When it comes to keeping young kids’ attention, nothing beats music. Seriously, nothing. You’ve got cranky crabs? Turn on a sea tune. Need a moment of peace? Enter Baby Shark, the song you’ll hum in your sleep for years. Ocean-themed songs are pure magic—they teach, entertain, and have everyone dancing around like a mighty orca in no time.
Ready to dive in? Grab your little seashells, shake off the jagged rocks of your day, and let’s explore fun ocean songs that’ll make circle time (or anytime) an absolute blast!
Why Ocean Songs Are a Big Wave of Fun
They Get Little Fishes Moving
Songs with actions—like pretending to scuttle like cranky crabs or swimming like a dolphin family—are a great way to keep kids active. These tunes sneakily work on gross motor skills, so while they’re flapping around like a humpback whale, they’re also building coordination. Who said learning can’t be great fun?
Words They’ll Actually Remember
Educational songs are packed with easy-to-learn ocean-themed words. Little fingers can count out five little fishes, or kids can pretend to sink into the bottom of the deep blue sea while picking up all kinds of vocabulary. Songs like these are a wonderful way to sneak in literacy skills while having, well, way too much fun.
Big Ocean Love
By singing about different sea animals, kids naturally grow curious about ocean creatures like the mighty orca, the dolphin family, or even Mr. Octopus. This wonder sparks an early appreciation for nature—and maybe a few follow-up questions about where exactly the northern sea is.
Fun Ocean Songs to Get Your Feet Wet
The Perfect Link to all these Ocean Songs for Kids can be found below this article.
Baby Shark
A high-energy, iconic song introducing the shark family.
Lyrics Overview:
Kids sing and dance their way through the family of sharks, from Baby Shark to Grandpa Shark, with plenty of clapping and motions.
Why It’s Great:
This catchy tune is fun, energetic, and encourages movement while kids learn about different types of sharks. Plus, it’s a worldwide sensation that kids instantly recognize.
Fishy Pokey
A playful ocean-themed twist on the classic Hokey Pokey.
Lyrics Overview:
“You put your little fin in, you take your little fin out…” Kids follow the motions, pretending to be fish while dancing along.
Why It’s Great:
It combines movement and creativity, helping kids connect their actions to sea creatures in a silly and memorable way.
Five Little Fish
A counting song with an ocean twist.
Lyrics Overview:
Five little fish swim in the sea, each taking a turn until there are none left. Kids use their fingers to count down while pretending to swim.
Why It’s Great:
It’s perfect for teaching numbers and sequencing while encouraging fun pretend play with swimming motions.
Mr. Octopus
An imaginative tune about an eight-armed ocean dweller.
Lyrics Overview:
Kids wiggle their arms like tentacles while learning about where octopuses live and how they move.
Why It’s Great:
It combines education about ocean life with a lot of giggling and arm-waving fun, making it a hit for younger children.
I’m a Little Teapot (Ocean Style)
A classic song with an undersea twist.
Lyrics Overview:
“I’m a little teapot, short and stout. Tip me under water, watch me spout!” The lyrics are adapted to mimic underwater movements.
Why It’s Great:
It’s a creative way to reimagine a familiar song, introducing kids to ocean themes with humor and simplicity.
Cranky Crabs
A scuttling good time!
Lyrics Overview:
Kids sing about crabs while mimicking their sideways scuttling motion with their hands and feet.
Why It’s Great:
It’s an excellent way to practice coordination and gross motor skills while pretending to be crabby crustaceans.
The Whale Song
A majestic journey through the lives of whales.
Lyrics Overview:
Kids imitate the sounds and movements of whales while singing about their habitats, diets, and unique features like blowholes.
Why It’s Great:
It’s educational and awe-inspiring, helping kids learn about these ocean giants while having fun.
Dolphins
A playful celebration of these leaping ocean creatures.
Lyrics Overview:
Kids mimic dolphins’ flips, spins, and jumps while singing about their playful nature and life in the ocean.
Why It’s Great:
It’s energetic, imaginative, and perfect for encouraging kids to move around and pretend to swim like dolphins.
Catch a Fish
An imaginative song about fishing adventures.
Lyrics Overview:
Kids pretend to catch fish with their hands or nets while singing about the types of fish they might find in the ocean.
Why It’s Great:
It’s a fun role-playing activity that sparks creativity and gets kids involved in the storytelling process.
Under the Sea
A Disney classic that brings the ocean to life.
Lyrics Overview:
From the movie The Little Mermaid, this lively song celebrates ocean life with vivid imagery and upbeat rhythms.
Why It’s Great:
It’s colorful, nostalgic, and perfect for sing-alongs that transport kids to a magical underwater world.
Slippery Fish
This fun song is perfect for introducing kids to the food chain under the sea.
Lyrics Overview:
Kids sing about different sea creatures like slippery fish, octopuses, and sharks as they “eat” one another.
Why It’s Great:
It has a silly, dramatic ending and helps with sequencing.
Waves in the Ocean
A soothing song about the ebb and flow of the ocean.
Lyrics Overview:
Focuses on the movement of waves and the creatures that live in them.
Why It’s Great:
It’s perfect for a quiet activity or winding down at the end of the day.
We’re Going on a Whale Watch
Inspired by “We’re Going on a Bear Hunt,” this song adapts the idea to a nautical adventure.
Lyrics Overview:
Kids pretend to look for whales while encountering obstacles like big waves and jagged rocks.
Why It’s Great:
Builds excitement and fosters imaginative play.
The Big Blue Whale
An upbeat song focusing on the magnificent humpback whale.
Lyrics Overview:
Highlights whale behaviors like breaching, singing, and blowing water through their blowholes.
Why It’s Great:
Kids learn about whale anatomy and behavior in a playful way.
Ten Little Sea Creatures
A counting song featuring a variety of ocean animals.
Lyrics Overview:
Each verse introduces a new creature like little fishes, cranky crabs, and baby sharks.
Why It’s Great:
Teaches counting while introducing ocean life.
Dancing Dolphins
A lively song that encourages movement and creativity.
Lyrics Overview:
Kids imitate dolphins by jumping, flipping, and spinning.
Why It’s Great:
Promotes physical activity and gross motor skills.
Down by the Ocean Floor
A rhythmic tune about what’s hidden in the depths of the sea.
Lyrics Overview:
Explores the ocean floor with verses about coral, seaweed, and little sea creatures.
Why It’s Great:
Introduces kids to the concept of underwater ecosystems.
Clap, Clap, Clap for the Crab
A participatory song about cheering for a crab’s quirky antics.
Lyrics Overview:
Kids clap along while singing about the crab’s sideways scuttle and pinchers.
Why It’s Great:
Builds rhythm skills and is great fun for little hands.
Swim Like a Seahorse
A gentle, imaginative song about the unique way seahorses move.
Lyrics Overview:
Kids mimic the swaying motion of seahorses while singing about their habitats and roles in the ocean.
Why It’s Great:
Teaches mindfulness and introduces a lesser-known ocean creature.
Ocean Songs Meet Learning Goals
Ocean songs aren’t just fun—they’re sneaky educators.
Building Fine Motor Skills
From fingerplays like “Mr. Jellyfish” to action rhymes, kids use their hands in different ways, improving control and coordination.
Encouraging Curiosity
Songs about ocean creatures open a world of questions: “What lives in the bottom of the deep blue sea?” or “Does a mighty orca really eat that?” Pair songs with visuals of sea animals for extra learning.
Bonding Through Music
Whether it’s a family sing-along to Jack Hartmann’s latest music video or belting out “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” in a sea theme, ocean songs bring everyone together.
Wrapping Up
Ocean songs are more than catchy—they’re a doorway into the wonders of the ocean world. Whether your kiddos are learning about sea animals, counting down little fishes, or doing the Fishy Pokey, these tunes make education feel like play.
So, what are you waiting for? Grab those cranky crabs, put on a favorite song, and dive into a sea of fun. Your little seashells will be swimming with joy—and you might just find yourself singing along too.
You Can Find Awesome Ocean Songs Here
