Color paper shells, turn them into a discovery ring or keepsake necklace, then look for similar shapes on a beach walk. Make a memory to keep while leaving real shells on the shore.
Ages: 4–10 with an adult · Time: 25–35 minutes to make; a short beach walk later
Print the three-page Shell Seekers pack at actual size. Page 2 contains four shell shapes to color and cut out; page 3 is your beach record. These are broad shape clues, not exact species identification cards.
- Printed Shell Seekers pack
- Crayons or colored pencils, child-safe scissors and glue
- Reused thin card, a hole punch and a short cord or paper ring
- An adult; for the beach walk, suitable footwear, water and sun protection
Follow the Clues
1. Meet the shell shapes
Look at the turret spiral, rounded ridged valve, low cone and oval slit on the reference sheet. Say what makes each outline different. They represent shell forms you can compare; not every beach has every shape.
2. Color and strengthen your cards
Color the four drawings before cutting. Use your own palette, or look at a reference chosen by your adult. Glue the sheet onto thin reused card and let it dry. Your colors are artwork, not proof of a real shell’s identity.
3. Cut and make a discovery ring
An adult helps cut around each shell with a small paper margin and punches a hole through the backing. Thread the shells onto a paper ring or short cord for a backpack tag. A necklace is optional and requires an adult-managed breakaway fastening; remove it before active play or water activities.
4. Take your clues to the beach
With your adult, choose a permitted beach area away from the surf. Look at shells where they lie. Compare outlines first, then ridges, spirals or openings that are already visible. Never turn over an animal or enter rocks or water for a match.
5. Record a shape match
On page 3, tick Seen, Similar or Not today for each shape. Draw your favorite discovery and note the beach and date. A broken shell may show a clue too. An approximate shape match is not an exact species identification.
6. Share what stays and what goes
Take home your paper shells and record sheet. Leave real shells and natural materials in place, even when they appear empty. Tell someone which pattern you noticed and how your handmade keepsake helped you remember it.
Discover together
- Which shell looks like a spiral staircase? Which has ridges?
- Some mollusks have one main shell; bivalves have two joined valves. One loose valve can wash ashore.
- Why might an apparently empty shell still matter on a beach? It may offer shelter and is part of the coastal environment.
Little Explorers (4–6): choose two shapes, color them and point to a similar beach clue. Junior Explorers (7–10): compare all four shapes and record two features supporting one match. Finding every shape is not required.
Adults handle hole punching and help with scissors. Use the discovery ring or backpack tag for younger children; keep cord away from necks during play and never wear it in water. At the beach, watch shells in place and follow local rules. Do not collect or handle live animals.
Hang your paper shell ring beside your beach drawing. Revisit your question using a field guide with an adult. Make a keepsake; leave the shell.
Read together. Color with imagination. Bring Pico and Tati’s world into your home with books that invite children to explore, learn and care for God’s creation.
Our Promise
At Tico Explorers, we encourage children to explore with curiosity, learn with kindness, and care for God’s creation.
Our adventures invite families to notice the world together, respect local communities, and leave the places they visit cared for.
Explore • Learn • Protect
