Warm-up and familiarisation game. Introduces facts about marine life and is useful for gauging the abilities and background of the group.


A clear open space where running is possible.


Sheet of reminder notes (optional), a clear space.

Relevance and Aims:

Running the Activity:

All sit in a circle (including leaders). Explain how when waves wash up onto the beach, small shells and pebbles will get washed up into the water and settle elsewhere on the beach (for older children, explain longshore drift). Explain that they will be pretending to be small shells and when you say, certain types of shell will be washed away to land somewhere else.

The leader then begins by saying:

“When the wave comes rolling in, it washes away everybody who is… {insert something that may apply to some people in the group}.”

A good practice one is to look at what everyone is wearing, perhaps half of the group are wearing a hat, then you could  say “when the wave comes rolling in, it washes away everyone who is wearing a hat”

After making this statement, everyone to whom this applies stands up, runs around the outside of the circle clockwise and sits in a different place.

Play continues, with the leader using different commands. Examples include “Everyone who…”

“has held a crab”;

“has been to the beach before”;

“Has been rockpooling before”;

“Is scared of any kind of animal (including teachers!)“;

“Is a girl/ boy”;

“Has eaten seaweed” (this can be followed up by explaining that most of them have probably eaten seaweed as it is commonly used in a variety of edible products);

“Likes being outside”;

“Has seen a dolphin in the wild” (this can be followed by explaining that dolphins can be seen off our shores)

 Older or more advanced groups may like to make up their own commands and could take it in turns to come up with one.



Group Size

10 or more


5-15 mins