Preschool Pond Activity: Torn Paper Turtles

Pond is one of my favorite preschool themes, and I love this preschool pond activity. Torn paper turtles are easy, fun, and adorable.

samples for the preschool pond activity: two paper turtle outlines are colored in with green crayons on head, arms, and legs, and the shells are filled in with torn papers in two colors of green. Extra green paper, a glue stick, and crayons sit next to the turles.

This preschool pond activity is “turtle-y” awesome

I never miss an opportunity for a torn paper activity.

Kids are tearing paper, naming the shapes they see, ripping papers big and small, and it’s a fine motor frenzy.

“I made a rectangle!”

“This shape has six sides!”

“My fingers are so strong!”

“This piece is bigger than the last one!”

The amount of learning happening is *chef’s kiss*

Related: Our GIANT 10-foot coloring banners are perfect for building fine motor strength!

Kids love this preschool pond activity

I have done variations of these turtles for years.

Through time, I have learned a few tips and tricks to elevate what the kids make, and you’ll love these quick additions.

Materials

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FREE turtle outline printables – attached to this post (scroll down)
Glue
Green paper
Scissors – optional
Googly eyes – optional
Crayons or markers – optional

A hand holds a paper turtle cut out (a black outline of a turtle filled in with crayons on head, arms, and legs, and torn green papers for the shell) - a completed preschool pond activity

Directions

Provide your child with green paper and invite them to tear it up into smaller pieces.

It’s absolutely fine if they get in the groove and tear more paper than they can fit on the turtle.

We’re all about the process, and if they’re having a blast tearing paper and working out those fine motor muscles, let them tear it all up.

Once done, invite your child to cover the turtle’s shell in glue.

And now, the very best part: filling in the shell. Invite your child to add their papers to the shell until they cannot see any more white paper peeking out from underneath.

Fun OPTIONAL extensions:

Color in the head, arms, and legs with crayons or markers
Add googly eyes
Invite your child to cut out their turtle when done
Glue a cut-out turtle onto a piece of colorful paper

A hand holds a paper turtle cut out (a black outline of a turtle filled in with crayons on head, arms, and legs, and torn green papers for the shell)

Why tearing paper is EXCELLENT for young hands

When kids tear paper, they’re using a skill called bilateral coordination.

Bilateral coordination uses two hands to complete a task where both hands do something different.

Examples of bilateral coordination:

When lacing a bead necklace, one hand holds the string while the other puts the bead on.
When coloring a picture, one hand holds the paper down, and the other holds and colors with a marker

In this activity of tearing paper, one hand holds the paper steady while the other grips, moves, and ultimately tears the paper.

This task is often simple for adults, but it’s a fantastic challenge for young kids.