RIC-20949 Early years Fantasy - Mermaids

EARLY YEARS THEMES 

Fantasy 

Mermaids 

A complete unit of lessons and activities

Early years themes—Fantasy 

Published by R.I.C. Publications ® 2011 

Copyright © R.I.C. Publications ® 2011 

RIC– 20949 

Titles in this series: 

Early years themes—Places 

Early years themes—People 

Early years themes—Animals 

Early years themes—Science 

Early years themes—Fantasy 

Early years themes—Fairytales 

Early years themes—Special days and celebrations 

Copyright Information 

Only the blackline masters contained within this 

publication may only be reproduced by the original 

purchaser for use with their class(es). The publisher 

prohibits the loaning or onselling of these blackline 

masters for purposes of reproduction. No other part of 

this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any 

means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying 

or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval 

system, without written permission from the publisher. 

Accompanying resources: 

Early years themes—Fantasy Posters (set of 5) 

Early years themes—Fantasy Stickers (set of 5) 

Early years themes Interactive CD (Places, People, 

Animals, Science) 

Early years themes Interactive CD (Fantasy, Fairytales, 

Special days and celebrations) 

Internet websites 

In some cases, websites or specific URLs may be recommended. While these are checked and rechecked at the time of publication, 

the publisher has no control over any subsequent changes which may be made to webpages. It is strongly recommended that the class 

teacher checks all URLs before allowing students to access them. 

View all pages online 

PO Box 332 Greenwood Western Australia 6924 

Website: www.ricpublications.com.au 

Email: mail@ricgroup.com.au

Early themes – Fantasy 

Foreword 

Early themes—Fantasy is one of a new series of teacher resource books designed to support teachers as they impart knowledge 

about commonly-taught themes in early childhood classrooms. The books contain a variety of ideas for using the themes to 

assist teachers as they convey early skills and concepts using cross-curricular activities in learning centres or whole-class 

activities. 

Titles in this series include: 

Supporting materials available from R.I.C. 

• Early themes—Places 

Publications ® to accompany these books 

• Early themes—People 

include posters, stickers and interactives. 

• Early themes—Animals 

• Early themes—Science 

• Early themes—Fantasy 

• Early themes—Fairytales 

• Early themes—Special days and celebrations 

Contents 

Teachers notes ......................................................................... iv – xiii 

The format of this series of books .............................................. iv – v 

An explanation of the icons ............................................................ vi 

About the artwork ......................................................................... vii 

About the resource sheets/blacklines ............................................... vii 

Curriculum links .......................................................................... viii 

Sample social skills checklist ......................................................... ix 

Sample language skills checklist ..................................................... x 

Sample fi ne motor skills checklist ................................................... xi 

Sample fundamental movement skills checklist ................................ xii 

Sample mathematics skills checklist .............................................. xiii 

Dragons...................................................................................... 1–20 

Fairy folk................................................................................... 21–40 

Monsters and giants .................................................................. 41–60 

Mermaids ................................................................................. 61–80 

Witches .................................................................................. 81–100 

R.I.C. Publications ® – www.ricpublications.com.au Early years themes—Fantasy iii

Teachers notes 

The format of this series of books 

This series of books is designed to cater for early childhood teachers who use learning centres and cross-curricular activities as 

a basis for planning activities to develop key concepts and skills. Teachers will easily be able to locate activity-based learning 

within this complete compilation of ideas. 

All of the five themes within each book follow the same format over 20 pages. Each theme consists of: 

1. A title or cover page with 

appropriate artwork which the 

teacher can utilise for themebased 

activities. 

2. A number of pages of cross-curricular learning activities to develop the 

theme. Those themes which relate closely to a specifi c learning area may 

have more activities in key learning areas such as science. All themes 

have activities which are predominantly ‘hands-on’. 

Cross-curricular activities 

• Make a chart or set of cards of fairy folk-related 

words, such as fairy, wand, magic, wings, toadstool. 

Draw a picture next to each. Provide magnetic letters 

or stamps of each of the letters in the words. The 

children can choose a word, make it with the stamp 

letters or magnetic letters, then draw a picture of the 

word they made. (Language) 

English 

• Give children laminated pictures of characters from a 

fairy-related story they know, and a few props, such 

as a magic wand, a pillow, some dress-up wings 

or a bag of ‘fairy dust’ (glitter). The children work 

in pairs or small groups with an adult to create and 

share a new story using the characters and props 

they have. (Literacy) 

• Add fairy stamps, glitter and clear or sparkling cellophane to the writing 

centre. Add glitter to playdough, with which the children can make the letter 

‘f’ or spell out ‘fairy’ (or other theme-related letters or words). The children 

can write or trace other focus letters with glitter glue pens. (Language) • Print or photocopy some pictures 

of fairies and other fairy folk. Glue 

• The children can draw or paint an imaginary fairy creature, or make one them onto card and laminate. Hide 

from playdough. They then give their creature a name and write as much the fairy folk pictures around the 

of that name as they can. Collect the images (or take photos of playdough classroom. Children go on a hunt 

creations) and compile then as a class book, or use these characters to to fi nd them and when they do, 

create your own class fairytales. (Literacy) 

they describe the creature using 

as many descriptive words as they 

can. (Literacy) 

• After reading stories involving different types of fairy folk, • Read a story such as the Brothers Grimm’s ‘The elves and 

talk about some of the characteristics of the folk. Ask the the shoemaker’. Give each child a large piece of paper 

children to give some descriptions of the typical traits of folded into thirds. The children draw the beginning, middle 

folk; for example: fairies are often mischievous, gnomes and end of the story, then retell it in their own words using 

are often grumpy. Ask the children to select one type their pictures as cues. (Language) 

of fairy folk or a character from a story they associate 

• The children can draw or ‘write’ a letter to the tooth fairy 

with or feel they are like in some way. They draw this 

(after reading a storybook such as Dear Tooth Fairy by 

character and tell an adult (who scribes) why they 

Alan Durant) on tooth- or fairy-shaped paper. (Language) 

feel they are like this character; for example, ‘I am like 

Bashful, the dwarf, because I am a bit shy sometimes’. • Introduce the letter ‘f’ with a fl ower fairy (a fairy fl ying over 

(Literature) 

a fl ower drawn in an ‘f’ shape). (Language) 

• Make pairs of cards with pictures and names of characters from a story the children know. Place these face down in a 

grid. The children turn over two cards and try to link the two characters in some way. For example, if the class is studying 

Sleeping beauty and a child turns over images of Malefi cent and the Prince, the child could say, ‘Malefi cent tried to kill the 

Prince’. If a child connects the two characters, he/she keeps the cards, if not the cards must be returned. (Literacy) 

• Do some ‘magic writing’. The children write • With the children, plan a fairy party with fairy bread, fairy 

target letters (such as ‘f’ for fairy or copy whole cupcakes (see recipes page 37) and games (page 26). 

words) in white crayon. They then go over the The children can make invitations to parents or others in the 

writing with a tempera paint wash and the writing centre. Once written, add glitter, roll into a scroll and 

letters will magically appear. (Language) 

tie with coloured ribbon. (Language) 

• Listen to stories about fairy folk. Make up a sound for each of the main characters, such as ‘La, la, la!’ for the fairy, ‘Grumble, 

grumble!’ for the troll or ‘Stomp, stomp!’ for the giant. Each time the character is mentioned, the children make the sound that 

goes with him/her. (Literacy) 

22 Early years themes—Fantasy—Fairy folk www.ricpublications.com.au – R.I.C. Publications ® 

3. Background information with useful 

facts about the theme. 

4. A list of concepts to be developed 

provides suggested developmentallyappropriate 

learning outcomes that 

are achieved by completing the 

theme. 

iv Early years themes—Fantasy www.ricpublications.com.au – R.I.C. Publications ®


The format of this series of books 

5. A small number of resource/blackline pages which can be used 

to create games or oral language activities, as templates for art 

and craft activities or as worksheets for more capable children who 

are beginning to read and understand mathematical concepts. 

6. Recipes relating to the theme—simple 

cooking and non-cooking recipes, 

including those for manipulative play, 

such as ‘goop’. 

Recipes 

Cute cupcakes witches 

Ingredients 

• 1 packet cupcake mix 

• green food colouring 

• vanilla frosting 

• 2 tsp. milk 

• assorted food colouring of your choice 

• 12 to 16 small ice-cream cones 

• Fruit Roll-ups , licorice and assorted candies of your choice 

Instructions 

• Make cupcakes and allow to cool. Tint half of frosting green and use on cupcakes. Combine remaining frosting and milk, add 

choice of food colouring and coat ice-cream cones. Decorate cone hats with cut out shapes from Fruit Roll-ups . Add licorice 

for hair and candies for faces of the cupcakes. Place a cone hat on each cupcake witch. 

Ice-cream witches 

Ingredients 

• lime ice-cream (or vanilla ice-cream tinted with green food colouring) 

• black licorice strips, red and orange round candy 

• apple segment 

• ice-cream cones 

Instructions 

• Place scoops of lime ice-cream on a sheet of baking paper. Decorate quickly using black licorice strips for the hair, round red 

or orange lollies for the eyes and an apple segment for the nose. Add a small ice-cream cone for the hat. Place in freezer for 

15 minutes, then serve. 

Spider cake 

Ingredients 

• 2 round (15-cm wide) white sponge cakes 

• green jelly 

• chocolate icing 

• blue food colouring 

• 2 large round pieces of candy for eyes 

• 4 fl at long licorice strips 

Instructions 

• Make green jelly and place in fridge to set. Place one cake on 

a platter and cut a circle out of the centre for the spider’s head. 

Fill hole in cake with set jelly. Place other cake on top. Place the 

spider’s head in place on the platter. Prepare chocolate icing, 

then add blue food colouring until it looks blackish. Cover spider 

with icing. Cut licorice in half and attach to cake to make 8 legs. 

Add eyes and place cake in fridge until ready to serve. 

Note: The spider should ooze green slime when cut. 

96 Early years themes—Fantasy—Witches www.ricpublications.com.au – R.I.C. Publications ® 

7. Display ideas for art and craft or 

specifi c learning centres. 

8. A list of literature resources to 

complement the theme, including 

songs, action rhymes and fi ction 

and nonfi ction books. 

9. A notes section to enable the teacher 

to record useful websites or resources 

relating to the theme, or other 

worthwhile activities or ideas etc. 

R.I.C. Publications ® – www.ricpublications.com.au Early years themes—Fantasy v


An explanation of the icons 

A number of icons have been used throughout the cross-curricular activities sections to make it easier and quicker for teachers to 

locate appropriate learning activities. 

Fine motor activities—building with blocks, puzzles, sorting, sand and water play, sensory items 

such as ‘feely boxes’, playdough or clay work, threading, chalkboards, construction using recycled 

materials such as boxes 

Outdoor play—sand and/or water play (see also ‘fi ne motor activities’); gross motor activities such as 

climbing, balancing, bikes, scooters, jumping, throwing, obstacle course activities etc.; tracking activities 

using balloons and bubbles etc.; other messy art activities 

Dramatic play—home corner, dramatising stories, dressing up, puppets, shopping etc. 

Art and craft—free painting, directed and supervised painting, 

craft (assisted and independent) 

Computer—suggestions for simple games or activities (usually 

individual or in pairs) or relevant internet activities 

Cooking—supervised activities, some of which use heat 

Games—indoor or outdoor games relating to literacy such as card games, memory 

games etc.; mathematics, singing games, any physical education games involving 

movement etc. 

Writing—tracing, copying, writing on, and with, different things—cards, different types of paper etc.; 

adding patterns or stripes etc.; tracking and following paths, dot-to-dot activities etc. 

vi Early years themes—Fantasy www.ricpublications.com.au – R.I.C. Publications ®


About the artwork 

All the artwork in this series of books is: 

• age-appropriate 

• teacher- and child-friendly 

• an additional resource to help develop the theme 

• suitable for enlarging for: 

~ colouring 

~ handwriting 

~ dot-to-dot sheets 

~ use as templates for art and craft activities 

~ visual texts to encourage oral language development. 

Some artworks are based on simple shapes to support learning in the mathematics area; others are more elaborate. It is 

anticipated that early childhood teachers will view an illustration based on shapes and be able to use this idea to develop 

concrete play activities using shapes or as a technology and design project. More elaborate artwork is used to demonstrate a 

teaching resource which needs to be made, a recipe, game or other activity. 

Examples of artwork relating to art and craft activities have wide, bold, easily visible cutting outlines to allow the children some 

variation in the cutting path they will use. 

About the resource sheets/blacklines 

All resource sheets/blacklines contain: 

• simple, age-appropriate artwork 

• prominent visual clues 

• little or no text 

• visual clues to support text pages 

• few instructions, so as not to confuse beginning readers 

• teacher instructions in the margins with a number of 

different suggestions for using the resource sheet/blackline 

• literacy and numeracy activities. 

These resource sheets/blacklines are included as valuable 

time-savers for teachers. 

It is anticipated that the teacher will enlarge any pages to A3 

size and photocopy them onto more durable paper or card, to 

make them easier for learners of this age group to manipulate. 

The cross-curricular section of each theme includes a reference 

to resource sheets/blacklines relating to specifi c activities. 

R.I.C. Publications ® – www.ricpublications.com.au Early years themes—Fantasy vii


Curriculum links 

All the learning activities in this series of books support the key learning areas of the current curriculum documents. 

In particular, one or more activities also support each strand of the new English and Mathematics National Curriculum. The 

specifi c strands from the National Curriculum relating to each activity are denoted by the words in brackets in the English and 

Mathematics learning areas of the cross-curricular section. 

For example, in the ‘Dragons’ theme: 

English Identify the initial letter ‘d’ for ‘dragon’. Brainstorm, record and display words which begin with ‘d’. Use 

the dragon outline on page 10 to display your ‘d’ words. (Language) 

Mathematics Use arbitrary units to calculate the area of various dragon footprints. (Measurement and Geometry) 

Reference to both is shown below. 

Relevant curriculum reference 

NSW 

Qld 

SA 

Vic. 

WA 

National Curriculum: refer to pages 6 and 11 of Shape of the Australian Curriculum: English 

National Curriculum: refer to pages 6 and 7 of Shape of the Australian Curriculum: Mathematics 

National Curriculum: Science learning activities also support pages 6 and 7 Shape of the Australian 

Curriculum: Science 

Belonging, being and becoming: The early years framework for Australia (2009) 

Refer to Early years curriculum guidelines page 55 (Table 9: A 

summary of the learning statements in the early learning areas) 

and pages 61–75. 

Refer to ‘Early years band: Age 3–Age 5’. South Australian 

Curriculum, Standards and Accountability at . 

Refer to Victorian Essential Learning Standards Level 1 at 

. 

Refer to K-3 scope-and-sequence charts at . 

viii Early years themes—Fantasy www.ricpublications.com.au – R.I.C. Publications ®


Sample social skills checklist 

Date: 

Student name 

separates easily 

from parents 

interacts readily with 

adults 

interacts readily with 

peers 

shares with others 

and takes turns 

participates in group 

activities 

cooperates with 

others 

accepts 

responsibility for 

own behaviour 

respects the property 

of others 

respects the feelings 

of others 

listens without 

interrupting 

expresses feelings 

appropriately 

solves simple 

problems 

is developing an 

awareness of the 

wider community 

R.I.C. Publications ® – www.ricpublications.com.au Early years themes—Fantasy ix


Sample language skills checklist 

Date: 

Student name 

communicates needs clearly 

articulates most words correctly 

relates personal experiences 

contributes to discussions 

uses age-appropriate 

vocabulary 

articulates most initial sounds 

correctly 

asks appropriate questions 

speaks in complete sentences 

relates events in order of 

occurrence 

able to tell a story from pictures 

retells a familiar story without 

pictures or clues 

uses simple compound 

sentences 

responds appropriately to 

questions about himself/herself 

listens to a story for a given 

length of time 

follows simple two-step 

instructions 

knows his/her fi rst and last 

name 

recognises rhyming words 

answers simple oral cloze 

questions 

labels emotions such as happy, 

sad, angry, scared … 

x Early years themes—Fantasy www.ricpublications.com.au – R.I.C. Publications ®


Sample fine motor skills checklist 

Date: 

Student name 

completes simple puzzles 

builds a tower of eight or more 

small blocks 

dresses himself/herself (apart 

from buttons and shoelaces) 

manipulates playdough to 

create a specifi c object 

places small pegs in small 

holes 

threads small beads 

uses scissors to cut out simple 

shapes and pictures 

completes simple folding 

activities 

uses a knife, fork and spoon 

correctly 

holds a crayon or pencil 

correctly 

colours within lines 

writes or copies own name 

draws and copies simple 

pictures 

copies a sequence of letters or 

numbers adequately 

traces or recreates patterns 

R.I.C. Publications ® – www.ricpublications.com.au Early years themes—Fantasy xi


Sample fundamental movement skills checklist 

Date: 

Explicit teaching 

Exposure 

Student name 

balances on one 

foot (static balance) 

runs 

jumps vertically 

catches a ball or 

beanbag 

hops 

throws a ball or 

beanbag using an 

overarm movement 

gallops sideways 

skips 

leaps 

kicks a ball 

strikes a ball or 

object using a twohanded 

strike 

dodges a ball or 

object 

xii Early years themes—Fantasy www.ricpublications.com.au – R.I.C. Publications ®


Sample mathematics skills checklist 

Date: 

Number and algebra Measurement and geometry Statistics and probability 

Student name 

recognises numerals 1 to 

writes numerals 1 to 

rote counts to 

places numerals to 

in correct order 

understands one-to-one 

correspondence 

understands ‘more than’ or ‘less 

than’ 

able to do simple addition and 

subtraction using concrete materials 

shares collections 

creates or completes a pattern 

measures using everyday items 

makes comparison of size and 

length 

recognises basic shapes 

identifi es attributes of objects and 

collections 

is aware of devices used for 

measuring (scales, tapes etc.) 

shows awareness of 

(money, temperature, time etc.) 

sorts or orders objects 

is aware of collections and 

presentations of data 

interprets data in a display 

makes predictions about chance 

events 

R.I.C. Publications ® – www.ricpublications.com.au Early years themes—Fantasy xiii


• Read a variety of stories about mermaids. After each book 

is read, talk about the main mermaid character, what she 

looks like, where she lives, what she does and how the 

book ends. (Language, Literacy, Literature) 

• Draw a simple outline of a mermaid on the whiteboard or 

a large sheet of card and, using the information gained 

from reading books, describe what a mermaid looks like. 

Write labels and draw lines to show where each descriptive 

characteristic matches on the outline; for example: long 

hair, fi sh tail, fair skin, scales on tail, necklace. Leave the 

outline and labels in a predominant place near the writing 

table for future reference. (Language, Literature, Literacy) 

• Allow the children to talk about personal experiences of 

watching movies, DVDs, computer games or reading 

books about mermaids or other imaginary creatures. 

(Literature, Literacy) 

English 

necklace 

scales 

on 

tail 

fish tail 

long 

hair 

fair skin 

• Talk about the word ‘mermaid’. Ask: 

What does ‘maid’ mean? If a ‘maid’ 

is a woman, what is a man mermaid 

called? Think of other words which 

rhyme with ‘mermaid’. (Language) 

• Learn the song ‘There was a 

princess long ago’ (Refer to for the 

words and tune.) Rewrite the 

words with the children to include 

information about mermaids; for 

example: Verse 1—‘There was a 

mermaid long ago, Long ago, long 

ago, There was a mermaid long ago. 

Long, long ago’. Verse 2—’And she 

lived underneath the sea, Underneath 

the sea. And she lived underneath the 

sea. Long, long ago’. (Language) 

• Provide simple mermaid outlines for the writing 

table for the children to colour and label (similar 

to that above). Provide writing implements to allow 

the children to draw scale patterns on the tail, curly 

writing patterns on the hair or waves representing the 

sea. Refer to the blackline on page 69. (Language, 

Literacy) 

• Have each child create a simple booklet about 

mermaids, entitled ‘My mermaid’. Pages should 

include information about what she looks like, 

where she lives, what she likes to do, who her 

friends are etc. The fi nal page should include a 

made-up name for the mermaid:—’My mermaid 

is named Milly’. Refer to page 71 for an example. 

(Language, Literacy) 

• Write the word ‘mermaid’ on the board (or provide 

each child with a large copy of his/her own) using 

a large open font. Select children to trace the shape 

of the ‘m’s with their fi nger, and circle and/or colour 

them. Select children to use writing patterns to cover 

the other letters. (Language) 

• Provide a large A4 coloured 

card cut-out of the letter ‘m’ 

for each child. Use coloured 

crayons to draw ‘scales’ on the 

tail and attach a head with long 

curly hair (strips of paper) and 

fi ns. Display. (Language) 

• As a class, talk about and 

write a list of imaginary 

creatures that the children 

would like to read and learn 

about. In particular, include 

those relating to boys as the 

theme of ‘mermaids’ may not 

be as appealing to them as 

it is to girls. Find pictures of 

each one or books to place 

in the reading corner for easy 

access during free reading 

time. (Language, Literacy) 

• Provide a large blue felt rectangle as 

a background and simple felt cutouts 

of mermaid bodies, a variety of 

patterned tails, hair in different colours 

and tops for the children to create 

different types of mermaids. Different 

shapes and colours of sea creatures 

could also be provided to add interest 

to the scene. (Language) 

• Find and cut 

out pictures 

in magazines 

of things with 

names that begin 

with ‘m’. Glue 

them to a large 

mermaid shape. 

(Language) 

• Reinforce the sound ‘m’ for ‘mermaid’. Play the game ‘I am thinking about something that begins with “m” (like 

mermaid)’; or, ‘I spy something that begins with “m”’. Make up interesting or nonsense sentences about mermaids 

using lots of ‘m’ words—marvellous, mighty, macaroni, mad, magical, many, mean, merry, messy, middle, my, more, 

muddled etc. (Language) 

62 Early years themes—Fantasy—Mermaids www.ricpublications.com.au – R.I.C. Publications ®

Mermaids – 1 

Mathematics 

• Provide large blocks for children to create underwater environments for mermaids to live in. Ask the children to create 

caves and rocks as part of the environment. Drape sheer blue or brown material over the top to create a watery, underwater 

effect. Add small plastic trees (such as those from model railway sets or ones created using cardboard tubes and green 

and brown tissue paper). Coloured ribbon could be used to represent coral. Theme-based erasers or buttons in shapes of 

shells, seahorses and starfi sh could also be added to each child’s completed environment to add interest. (Number and 

Algebra) 

• Make a ‘shell’ bracelet for a mermaid. Provide a multitude of coloured jelly beans (the children will need 

about 15 each); stretchy elastic; and large-eyed, blunt needles. Thread the elastic through the needle 

for the children and tie a knot in the end. Ask the children to poke the needle through each jelly bean, 

creating patterns. Tie off the ends to fi t the child’s wrist when completed. If desired, white jelly beans could 

be used to create a ‘pearl’ bracelet. More jelly beans will be needed to create necklaces. (Measurement 

and Algebra) 

• How long are mermaids? Ask the children to estimate 

how long mermaids are. Ask: Are they as tall as you? 

Or as the teacher? What length is the tail? Would it 

extend further from the body than the feet or would it 

fi nish where the feet fi nish? When the children have 

guessed, select one child and trace lightly around 

his/her body outline. (Make sure that both legs are 

together to simulate the tail shape and to allow for the 

children’s suggestion of where the tail fi nishes.) Cut 

out and decorate using different painting techniques 

and collage materials. To display, hang on the wall at 

fl oor height so that children can compare their height 

to that of the mermaid. Attach a tape measure to the 

wall beside it, and write its height in centimetres, in 

large numerals on a label for the children to see. If 

desired, the tracing can occur on a large piece of 

plain cotton material or 

canvas and be painted 

using fabric paint. Cut out 

another outline, sew them 

securely back to back and 

stuff with rags, wadding 

or recycled plastic bags 

to create a life-size 

mermaid. Tie securely 

to a chair covered 

with brown material to 

represent a rock so that 

the children can read or talk to her. (Number and 

Algebra; Measurement and Geometry) 

• Play a guessing game to fi nd 

specifi c sea creatures; e.g. ‘I’m 

thinking of a sea creature with 

eight legs who squirts ink? What 

am I?’ Include a mermaid with 

NO legs as part of the game. 

(Number and Algebra) 

• Adapt the chant ‘Charlie over the ocean’ (Listen 

to a version at to ‘Mermaid in the ocean; Mermaid in the sea. 

Mermaid in the ocean, Find a shape for me’. One 

selected child (the mermaid/merman) hides or closes 

his/her eyes while the children sing. When the song 

is ended the child selects a shape from those chosen 

by the teacher and a new ‘mermaid/merman’ is 

selected. This game could also be played for number 

recognition. (Measurement and Geometry) 

• Sort and group pictures of sea creatures, including 

mermaids, by shape, size, type, or hair or tail colour. 

Count and write the amount in each group. Make simple 

picture graphs of the groups to compare. (Number and 


1 

5 

2 

4 

3 

• Use coloured pattern blocks or simple coloured 

shapes to create a mermaid. Refer to page 72. 

(Measurement and Geometry) 

• Use an underwater scene (such as that on the cover page) 

to reinforce positional language—next to, behind, in front of, 

under, over etc. Direct the children to specifi c sea creatures 

and their positions in relation to rocks, shells, coral and other 

sea creatures. Reinforce basic colours, shapes and specifi c 

numbers in groups in the same manner. (Number and 


R.I.C. Publications ® – www.ricpublications.com.au Early years themes—Fantasy—Mermaids 63


Society and environment 

• Ask the children to paint or draw a 

picture of what a baby mermaid, a 

grandmother mermaid or a family 

of mermaids would look like. If it is 

easier, ask the children to depict his/ 

her own family as a ‘mer-family’. 

• What would mermaids need to do to keep their environment clean and 

safe? How can we help to keep the sea clean and safe? 

• What do you think mermaids eat? Why? Discuss. 

• Do mermaids have friends? What kind of friends do they have? 

• As part of a viewing of The little mermaid, ask the children who looks after 

the main character, Ariel, and tells her what to do. Discuss with children 

who makes the rules at their house. How do people at your house help, 

and look after, each other? 

• Discuss the difference between themselves and mermaids. 

What games would mermaids play? What clothes would 

they wear? What toys would they play with? Compare to 

any aspects relating to the children. 

• Discuss natural and built features of the sea. What features 

might be dangerous to mermaids? 

• Where might a mermaid live under the sea? Would she live 

in a cave, a castle or in a sunken shipwreck? Which would 

be the best and why? 

• Discuss the characteristics of mermaids as compared 

to humans with the children. Play a game. Ask the 

children to stand up if they have long hair like a 

mermaid; wiggle their toes if they do not have a tail 

like a mermaid; rub their hands together if they do 

not have scales etc. 

Health and physical education 

• Cover cheap plastic jewels with sand in a tray. Provide 

plastic shovels and a box or container decorated to 

look like a treasure chest. Allow the children to ‘dig’ 

for mermaids’ treasure to fi ll the treasure chest. 

• Mermaids do not have legs. Have the children 

discuss and/or list all the things that they would not 

be able to do without legs; for example: run, jump, 

skip, gallop, kick, walk. Have the children try to 

move from one place to another without using their 

legs. Use a soft grassy area or carpet inside for this 

part of the activity. 

• Hold a mermaid race. Securely tie a large potato sack 

or heavy-duty plastic garden bag around children’s 

waists. Use strong tape to strap the legs together 

around the knees to resemble a mermaid’s tail. With 

two children at a time competing, hold races to see 

which child can move on his/her stomach to move 

from one point to another. Encourage the children to 

fi nd the easiest and quickest way to move. 

• Toss rings over a strong 

cardboard cut-out of a dolphin, 

shark, swordfi sh or Neptune’s 

trident. A large strong plastic 

blow-up dolphin could be 

used, if available. 

• Play ‘Pin the tail on the mermaid’. Enlarge, reproduce 

and colour a picture of a mermaid on cardboard. Trace 

the tail section and make a second coloured copy of 

the tail section to ‘pin on the mermaid’. Alternatively, 

play ‘Pin the shell on the mermaid’s hair’. 

• Provide shell- or clam-shaped soaps for the children to 

wash their hands with during the course of the unit. 

• Provide various ‘fi shy’ snacks for the children to 

taste—sardines, tuna, salmon etc. 

• Play a version of ‘Duck, duck, goose’ called 

‘Mermaid, mermaid, shark’. Refer to on 

instructions for how to play. 



Drama 

• Make simple crab masks, then ask children 

to put on their masks and walk like crabs 

(sideways on all fours). If possible, show 

videos of crabs walking to demonstrate. 

• Provide, or have the children create, simple character 

craft stick puppets, including a mermaid, to place in the 

drama corner. Place the puppets in a box or container near 

any theme-related books or resources used by the class. 

Encourage the children to dramatise events from the story 

using the stick puppets. View instructions for making a 

simple mermaid puppet at . 

• Fill a shallow paddling pool with packing material such as beads 

and let the children take turns ‘swimming’ like mermaids. 

• Blow up small balloons and use permanent markers to draw 

mermaid or fi sh features on them. Place them in a water tray and 

have the children practise scooping them up with a small fi shing 

net (available from aquarium shops). 

• Make ‘air tanks’ from empty plastic milk 

containers taped together. Add fl ippers 

and masks to allow ‘divers’ to investigate 

the mermaids’ underwater environment. 

• Make mermaids’ tails using girls’ heavy 

duty stockings. Insert both legs down one 

stocking leg. Provide plenty of space for 

children to ‘swim’ and lounge in. 

• Using arms and legs, ask the children 

to dramatise swimming under water, 

basking on a rock, combing long hair, 

chasing fi sh and eating food. They 

could imitate the movements of seaweed 

fl oating in water or drifting in a current. 

• Cut a rectangular piece of material large 

enough for a child to wrap and tie around 

the waist. The material should be almost 

long enough to touch the fl oor. Glue 

or sew two fi n shapes to the bottom at 

the back for the tail. Place or hang in 

the dress-up area for use. Note: If the 

material used is blue or green sequined 

material (available from dance or material 

shops), the ‘skirt’ will appear more like a 

mermaid’s tail. 

Music 

• Listen, dance and sing, to the music ‘Under the sea’ from 

The Little Mermaid (available to listen to at ). 

• Listen to and watch Camille Saint-Saëns’ ‘The 

aquarium’ from the Carnival of the animals. (Available 

as a free download with video from .) 

• Play a version of ‘Who stole the cookie from the cookie 

jar? For this version, have children sit in a circle and 

pass around a mermaid doll. Have children sing: 

‘Who caught the mermaid in the big blue sea? (Child’s 

name) caught the mermaid in the big blue sea’. Have 

the children complete the call and response of ‘Who 

me?’, ‘Yes, you!’ before continuing the game with: 

‘(New child’s name) caught the mermaid in the big 

blue sea’. 

• Change the words of ‘The farmer in the dell’ to ‘The 

mermaid in the sea’. Substitute the wife, child, nurse, 

dog, cat, mouse and cheese for sea creatures. 

Encourage the children to help you select the correct 

sea creatures and order them by size from largest to 

smallest. 

• Play ‘Under the sea limbo’ and reinforce the concept 

of ‘under’. While listening to the song ‘Under the sea’ 

from The little mermaid, have two adults (teacher, aide 

or parents) hold a broomstick or homemade limbo stick 

(a long paper tube covered with coloured paper and 

streamers hanging from the ends) for the children to take 

turns going under. Lower the stick each time to elminate 

children. The winner is the child who goes under the 

lowest stick without hitting it or knocking it down. 



Science 

• Demonstrate how warm water rises. Fill a clear container with cold water. Add drops of blue food colouring to hot water to tint 

it. Add the blue hot water to the cold water in the container to show that the warmer water rises to the top. Talk about how most 

aquatic creatures live in the top layers of the ocean where it is warmer. 

• Place dried seaweed bought from a 

grocery store in a water tray for the 

children to feel and smell. 

• Place a variety of real sea items, 

—seaweed, shells, driftwood etc.—on a 

display table for viewing and discussion. 

Label each. Encourage the children to feel 

and smell them. 

• Provide samples of fresh and salt water for the children to taste and 

smell, describe and compare. Explain that the sea is made of salty 

water. Test to compare how well various objects fl oat in fresh and salty 

water. 

• Add food colouring to a full water tray to make it blue. Add sand, 

water plants (available from an aquarium shop), shells, stones 

etc. for the children to feel with their hands. Easter grass and 

plastic sea creatures could also be added. 

• Buy a (real) fi sh from the food store or 

fi sh market. Have the children look at and 

feel its scales. Ask them to describe how 

it feels and what it looks like. Then have 

the children take turns painting the scales 

with a brush, and pressing and smoothing 

a sheet of art paper over the fi sh to take 

a print of the scaley texture. When dry, 

use the print as the tail section of a craft 

mermaid. NOTE: Material could also be 

used to take a print. 

• Use this craft activity to demonstrate the properties of magnets and 

to make a mermaid swim. (Adult assistance will be required ….) 

For each child, you will need: a thin metal coathanger, a mermaid 

shape on strong card (small enough to fi t inside the coat hanger 

once bent to shape), a length of fi shing line, scissors, crayons or 

markers, tape and two small magnets. Bend the coathanger into 

a diamond shape, with its hook bent to hang inside the diamond. 

Ask the children to colour and/or decorate their mermaid and cut 

it out. Tape one magnet to the bottom of the mermaid, then use 

the fi shing line to hang the mermaid from the 

hook. The mermaid should swing just above the 

bottom of the coathanger. Tape the other magnet 

to the bottom of the coathanger, making sure the 

two repel each other. The two magnets will act 

together to make the mermaid twist and turn so 

that she appears to be swimming. 

• Half fi ll a plastic drink bottle with water 

tinted with blue food colouring. Add enough 

vegetable oil to completely fi ll the remaining 

space. Replace the lid and ask the children 

to tip and tilt the bottle carefully to create 

waves. 

• Decorate a clear large plastic drink bottle by using 

permanent markers to draw pictures of seaweed, 

coral and rocks. Fill the bottle with cold water. Add 

1 

/ 4 

cup of white vinegar and 1 tablespoon of baking 

soda. Add a handful of raisin ‘fi sh’ or ‘mermaids’ 

to the bottle and replace the lid. Bubbles from the 

vinegar and baking soda will attach to the raisins, 

making them fl oat to the surface. The air bubbles 

will pop and the raisins will sink to the bottom to 

collect more bubbles. 

• Mermaids have the head and body of a woman, and the tail of a fi sh. Make a list, or draw pictures of, other sea creatures 

which have a tail. Discuss how and why these creatures use their tails. Have the children pretend to use their ‘tails’ like 

mermaids and others sea creatures. Discuss what the children use their ‘tails’ for—sitting on, balancing, keeping the 

body upright, helping with movement such as walking etc. 



Visual arts 

• Make mermaid crowns from card and decorate them with sequin ‘jewels’, small shells or coloured paper. Refer to page 73 for 

a template to use. 

• Use bubble printing to create an underwater background for a mermaid. Fill empty margarine tubs or ice-cream containers to 

one-third with water. Add a small quantity of dish-washing liquid and blue food dye or water-based paint. Use a straw to gently 

blow into the water until a high dome of blue bubbles appear over the rim of the container. Remove the straw and place a sheet 

of paper over the container to print the bubble pattern. Repeat to cover the page if necessary. Paste cut-out shapes of brown, 

green and other colours to the blue background for seaweed, coral, rocks and fi sh. Attach a mermaid to the front, using paper 

or cardboard tabs to raise her above the background scenery. 

• Make an ocean in a bag. Fill a small resealable bag with blue hair gel, beads and plastic or foam fi sh. If possible, add a small 

mermaid fi gure. Zip up and place inside another resealable bag. Tape up or glue the second bag to ensure that it is watertight. 

An alternate suggestion is to make an ocean in a plastic bottle: provide small funnels for the children to pour in some sand, 

followed by shells, water and small plastic sea creatures. 

• Cut several simple mermaid shapes from large fl at sponges. Include only the body and tail in the outline, as other features will 

be added using paper craft techniques. Use a version of the images on pages 61 and 69, or the felt cut-out 

art suggestion on page 62, as a guide. Dip the sponges into ‘skin-coloured’ paint and print onto a plain 

blue paper background. When dry, use sequins, markers or collage materials to cover the tail. Glue on 

curling ribbon for hair and googly eyes, and draw a mouth and nose to complete the mermaid. 

• Print scales for the tail of a mermaid using painted bubble wrap. 

• Draw and cut out hand shapes from coloured paper for the fi ns of a mermaid. Have the children draw 

or paint the body, using display pictures of mermaids for inspiration. 

• Have each child cover a thick sheet of card with PVA glue. Spread split peas, barley and sand on the 

glue to represent the bottom of the ocean. Attach sea animals, mermaids or ‘sunken treasure’. 

• Have the children draw and cut out coloured paper shapes of seaweed, rocks, shells, fi sh and a 

mermaid. Press the coloured side of each cut-out to the sticky side of a sheet of clear adhesive plastic. 

Leave an area around the outside to create a sticky border. Cover with blue backing paper and seal the 

edges closed. 

• Provide a variety of thick blue, green and brown chalk for the children to draw a large underwater scene on the footpath 

outside the classroom. Use paintbrushes and water to create wavy lines across it and create a more watery, ‘mysterious’ 

effect. At the end of the day, have children help you clean away the footpath drawing. 

Technology (and design) 

• Provide quantities of cheese-fl avoured snacks and cream cheese 

spread for the children to ‘glue’ together and create coral formations. 

Arrange on blue napkins on plates. 

• Provide recycled materials such as 

boxes, egg cartons, cereal boxes 

etc. for the children to create a 

grotto or home for a mermaid. Glue 

the parts together and paint. 

• Over a number of days or weeks, watch the Disney version of The 

little mermaid and use it as a basis for the theme or to encourage 

discussion about mermaids. There are numerous mermaid-themed 

games available online, including: . 

• Watch Dora The Explorer: Dora 

Saves The Mermaids on DVD and/ 

or play a game. Help Dora clean 

up the ocean at . 


Teacher background information 

A mermaid is an imaginary female marine creature most often depicted as having the head and trunk of a woman and the tail of 

a fi sh. 

Part of the mythology of many different cultures worldwide, mermaids are commonly found in folklore, literature and popular 

culture. 

The word ‘mermaid’ is a compound of the Old English word ‘mere’, meaning ‘sea’, and the word ‘maid’ meaning ‘girl’ or 

‘woman’. The male equivalent of a mermaid is a merman. 

It was believed that mermaids would sometimes sing to people or gods, enchanting them and causing mishaps. They were also 

said to take humans down to their underwater kingdoms. 

Perhaps the most well-known mermaid tale for children is Hans Christian Andersen’s The little mermaid, which was adapted and 

animated as a fi lm by Disney. This fairytale mermaid is immortalised with a famous bronze sculpture in Copenhagen harbour. 

Some people believe that the mermaid myth originated from sightings of unusual sea creatures, such as dugongs, manatees or 

seals, basking in the sun on rocks, and uttering unusual noises. 

Teachers may fi nd it useful to complete a theme about mermaids by focusing on a particular story such as The tiniest mermaid or 

the animated fi lm version of The little mermaid by Disney, as this will assist the children to place characters, places and things in 

context. 

Since this theme is based on an imaginary creature, all suggestions from the children should be given due consideration. 

Concepts to be developed 

• Mermaids are imaginary creatures. 

• Mermaids have the head and body of a woman and the tail of a fi sh. 

• Mermaids live in the sea. 

• Mermaids usually have long hair. 

• Mermaids have contact with other underwater creatures who may be friends or enemies. 


Mermaid outline 

Instructions: Write labels and draw lines to identify descriptive features of the mermaid for a class display. Could also be used as an outline for the children to draw writing patterns on to show curly hair, 

scales or waves. Refer to the English cross-curricular suggestions on page 62. 


Count the underwater friends 

mermaids fi sh shark 

dolphins starfi sh 

70 Early years themes—Fantasy—Mermaids www.ricpublications.com.au – R.I.C. Publications ® 

Instructions: Enlarge to A3 size. Count and write the number of underwater friends. Colour the picture. The picture could also be used as a focus for discussion, as inspiration for a display, or motivation for 

children’s drawing and writing patterns.

Instructions: Enlarge to A3 size. Discuss the pictures and read the words with the children. Find the parts of the mermaid hiding among the other sea objects. Have the children colour the pictures, cut out the 

segments and staple them together to make a little mermaid book to read and take home. 

‘Where’s the mermaid?’ book 

Mermaids live in the 

ocean. 

Mermaids swim. Mermaids have a tail. 

Mermaids have scales. Mermaids have fi ns. 


Shape mermaid 


Instructions: Use as inspiration for pattern block work or as a template with which to make a craft mermaid from coloured paper shapes. Adapt to suit coloured pattern blocks, photocopy onto card, laminate and use 

to match coloured pattern blocks to the picture.

Instructions: Enlarge to appropriate size and photocopy or trace onto card. Provide paint, and decorative materials such as sequins, tiny shells (or shell shapes), coloured dots etc. Adjust to fi t 

each child’s head and staple or tape to secure. 

Mermaid’s crown 


Mermaid desk sitter 

fold forward 

fold back 


Instructions: Photocopy or trace onto cardboard, colour, cut around and decorate if desired. Fold following the instructions and attach to desks so that each child has a mermaid sitting on his/her desk or shelf.

Instructions: Trace all the dotted lines to make them solid. Join the dots from 1 to 10, starting at the star shape, to draw the outer edge of the clam. Colour the grotto behind the merman in varying shades to create 

depth—the circular shape in the centre should be the lightest shade of brown or green. 

Where is the merman? 

2 

3 

4 

5 6 

1 10 

R.I.C. Publications ® – www.ricpublications.com.au Early years themes—Fantasy—Mermaids 75 

7 

8 

9

Recipes 

Banana mermaid 

Ingredients 

• banana • cheese sticks • dried apricots 

• dried cranberries/raisins • sultanas 

Instructions 

• Cut the banana into three sections for the lower body, torso and head. Slice a small section from 

the back of each to allow them to lie fl at on the plate. Use some of the removed section to create 

fi n shapes and arms for the mermaid. Slice the cheese sticks into ‘strands’ for hair, leaving about 

1 

/ 4 

of the stick intact at the top, and place at the sides of the head. Cut the dried apricots in half 

lengthwise and use to cover the mermaid’s torso. Cut a small slither of apricot for the mouth. Cover 

the lower body and tail with cranberries or raisins. Add sultana eyes to complete. 

Mermaid tails 

Ingredients 

• loaf of unsliced wholemeal bread 

• tinned tuna and mayonnaise 

• other fi llings as desired: cream cheese, carrot, sultanas; chopped cooked chicken, avocado, lemon juice etc. 

Instructions 

• Using a sharp, serrated knife, remove the crusts from the bread and cut the bread lengthwise into slices about 10 cm long. 

Use a rolling pin to fl atten each slice. Combine fi lling ingredients and spread over bread slice. Starting from a short end, roll 

up bread tightly and secure with a toothpick. Cut each roll into four pieces. 

Sand dough (inedible) 

Ingredients 

• 2 cups white fl our • 2 cups water • 1 cup PVA glue • 2 cups fi ne sand 

Instructions 

• Place the fl our into a large bowl or container. Add the water and glue. Mix together with a large spoon. Add the sand and mix 

until the consistency of dough. Knead until mixed thoroughly. Add more fl our or water, if necessary, to adjust the consistency. 

Sparkling salt paint (inedible) 

Ingredients 

• 2 cups salt • ½ cup liquid starch • 1 cup water • tempera paint powder or food colouring 

Instructions 

• Combine the starch, salt and water and mix thoroughly. Slowly add food colouring or tempera powder. Use as required. Any 

paintings created using this paint will sparkle when the salt paint dries. 

Ingredients 

Clam biscuits 

• plain, sweet, oval-shaped biscuits (for example, Milk Arrowroot ) 

• 1 egg white • 150 g icing sugar • pink food colouring 

• white circular sweets/lollies • silver cachous 

Instructions 

• Whip egg white until stiff. Mix in icing sugar. Put aside a small amount to secure eyes to clam. Add pink food colouring to the 

icing and spread on two biscuits. Place a circular sweet on one and place other biscuit on top, at an angle, to form the clam. 

Use a small dot of icing to secure silver cachous in place for eyes. 


Recipes 

Ocean scene 

Ingredients 

• 1 tortilla per child • cream cheese • blue food colouring 

• round savoury biscuit per child • goldfi sh-shaped biscuits • bean sprouts 

Instructions 

• Colour the cream cheese with blue food colouring. Spread the blue creamed cheese along the bottom of the tortilla for the 

ocean, place the round biscuit near the top for the sun in the sky, bean sprouts for seaweed and fi sh biscuits in the water. 

Sand and shells 

Ingredients 

• shell pasta • butter or margarine • parmesan cheese 

Instructions 

• Boil the macaroni until tender, drain, and add butter or margarine and parmesan cheese. 

Mermaid potion 

Ingredients 

• water • blue food colouring • yellow fi zzy drink 

Instructions 

• Fill ice cube trays with water and add one drop of blue food colouring to each cube. Freeze. Pour yellow fi zzy drink into 

glasses and add one or two blue ice cubes to each glass. 

Sea slushie 

Ingredients 

• 4 cups blue sports drink • 4 scoops vanilla ice-cream/frozen yoghurt 

• 4 cups ice 

Instructions 

• Combine all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour into tall glasses and 

serve each decorated with a small cocktail umbrella/or mermaid cocktail marker 

(available for purchase via the internet). 

Other suggestions 

• Dip pretzel sticks (fi shing rods) into peanut butter (bait) and then onto small fi sh-shaped cracker biscuits to eat. (Be aware of 

any children who may have allergies to fi sh or peanuts.) 

• Hold an ocean ‘tasting’ buffet, with the children (and their parents) helping to supply the food. Provide samples of salmon, 

tuna, crab, prawns or shrimp, fi sh sticks, anchovies, calamari, products made from seaweed etc. If time allows, cook clam 

chowder, oyster stew etc. and serve with bread. Extend the activity by surveying to discover food ‘likes’ and ‘dislikes’, and 

recording results on a picture graph. (Be aware of any children who may have allergies to fi sh or peanuts.) 

• Toast half of an English muffi n and use a fi sh-shaped cookie cutter to cut out a fi sh shape. Spread with tuna and add half an 

olive for the eye. 

• Provide plates of pretzel sticks, fi sh-shaped biscuits, chocolate chips, chow mein noodles, ring-shaped cereal, and pieces of 

dried fruit, to represent driftwood, beach pebbles, seaweed, life preservers, shells and coral. Ask each child to take a ‘beach 

walk’ and collect interesting items. 

• Mermaid-shaped cookie cutters are available from selected kitchen stores and via the internet. 

• Use a large fi sh-shaped cookie cutter to cut sandwiches fi lled with each child’s favourite fi lling into fi sh shapes before eating. 


Mermaid display 

• Ask the children to bring from home any soft mermaid 

toys, books, fi lms, pictures, clothing etc. to display 

in a prominent place in the classroom. Use as an 

opportunity for oral presentations or discussions. 

Carefully label each with the name of its owner. 

Ocean water table – 1 

• Cut a section from a sea-themed shower curtain 

and secure it to the edge of a water table. Use the 

remainder to cover windows or walls. 

Ocean water table – 2 

• Fill a water table with strips of blue cellophane 

instead of water (especially if the weather is cold!). 

Add plastic or soft toy sea creatures. Place large 

blue cushions around the edge of the water tray. 

Display ideas 

scales 

fins 

tail 

Mermaid profile 

• Trace around the profi le of a child and adapt the feet to create 

a mermaid shape. Colour or decorate using paper craft skills. 

Label important body parts or features of the mermaid and 

connect the labels using paper seaweed lengths. Refer to maths 

cross-curricular activities for a full explanation. (See page 63.) 

Ocean backdrop 

• Create a backdrop on which to pin a collection of underwaterthemed 

art and craft in the following way: Hang a length of plain 

material (such as muslin or calico) from a clothes line. Fill spray 

bottles with a variety of water dyed with blue, green, brown or 

purple food colouring or watery paint. Have the children to spray the 

material. Wait for it to dry. The colours will run together to create an 

interesting, 

watery 

effect. 

Underwater room 

• Cover all the windows and lights of the classroom with blue 

cellophane, to give the effect of being underwater. Drape 

lengths of blue tulle, cellophane or sequinned material from 

the ceiling. 

Mermaid’s grotto – 1 

• Make one wall into a mermaid’s grotto by placing varying 

shades of oval-shaped coloured paper on top of each other. 

Decorate with twisted paper seaweed and starfi sh. 

Mermaid’s grotto – 2 

• Suspend a hoop from the ceiling and drape with material, 

lengths of crepe paper or streamers to reach the fl oor and 

beyond. Leave an open area for the children to enter the 

grotto. Place brown cushions inside as rocks for seating. 

Clam reading seat 

• Cover the base of a child’s ‘clam-shaped’ sandpit with large 

cushions or a folded blanket. Stand the lid up behind it and secure, 

if possible, to the wall (for safety). Alternatively, place its lid next to 

the base to provide two sets of seating for reading about mermaids and 

other fantasy creatures. 


Literature resources – 1 

• Mermaid dreams by Mark Sperring 

• Dear mermaid by Alan Durant 

• Mermaid sister by Mary Ann Fraser 

Stories 

• Mairi’s mermaid by Michael Morpurgo 

• Mermaid’s bracelet by Beth Harwood 

Songs, action rhymes, fingerplays and poems 

I saw a mermaid 

I saw a beautiful mermaid one day 

On the rocky shore. 

I called out to her very loudly, 

She must have heard me roar! 

I saw a beautiful mermaid one day 

Sitting on the rocks. 

But when she turned and looked at me, 

She stared at me in shock! 

She turned and dived into the waves 

That crashed up to the shore. 

And when I looked to see where she was, 

She wasn’t there anymore! 

Ten little mermaids 

(Tune: Ten little Indians) 

(Count fi ngers as rhyme indicates.) 

One little, two little, three little mermaids, 

Four little, fi ve little, six little mermaids, 

Seven little, eight little, nine little mermaids, 

Ten little mermaids there. 

Mermaids in the sea 

(Tune: Wheels on the bus) (Set actions to words.) 

The mermaids in the sea 

Go swim, swim, swim, 

Swim, swim, swim. 

The mermaids in the sea 

Go swim, swim, swim, 

All day long. 

(Create other verses and actions with the children.) 

Five little mermaids 

Five little mermaids sleeping on the shore. 

(Hold up fi ve fi ngers, bending down one for each verse.) 

‘Swish!’ went a big wave, and then there were four. 

(Move arms, palms up, to make the waves.) 

Four little mermaids as quiet as can be. 

‘Swish!’ went a big wave, and then there were three. 

Three little mermaids with nothing to do. 

‘Swish!’ went a big wave, and then there were two. 

Two little mermaids having great fun. 

‘Swish!’ went a big wave, and then there was one. 

One little mermaid lying in the sun. 

‘Swish!’ went a big wave, and then there were none. 

Five little mermaids gone out to sea. 

(Point outwards to sea.) 

Wait until morning and they'll return to me. 

(Point to self.) 

Mermaids 

Mermaids are very shy, you know. 

They’re hardly ever seen. 

They use the waves to come and go 

As they slip and slide between. 

Mermaids are very clever, you know. 

They show us where they’ve been. 

They make the sandy beaches glow 

With shiny shells and seaweed green. 


Literature resources – 2 

Songs, action rhymes, fingerplays and poems 

Have you ever seen a mermaid? (Tune: Muffi n Man) 

Oh! Have you seen a mermaid, 

A mermaid, a mermaid? 

Oh! Have you ever seen a mermaid 

Combing her long hair? 

Oh! Have you ever seen a merman, 

A merman, a merman? 

Oh! Have you ever seen a merman 

Diving behind the rocks? 

(Create other verses with the children.) 

Notes:

RIC-20949 Early years Fantasy - Mermaids

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