The Little Mermaid: 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 The Little Mermaid released in 1989. 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.

Rhyme Activity

Teach your child these rhymes.

Big Ship Sailing

There's a big ship sailing on the illy ally oh

Illy ally oh, illy ally oh.

There's a big ship sailing on the illy ally oh

Hi ho illy all oh.

There's a big ship sailing, rocking on the sea

Rocking on the sea, rocking on the sea.

There's a big ship sailing, rocking on the sea

Hi ho rocking on the sea.

There's a big ship sailing back again,

Back again, back again.

There's a big ship sailing back again,

Hi ho back again.

Read a Book

There are a lot of incredible books available to go along with the movie The Little Mermaid. Pick one you think your child would enjoy and involve them while you are reading. Ask them questions about the pictures and story. Following are a few suggestions of books to read.

• The Tiniest Mermaid by Laura Garnham and Patricia MacCarthy
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• That's Not My Mermaid (Touchy-Feely Board Books) by Fiona Watt and Rachel Wells
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• Disney's the Little Mermaid Hunts for Treasure: A Surprise Lift-The-Flap Book (Surprise Lift-the-Flap Book) by Walt Disney Company, Kerry Martin, and Rodger Smith

Take a Trip

If it is summer take a trip to a swimming pool and let your child pretend to be a mermaid. If it is cold out you can take a trip to a local aquarium or pet store and watch the fish swimming. Or you can let your child play in the bathtub.

Decorate a Seashell

At craft stores and even most dollar stores you can pick up a few seashells. Provide your child with glitter, glue and markers. Let them decorate the seashells. You can even offer you child a piece of cardstock and let them draw an ocean scene, then glue on some of the decorated seashells.