The Rainbow Fish Activity Pre-K STEM Lesson Kindness Craft

The Rainbow Fish Activity

Bring kindness and hands-on learning together with this Rainbow Fish activity! Inspired by The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister, this engaging early elementary STEM lesson invites students to go magnet fishing and sort their catches by size. It’s a fun way to practice fine motor skills, explore magnets, and introduce sharing and taking turns during back-to-school learning.

Students use magnetic fishing poles or magnet wands to catch paper fish, then decide whether each fish belongs on the big or small side of their sorting mat. As they fish together, students practice being kind by sharing materials, waiting for their turn, and helping classmates.

Extend the learning with an ocean-themed movement break and a creative activity where students decorate their own fish with a shiny scale!

What’s Included:

• Teacher instructions and suggested materials
• Link to Canva lesson slides
• Visual directions for students
• Big and small fish sorting mat
• Printable fish pieces
• Student challenge letter
• “Draw what you discovered” recording page
• Fish coloring and shiny-scale extension activity
• Movement break video link
• Teacher reference examples
• Texas Pre-K Guidelines connections

Skills Students Practice:

• Sorting and comparing sizes
• Fine motor control and hand-eye coordination
• Exploring magnets
• Sharing, taking turns, and showing kindness
• Following directions
• Creative expression

Materials Needed:

• Magnetic fishing poles or magnet wands
• Paper fish with paper clips attached
• Sorting mat
• The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister (optional read-aloud connection)

Use this Rainbow Fish book activity for Pre-K STEM centers, back-to-school lessons, ocean themes, small groups, or classroom kindness activities. Help little learners build friendships while they fish, sort, and explore!

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