30+ Best Boat Activities for Kids that You Might Know!

Last summer, my son went on a boat ride, and now he is obsessed with boats. This is great for me because I can utilize this obsession to foster his creativity and make him try new foods. 

If your children are obsessed with boats as well, then you should definitely try involving your children in the following boat-inspired activities. 

boat-inspired activities for children 

If you are visiting a local water body or just want to make bath time more fun for your children, then you should continue reading this article to help your kids design their unique boats. 

My children really enjoyed participating in these activities and were able to get a grasp on the concepts of floatation, balance, and buoyancy. 

Hopefully, your kids will really enjoy the mentioned activities and snacks. 

B is for Boat 

Help your preschooler get a better grasp on their letters with this easy boat 🚢 craft. 

What you need- White, dark, and light blue craft foam, scissors ✂️, cardstock paper, glue, and a black marker. 

Steps- 

• Draw a bubble ‘B’ with the dark blue craft foam and cut it with scissors. 
• From the light blue craft foam, make a strip of the ocean floor and paste it at the bottom of the letter ‘B.’ 
• Make clouds with the white craft foam and paste it at the top of the letter’ B.’ 
• Draw a boat 🚢 on the cardstock paper and cut it with scissors. Paste it on top of the ocean floor. Your craft is finished. 

Crunchy Apple and Cheese Boat Snack 

Your boat-obsessed children will absolutely love this healthy snack. 

What you need- A block of cheddar cheese, puffed rice, peanut butter, apples 🍎, and a toothpick. 

Steps- 

• Cut the apples in half, remove the core, and spread a thick layer of peanut butter on top. 
• Sprinkle puffed rice on top. 
• Cut the block of cheese into a quarter of an inch of triangular slices and insert a toothpick into it. Insert the rest of the toothpick into the apple 🍎slice. And your snack is complete. 

Pro Tip- Peanut butter can be substituted with other kinds of nut butter and chocolate spreads. 

Nature Boats 

Making a boat 🚢 out of natural materials like seed pods and dried leaves is a fun little engineering challenge for children. 

What you need- Dried big leaves, twigs, seed pods, and a glue gun. 

Let your children figure out a way to make a boat out of these items through trial and error methods. You can also let them use other natural elements. Take the boat 🚢 to a local creek and even have a race between the different boats. 

DIY Sponge Boat Toy 

My kids had a lot of fun playing with this sponge boat toy during bathtime. 

What you need- Heavy-duty duct tape, ruler, craft knife, cardboard, kitchen sponge, scissors ✂️, and popsicle sticks. 

Steps- 

• Cut the kitchen sponge into the shape of a boat with scissors.
• With the help of a craft knife, make a small incision in the middle of the boat’s body and insert the popsicle stick through it. 
• For the mast of the boat 🚢, cut a small rectangle and decorate it with duct tape. 
• In the middle of the mast, make two incisions (the size of a popsicle stick) at the top and at the bottom. 
• Gently insert the popsicle stick in the mast from the bottom incision. 
• Now, thread the popsicle stick from the back of the top incision. This creates a bulging effect, like the boat is sailing in water. 

Potato Stamp Sailboats 

This craft is perfect for toddlers and preschoolers. It helps engage their senses and introduces them to new textures. 

What you need- Potato 🥔, paint, blue construction paper, knife, and paintbrush. 

Steps- 

• Cut a potato in half with a knife. Halve one of the potato halves. 
• Ask your child to paint the interior of the large potato halve with their favorite color. Stamp the potato on the construction paper. 
• To make the mast, paint a white line in the middle and above the boat 🚢. 
• For the sail, paint the smaller potato 🥔 piece any color and stamp it on one side of the mast. 
• Cut the quarter potato into a smaller triangle, paint it, and stamp it on the other side of the mast. 

Ocean Water Mocktail 

Kick back and relax on a hot summer’s day with your child with this refreshing drink.

What you need- Sweetened coconut 🥥 water, sprite or lemon 🍋 soda, lemon juice, and natural blue pigment. 

Steps- 

• Fill a large clear glass with ice cubes and add a few drops of natural blue pigment. 
• Add the juice of half a lime and two-and-a-half ounces of sweetened coconut 🥥water. 
• Finally, add 3 ounces of Sprite or lemon-lime 🍋 soda and mix it well. Your drink is ready. 

Popsicle Stick Boat 

My kids loved making this popsicle stick boat. 

What you need- Popsicle sticks, watercolor paint, foam counting blocks, a paintbrush, waterproof glue, and a felt-tip paint pen. 

Steps- 

• Glue three foam counting blocks to each other. Two sets of these blocks are needed for each boat 🚢. 
• Measure the length of the popsicle sticks you are using and place two foam blocks parallel to each other at the same distance. 
• Apply glue to the top of both foam blocks and then start placing the popsicle sticks on the blocks. The popsicle sticks should be placed close to each other. 
• Let the glue dry, and then ask your child to paint over the entire structure with their favorite color. Repeat the process to make more boats. 

Once the paint has finished drying, your children can take the boat to a local creek or lake and have a race. This is just one of the ways your kids can use the popsicle sticks to make the boats, and they can also stack the popsicle sticks. 

Pro tip- You can let your kids decorate the inside of the boat 🚢 with toys as passengers. Just make sure that the toys are light and hollow. 

Cucumber Boat Snacks 

This is a wonderfully refreshing summer snack. 

What you need- Cucumber 🥒, carrot, and yogurt. 

Steps- 

• Cut the cucumber lengthwise and remove the seeds with a spoon. Fill the hollowed cucumber with yogurt. 
• Peel a carrot and julienne it lengthwise as well. The carrot 🥕sticks will be used as the boat’s mast. 
• Make the sails by thinly slicing the cucumbers. Make two holes on either side of the cucumber 🥒slice, and insert the carrot thread through it. 
• Insert a toothpick through the carrot and stick it in the middle of the cucumber. The snack is made. 

Twig Boat Craft 

Help your toddler make this wonderful craft that improves their hand-eye coordination and bodily control. 

During your next nature walk, ask your child to collect twigs and branches and use the same to make this craft. 

What you need- Twigs, paper, yarn, glue gun, and scissors ✂️. 

Steps- 

• Ask your child to break the twigs so that they have the same length. 
• Next, place the twigs next to one another uniformly. 
• Tie a knot with a yarn on the first twig, and then continue tying the same yarn until you reach the other end. Repeat the process on the other side of the twigs as well until you have a sturdy boat 🚢 floor. 
• Take two other pieces of twigs and tie them across the other twigs on either side of the boat with the yarn. 
• To make the mast of the boat, glue a twig to the middle of the boat floor. 
• Make a sail out of loose fabric or construction paper and glue it to the mast. Your boat 🚢 is ready. 

Pro Tip- You can let your kids decorate the boat with paint and other arts and crafts supplies.

Ivory Soap Boats 

Make your child’s bath time fun with these adorable ivory soap boats. 

What you need- Ivory soap 🧼, a butter knife, a wooden skewer, and duct tape. 

Steps- 

• Show your child how to carve the soap with the butter knife and let them design their own boat 🚢 with it. 
• Once they have finished carving, insert a wooden skewer into the soap to make the mast and use the duct tape to make the sail. The ivory soap 🧼 boat is finished. 

Pro Tip- Make sure to remove the wooden skewer during bath time or replace it with a plastic straw. 

Watch Videos About Boats 

There are several well-made educational videos about boats for children that you can show them on YouTube. 

Many of these videos explore the history of boats as well as their structure and the materials from which they are built, which allows them to float in water. My children learned a lot about boats 🚢 from these videos. 

Easter Egg Boat Craft 

I had so many plastic eggs left over after Easter, so I decided to use them in this activity. 

What you need- Plastic easter eggs, straws, scissors ✂️, glue, foam sheet, and single-hole punch. 

Steps- 

• To make the mast for the plastic Easter egg, cut the straw into 4-inch pieces. 
• Cut the foam sheet into sails for the boat 🚢. I usually cut an isosceles triangle and another triangle that is smaller. 
• With the help of glue, stick the sails on the plastic straw. 
• Glue the mast on the plastic egg and let the glue set. 

This is a wonderful toy to play with in the pool and in the bath.

Pool Noodle Boat Water Sensory Bin 

This sensory bin is ideal for toddlers and preschoolers. It engages their different senses and helps them acclimatize to new textures, smells, and experiences. Truly, there are many benefits of playing with a sensory bin for your young child. 

What you need- Pool noodles, plastic straws, hole punch, shallow plastic container, water, blue food coloring, scissors, and foam sheet. 

Steps- 

• Cut a triangle from the foam sheets. This is the sail for the boat 🚢. With the help of a punch hole, make two holes in the top of the sail and another punch hole directly parallel to it on the other side of the triangle. 
• Cut the straws in half and weave them through the foam sail. The mast and sail are ready. 
• Now, cut the pool noodles into 3 to 4-inch discs and insert the straw through it. 
• Fill the plastic container halfway through and add a few drops of food coloring to it. Mix it properly and place the pool noodle boats 🚢 into it. 

Juice Box Boats 

Repurpose used juice boxes and their straws with this craft. 

What you need- Used juice 🧃boxes and straws, and duct tape. 

Steps- 

• After your child has finished drinking from the juice box. Clean the juice box with water. 
• With the help of a knife, make a hole in the middle of the juice 🧃box. 
• Cut a piece of duct tape and fold it into a triangle. Stick the duct tape to the top of the staw. 
• Insert the straw through this hole, and the boat 🚢 is ready. The juice box boat is ready to be played with. 

Fish Sticks Boat Snack 

My children are picky eaters, and I have noticed that the best way to motivate them to finish their meals is by asking for their help in decorating the plate. They wiped their plates with this boat-inspired meal. 

What you need- Butter, fish sticks 🐟, peas, corn, carrots, garlic, and cheese slices. 

Steps- 

• Boil a pot of boiling water and add the peas and corn to it. Let the peas and corn cook until they seem bright and plump. Drain the peas and corn 🌽once they are done cooking. 
• Line your air fryer pan with the fish sticks and cook until they are crispy and golden brown. 
• On a medium heat, melt a tablespoon of butter and add the garlic. Let it cook for two minutes, and add finely chopped carrots 🥕. 
• Let the carrots soften for two to three minutes, and then add the corn and the peas. Add salt and black pepper to taste and take it off the heat. 
• Cut the cheese slices into two triangles and insert a wooden skewer through them to make the mast and the sail. 
• On a serving plate, place the vegetables and the fish sticks. Insert the wooden skewer through each fish stick. Your meal is ready. Serve with ketchup, mustard, and gravy. 

Cork Pirate Boat Craft for Kids 

My kids love the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland (I can’t wait for them to get older and watch the movies). They really enjoyed making this pirate boat 🚢 craft. 

What you need- Elastic rubber bands, toothpicks, craft foam, colorful tape, string, and wine or crafting corks. 

Steps- 

• Take a piece of tape and make it into a triangle 🔺. Stick the triangles to the top of the toothpick. 
• With the help of black craft foam, help your child make their personalized pirate flags. Insert the toothpick through the flag. 
• Take three corks and use two to three rubber bands to tie the corks to each other. 
• Insert the toothpick in the middle of the three corks. The pirate 🏴‍☠️ship is ready to be played. 

Boat-Inspired Deviled Eggs For Children 

This simple Deviled Eggs recipe is easy enough to follow for children and super quick to make. 

What you need- Hard boiled eggs 🥚, mayonnaise, tortilla chips, paprika, salt, and black pepper. 

Steps- 

• Show your child how to peel a hard-boiled egg (once they have cooled down). Let them peel the other eggs. 
• Cut the hard-boiled eggs in half and help your child scoop the egg 🥚 yolks out of the egg whites and into a bowl. 
• In the mixing bowl with the egg yolks, add mayonnaise, salt, black pepper, and paprika. Mash the egg yolks with a fork and mix it well. 
• Scoop the egg yolks back into the hollowed-out, hard-boiled egg. 
• Place a tortilla chip into each hard-boiled egg and serve to your child. 

Read Children’s Books about Boats 

If your kids are learning how to read and learn new words, then I highly recommend asking them to read their books aloud. Reading books aloud helps your child sound out new words and gives you an opportunity to correct their pronunciation and diction. 

If your child is really into boats 🚢, then make them read these books aloud- 

Working Boats: An Inside Look at Ten Amazing Watercraft by Tom Crestodina, The Story of Titanic for Children: Astonishing Little-Known Facts and Details about the Most Famous Ship in the World by Sally Lindley.

The Circus Ship by Chris Van Dusen, Little Bear’s Little Boat by Eve Bunting, and How Ships Work: Explore the World of Ships Inside and Out with Loads of Flaps to Lift! By Clive Gifford. 

Ocean Water Punch 

If you are having a sailing-themed party for your children, then this drink is a must. 

What you need- Hawaiian Punch, lemon 🍋 soda, and a packet of Swedish Fish. 

Steps- 

• To make this drink, add Hawaiian Punch halfway through in a serving jug and lemon soda. 
• Decorate with Swedish Fish. The drink is ready to serve. 

Pro Tip- Fill the serving jug with ice cubes if the drink is sitting still. 

Mini Pepper Boats 

These mini pepper boats were a hit amongst the children and the adults at my child’s birthday party. 

What you need- Mini peppers, cucumber, garlic 🧄 and herb cream cheese, and carrots. 

Steps- 

• Wash the mini peppers, slice them in half, and remove the seeds. 
• In a mixing bowl, combine finely chopped cucumbers 🥒 with the garlic and herb cream cheese. Carefully fill each mini pepper half with this mixture. 
• Wash and peel the carrots. Cut them into small triangles. 
• Now, place the carrots 🥕in each mini pepper half filled with cheese, and this delicious snack is ready to be served. 

Nautical Sensory Bin 

Sensory bins are not just fun for children to make, but they are also extremely helpful in their mental development. 

What you need- Blue sand, sea shells, a toy boat 🚢, and toy fish and crabs 🦀. 

Let your child make the ocean floor with these items in a shallow container. Playing with the interesting textures and role-playing with the toys encourages creativity, sensory exploration, and even tactile skills. 

Wax Boat Craft 

My kids really enjoyed molding wax into a boat 🚢 and designing it. 

What you need- Wax Candles 🕯️, toothpick, and paper. 

Steps- 

• In a heat-safe container, place a candle and light it with a matchstick. 
• Once the wax candles 🕯️have completely melted, remove the candle wick and let the wax cool down. 
• Touch to see if the wax is hot to the touch. If it is not, help your child take the wax out of the container and manipulate it in the shape of a boat 🚢. 
• While the wax boat sets cut the paper in the shape of a triangle, glue it on top of the toothpick, and insert the toothpick into the wax boat. Your boat is ready. 

Pro Tip- Help your kids make boats of different sizes and shapes to conduct an experiment on which shape is ideal for boats. 

DIY Plastic Water Bottle Boats 

If you have many empty plastic water bottles at home, then you can help your kids make this floating water bottle boat. 

What you need- Two plastic bottles, popsicle sticks, markers, tape, scissors, paper, and crayons.

Steps- 

• Tape two similar-looking plastic bottles together. Make sure that both bottles are leveled. 
• Make a sail out of the paper and paste it on the top of the popsicle stick. Glue the sail and the mast in the middle of the two popsicle sticks. 
• Let your child decorate the boat 🛶however they want with the crayons and markers. Once they have finished decorating the boat, the boat is ready for a floating test.

Pro Tip- Conduct multiple float tests by putting different materials inside the bottles, like filling them with rice or pebbles. You can also conduct an experiment on the stability of the structure by filling one bottle more than the other. 

Jelly Boats 

Your kids will love this unique twist on their favorite jelly. 

What you need- Cupcake tin, oranges 🍊 or grapefruit, and blue, red, and green jelly packets. 

Steps- 

• Cut the oranges or grapefruit in half and scoop out its flesh. 
• Clean the orange 🍊 peel with water and place each individual peel in the cupcake tin. 
• Follow the instructions on the jelly packets and make the jelly mixture. 
• Pour the jelly mixture into the orange 🍊 peel and refrigerate it until the jelly is fully set. 
• Make the ship’s mast with a toothpick and some construction paper, and insert it in the jelly. The jelly is ready to serve. 

Self-Propelled Homemade Boat 

My children enjoyed making this self-propelled homemade boat a lot. 

What you need- Butter or margarine tub, a yogurt cup, hot glue, duct tape, an elastic band, acrylic paint 🎨, popsicle sticks, and a plastic lid. 

Steps- 

• Apply hot glue to half of a popsicle stick. Paste the popsicle stick on the margarine or butter tub in such a way that the unglued halves of the popsicle stick are in front of the tub. Let the glue dry. 
• Cover the tub of butter with its lid and paste the yogurt cup on top of it with glue. Let the yogurt cup set. 
• Now, it is time for decoration. Ask your child to paint over the entire structure with their favorite color. 
• Once the paint has dried, make the windows of the boat by drawing three circles on two opposite sides of the tub with black paint. Fill in these circles with white paint. 
• Your child is free to decorate the structure even further with glitter, stickers, and tape. 
• Take an elastic rubber band and tie it around the two popsicle sticks. 
• To make the paddle of the boat, cut a rectangle from the ice cream lid. The length of the paddle should be smaller than the distance between the popsicle sticks on the boat. 
• Cut two slits in the rectangle at equidistant lengths. Use the middle flap to secure the paddle to the elastic band by putting it over and under it. Your boat is ready, 

Fill a bathtub with water and show your kids how to wind the toy by rotating the paddle. 

Boat in a Nutshell 

My kids and I bought a lot of walnuts from the farmer’s market recently, and while we were deshelling the walnuts, I got the idea to make this cute boat. 

What you need- Walnut shells, paper, scissors ✂️, a wooden skewer, modeling clay or chewing game, and paint. 

Steps- 

• To crack the walnuts without breaking the shell into several shards, you’ll need a pestle and a sharp knife. 
• Find the seam of the walnut shell and hit it lightly with a pestle so that the shell opens slightly. 
• Next, take a sharp knife and slide it into the shell partition. Wiggle it around to open it. Remove the walnuts for later use. Repeat the process with other walnut shells. 
• While you deal with the walnuts, ask your child to use the paper to make a sail out of it. They can decorate the sail however they like, with crayons and glitter. 
• Once the sail is ready, secure it to the top of the wooden skewer. 
• Now, ask your child to fill the walnut shell with some clay and then push the wooden skewer into it. The boat is complete. 

Pro Tip- You can make similar boats with other nut shells as well. 

Cardboard Canoe Craft for Toddlers 

My toddler loved making this cardboard canoe craft. 

What you need- Empty cereal box, hot glue gun, paint, flat toothpicks, marker, and scissors. 

Steps- 

• Using a pair of scissors ✂️, remove one side of the empty cereal box. 
• On the blank side of the box, draw a surfboard. Measure the length of the surfboard and draw two narrow rectangles of the same length. 
• Cut them out with a pair of scissors ✂️. 
• Now, apply a generous layer of glue on the boundary of the surfboard and paste the two rectangles in such a way that it fits perfectly. 
• As the glue dries, make the oars using the rest of the cereal box and toothpicks. Cut two to four or more triangles to make the oars, depending on the number of oars you want. 
• Let your child decorate the boat by painting over and in it. 
• Ask your child to pick two or three of their favorite action figures and place them inside the boat once the paint has dried. Place the oars inside their hands to make it look like they are rowing the boat. 

Ice Boat 

This ice boat requires minimal effort and is not as messy as some other crafts. 

What you need- Ice cube 🧊 tray, food coloring, popsicle stick, construction paper, aluminum, and water. 

Steps- 

• Fill the ice cube tray with water. 
• Give your child a variety of food colors and ask them to put one drop of each food color in the different ice cube units. 
• Ask them to use the back of the spoon to mix the colors properly. Cover the entire tray with aluminum foil. 
• To make the mast of the boat, cut the popsicle sticks into three equal parts each and insert them in the center of each ice cube 🧊 unit. Put the tray in the freezer to set. 
• Meanwhile, make the sails of the boat by cutting the paper into triangles. Let your child decorate the sails however they like. 
• Once the water has set, use some tape to attach the sail to the mast. Pop the ice cubes out of the boat, take the boats outside, and let your child play with them. 

Pro tip- If you replace the food coloring with watercolors, your child can use the ice cubes to paint. This will be a new tactile experience for them. 

Soda Can Boat Craft 

Reuse empty tin soda cans for this easy boat craft, which is perfect for preschoolers. 

What you need- Empty soda cans, a wooden skewer, decorative tape, construction paper, and heavy-duty scissors ✂️. 

Steps- 

• To make the paper sails, cut a triangle from the construction paper. Fold the triangle in half. 
• Apply glue to one-third of the wooden skewer and place it in the center of the triangle. 
• Next, apply glue to the boundary of the triangle and fold it onto itself. Your sail and mast are done. 
• To make the boat, use heavy-duty scissors ✂️ to cut the tin can in half. You can also use a sharp box cutter for this. 
• Help your child cover one-half of the tin can with decorative tape. Put a generous amount of glue in the middle of the tin can and carefully place the wooden skewer in it. Your boat is ready. 

Tin Pan Boat Craft 

If you are taking your children out to the river this summer, then I highly recommend having a tin pan boat race with them. 

What you need- Disposable tea cake 🥮 tin pans, large popsicle sticks, construction paper, and hot glue. 

Steps- 

• Help your child make a custom sail and mast for their boat using popsicle sticks and construction paper. 
• Once the sail and mast are done, all you need to do is apply some hot glue in the middle of the tin pan and place the wooden skewer in it. The boat is ready for a race. 

Pro Tip- Hand each kid a water gun. As the race begins, each kid must fill the water in their competitor’s boat to slow down the boat. The kids will love this. 

Soda Bottle Boats 

Reuse the empty plastic soda bottle 🍼to make these really cute boats for bath time. 

What you need- Used plastic soda bottle, glue, foam sheet, tape, box cutter, and plastic straw. 

Steps- 

• Cut the bottom third of the used plastic bottle 🍼 with a box cutter. 
• Cut the plastic straws into three equal pieces to make the ship’s mast. 
• To make the sail of the ship, cut a triangle from the foam sheets and tape it to the plastic straws. 
• Glue the plastic straw into the middle of the plastic bottle bottom, and your boat is ready. 

Footprint Boat Craft For Toddlers 

This footprint boat craft is a wonderful memorabilia from your child’s childhood. I have carefully saved crafts like this for when my children are older. 

What you need- Child-safe paint, oil colors, popsicle sticks, white and blue construction paper, and a glue stick. 

Steps- 

• Cut a piece of blue construction paper to make the ocean. 
• Paste it at the bottom of the white construction paper. 
• Apply paint to the bottom of your child’s feet 🐾 and stamp it above the blue construction paper. 
• Apply glue to the back of a popsicle stick and glue it in the middle of the feet. 
• Ask your child to draw the sail of the ship and other details like birds and the sun. 

Pro Tip- You can ask your child to name the ship as well. 

Conclusion 

Every parent and teacher can attest to the fact that children like nothing more than playing in or with water.

Although playing in water can create a massive mess for the parents to clean up, it is really important for young kids as it develops and strengthens their gross and fine motor skills.

With these boat crafts, your toddler’s water play time is made even more fun. In the comments below, let us know which activity your child enjoyed the most.