for 2 to 5 Year Olds

Let's face it, kids love movies, but it's been proven that they should watch no more than 2 hours of TV a day. So why not combine their love of a movie and activities that will help them learn and grow? Following are suggestions for the movie Shark Tale released in 2004. These activities would also work well for preschool classes and party games for this age group.

Watch the movie

Let your kids watch the show while you prepare the activities for the rest of the day or attend to other responsibilities.

Take a Trip

Take the car to a car wash or wash the car together if it's nice out. Talk to your child about why it's good for a car to get washed.

Make an Ocean

Get a clean empty bottle with a twist on lid. Put water in the bottle and add a couple of drops of blue food coloring. Let your child add fish beads, glitter and small seashells. Put rubber cement on the inside of the lid and twist it onto the bottle. Let the glue dry then let your child move the bottle around to watch the waves they can make.

Let's Dance

If your child needs some encouragement ask them to dance like certain objects. For example they could dance like a balloon, snowflakes, a fairy, a dinosaur, a leaf in the wind. Or have them dance with a favorite stuffed animal.

Snack Time

In the movie, Lenny is a vegetarian. Explain to your child what a vegetarian is and ask them what their favorite fruits and vegetables are. Then cut up some fruits and vegetables and have them as a snack.

Read a Book

Help your child learn to enjoy reading by choosing books they will find interesting and involving them in the story. Ask them questions about the pictures or the story. Have them act out certain parts of the story. Following are a few suggestions for good books to read for this age group.

• Never Take a Shark to the Dentist: and Other Things Not to Do by Judi Barrett and John Nickle
• Smiley Shark (Tiger Tales) by Ruth Galloway
• Over in the Ocean: In a Coral Reef by Marianne Berkes and Jeanette Canyon
• Coral Reef Hide And Seek by Chris Lensch
• Five Little Monkeys Wash the Car by Eileen Christelow
• Car Wash (Picture Puffins) by Susan Steen, Sandra Steen, and G. Brian Karas