Continents and Oceans

Continent Activities:

Songs ages 3 and up

Directions: Sing about the continents and the four great oceans. As you sing, point to the continents or oceans on the map. If there are unknown continents, spend the rest of the week learning them.

The Continent Song:

Tell me the continents, tell me the continents, tell me if you can.

North America, South America, Africa, Europe, and Asia.

Don’t forget Oceania. Don’t forget Antarctica.

Tell me the continents, tell me the continents, tell me if you can.

The Ocean Song:

There are four great oceans, great oceans, great oceans.

There are four great oceans on our planet earth.

The Pacific, the Atlantic, the Indian, the Arctic.

There are four great oceans on our planet earth.

Continent Map Activities

Coloring Activity ages 3 to 3 ½

Directions: Color the map with crayons according to the Montessori map color scheme:

• North America- Orange
• South America- Pink
• Africa- Green
• Europe- Red
• Asia- Yellow
• Oceania- Brown
• Antarctica- White

Cutting Exercise and Game ages 3 ½ and up

Directions: Complete the following steps:

1. Color and cut out all of the continents.
2. Hide the continents around the room.
3. Have a friend give you the name of a continent, and you retrieve it from its hidden place.

*Note: If cutting is a challenge, adults can cut out the continents for the child to use in this game.

At-Home Map Making- 1 continent ages 4 to 5, after work with the metal insets

Directions: Complete the following steps:

1. Choose one continent.
2. Color the continent according to the World Puzzle Map color scheme.
3. Fill in the continent using serpentine “up-and-down” lines as used with Metal Insets.
4. Write the name of the continent below the shape in beautiful cursive.

At-Home Map Making- World Map ages 5 - 6 ½, after work with 1 continent at a time

Directions: Complete the following steps:

1. Use colored pencils to complete the map using serpentine “up and down lines” as used when making metal insets at school.
2. Write the names of the continents in beautiful cursive. (It’s okay and encouraged to write phonetically. Correct spelling is not a focus).
3. Write the names of the four oceans in beautiful cursive.

Additional Continent Activities

Animals from Around the World ages 3 and up

Directions: Parents: complete the following steps:

1. Print and cut out the animal classified cards from each continent. Take care to keep the cards grouped by continent. Consider using a clip to keep them organized, using the continent picture on the last page as a cover.
2. Invite the child to admire the animal cards from one continent at a time. Discuss the animal’s name, where they may live in that continent, and which ones you may recognize. Offer three-period lessons to help your child learn new animal names.
3. After your child is familiar with the animals from each continent, try mixing the animals from one continent with those from a different continent. See if your child can sort them correctly. Over time, progress to mixing and sorting animals from all seven continents.

Classified Cards with labels:

Classified Cards without labels:

Continent Fun Facts ages 3 to 6 ½

• 3-4 years: Parents: read each card to share facts about each continent with your child. Ask them to share one fun fact they have learned after listening to the information.

• 5 ½ -6 ½ years: Read each card to learn fun facts about each continent. Write five new facts that you have learned (in your own words) on the writing paper. Share your fun facts with your family.

Continent Writing Activity 1 ages 4 ½ and up

Directions: Trace the letters to practice writing the names of each continent.

Continent Writing Activity 2 ages 4 ½ and up

Directions: Write the names of each continent in beautiful cursive.

Continent 3 Part Cards ages 5 and up

Directions: Print and cut the three-part cards. Each continent will have a classified card, a printed slip, and a control card (depicting the classified card and its associated slip). Mix up the classified cards and slips. Use your knowledge of the continents to match the slips to the forms. Check your work with the control card.

Continent Riddles ages 5 ½ and up

Directions: Read each continent riddle. Write the name of the continent you think the riddle is describing. Use the answer key to check your work. Alternatively, print out the second set (alt format) to create riddle cards for reading only.

Ocean Activities

Ocean Animals Classified Cards ages 3 and up

Directions: Print and cut the ocean animals classified cards for your child. Invite your child to admire them. Share the names of any animals your child does not know.

Classified Cards with labels:

Classified Cards without labels:

Ocean Writing Activity 1 ages 4 ½ and up

*Note: There are two versions of the ocean writing practice activities; The second version includes the Southern Ocean.

Directions: Trace the letters to practice writing the names of each ocean.

Ocean Writing Activity 2 ages 4 ½ and up

Directions: Write the names of each ocean using beautiful cursive writing.

Ocean 3 Part Cards ages 5 and up

Directions: Print and cut the three-part cards. Each ocean will have a classified card, a printed slip, and a control card (depicting the classified card and its associated slip). Mix up the classified cards and slips. Use your knowledge of the oceans to match the slips to the forms. Check your work with the control card.

Ocean Riddles ages 5 ½ and up

Directions: Read each ocean riddle. Consider which ocean you think the riddle is describing. Use the answer key to check your work.

Continent and Ocean Word Find ages 5 ½ and up

Directions: Search for the names of the continents and oceans in the puzzle below. They can be found across, down, or diagonally. Circle the words when you find them.