30 Shark Week Activities for Kids: Free Printables, Crafts and Preschool Ideas.

Do you love Shark Week? We do! My husband says that the newer Shark Weeks aren’t as good as the older ones, but my kids still enjoy it. Shark Week is fun for everyone, preschool to adults.

And like most things, I try to do an all-around, multi-sensory activities for an event. In other words, when it’s Shark Week, we don’t just watch TV.

We read shark books, do shark crafts, do shark lesson plans to go with skills we are reinforcing at home, have shark snacks and my boys love it.

Looking for free Shark Week activities? This collection includes printable worksheets, crafts, preschool activities, science experiments, games, books, videos, and hands-on learning ideas for homeschool, classrooms, summer camps, ESY programs, and families celebrating Shark Week.

When is Shark Week?

Shark Week 2026 is July 26 to August 1. You can find all the shows on the Discovery Channel.

Shark Week, the TV one, is always in the summer. It’s a great way to have fun in the summer while you’re at work or ESY.

If I didn’t link to instructions for a project, it’s because I couldn’t find them. Only the picture was available.

Shark-themed Snacks

No Shark Week celebration is complete without a few fun snacks! Whether you’re hosting a classroom party, planning a homeschool unit, running a summer camp, or just looking for an excuse to eat gummy sharks (no judgment here), these treats are sure to be a hit.

Some are kid-approved, and a few are fun enough to bring to the office if your coworkers appreciate a good theme day.

• Gummy Sharks – The easiest Shark Week snack of all. Toss them into snack bags, trail mix, or blue Jell-O cups for an instant ocean-themed treat.
• Shark Cookies – These adorable decorated cookies even feature a surfer trying to avoid becoming lunch.
• Shark Cupcakes – Top cupcakes with shark fins, ocean frosting, or candy decorations for a simple but impressive dessert.
• Shark Cake Pops – Bite-sized, festive, and perfect for Shark Week parties or special celebrations.

Shark Crafts and Coloring Pages

If your kids love hands-on activities, Shark Week is the perfect excuse to break out the craft supplies. Most of these ideas use inexpensive materials you probably already have at home or in the classroom.

Try one (or all!) of these shark-themed crafts:

• Shark Coloring Pages – Perfect for younger learners, early finishers, or quiet time during Shark Week.
• Paper Shark with Teeth – Cut, fold, and glue construction paper to create a shark complete with a mouthful of sharp teeth.
• Felt Shark Puppets – Sew or glue together simple felt shark puppets for imaginative play and storytelling.
• Printable Shark Puppet – Print, color, cut, and assemble a movable shark puppet that’s great for preschool and elementary students.
• Glue Paint Shark Art – Mix school glue with paint to create textured shark artwork that dries with a fun raised effect.
• Paper Plate Shark Craft – Turn an ordinary paper plate into a smiling (or not-so-smiling!) shark using paint, paper fins, and googly eyes.
• Paper Towel Roll Shark – Recycle empty paper towel or toilet paper rolls into standing shark decorations with just a little paint and construction paper.
• Popsicle Stick Shark Craft – Build a shark using craft sticks, paint, and simple craft supplies. This is an easy project for classrooms, camps, and homeschool groups.

Most of these crafts can be adapted for different ages, making them great for homeschool families, ESY programs, summer camps, libraries, and elementary classrooms.

Shark Activities for Preschoolers

Preschoolers love sharks, too! You can easily incorporate a shark theme into early learning with simple crafts and hands-on activities that build fine motor, math, literacy, and imaginative play skills.

Here are a few fun ideas:

• Ocean Themed Tracing Worksheets – Use with a pencil, crayon or just your fingers. Perfect for working on fine motor skills with little ones.
• Shark Counting Activities – Count shark fins, ocean animals, or fish crackers while practicing number recognition and one-to-one correspondence.
• Shark Sight Word Games – Write sight words on paper sharks and let children “catch” or match them for a fun literacy activity.
• Paper Plate Shark Craft – Paint and decorate a paper plate to create a friendly (or fierce!) shark while practicing cutting and gluing skills.
• Printable Shark Craft – Print, color, cut, and assemble a simple shark that’s perfect for preschool and kindergarten students learning to use scissors.
• Clothespin Shark Craft – Turn an ordinary clothespin into a shark with a chomping mouth. It’s a fun project that also helps strengthen little hand muscles for fine motor development.
• Paper Cup or Clay Pot Shark – Paint a paper cup or small clay flower pot to create an adorable shark decoration or puppet.

These activities pair perfectly with ocean-themed books, sensory bins, dramatic play centers, or a week-long Shark Week celebration in preschool, homeschool, daycare, or summer camp.

Make This Shark Week One to Remember

Whether you’re planning a full Shark Week unit or just looking for one afternoon activity, there’s no shortage of ways to bring sharks into your learning. Mix and match crafts, science activities, books, videos, printables, games, and even a few shark-themed snacks to create a week your kids will actually remember.

The best part? Most of these activities require very little prep and can be adapted for homeschool, classrooms, ESY programs, summer camps, libraries, or just a rainy afternoon at home.

If you try any of these Shark Week ideas, I’d love to hear which ones were your favorites. And don’t forget to check back, I add new free Shark Week printables and activities whenever inspiration strikes (or whenever my printer decides to cooperate!).