Kids Make the Ocean Their Own

Anchors away, it's time to explore the ocean. Children at the Syosset Public Library experienced an ocean of fun during the Below H2O workshop.

Inspiring the creativity was Karen Hunt, educator at the Long Island Children's Museum in Garden City. Children were encouraged to design an underwater scene, with tables filled with fake gold coins, seashells, rocks, model magic, popsicle sticks and paper boats.

Nine-year-old Claire Zavardino was beyond excited to make a below-the-sea picture.

"I used the gold coins and mixed the different colors of clay together," she said. "This is fun to make the bottom of the ocean."

Dressed in a sailor hat and outfit adorned with anchors, Hunt motivated the children to read books such as Diving to the Past, Ocean and Pirate.

The children were taught interesting facts about the ocean, which included the definition of a shipwreck and different types of sunken treasures that are in the sea.

In addition to creating their underwater masterpieces, students learned about an item's floatation capabilities. Each child was given an object ranging from a toy car to sunglasses and placed them into a bucket of water.

"Kids learn about what can or cannot float in the water. It's a good learning experience for them," said Hunt.

The session, geared for children 6 to 10, is based on the Make A Splash Summer Reading Program. "The last theme was about detectives. The kids loved it. The theme always changes, making it fun for the kids," said Hunt.

Retired from teaching third grade at Sachem Elementary School, Hunt has been speaking at schools and libraries throughout Nassau and Suffolk Counties for the past eight years.

For Hunt, exploring the ocean is an enjoyable way to engage a child's mind.

"A lot of kids don't know about all the wonderful things that go on in the ocean," she said. "This is a great opportunity for them to learn about it."

For more information about children's program at the library, visit www.syossetlibrary.org or call 516-921-7161. Reservations are required.