Dive beneath the waves for a fun learning adventure with our free printable under the sea memory game! This colourful 15-page printable pack is filled with sea creatures, ocean pictures, letters, numbers and matching challenges for children to enjoy.
Memory games are such a simple way to keep children entertained while also building important early learning skills. This printable set goes beyond a traditional picture matching game, with several different activities that can be adapted for preschoolers, kindergarten children and younger primary school learners.
Whether you are planning an ocean theme, looking for a quiet-time activity or need something educational for the summer holidays, this free printable memory game is easy to prepare and can be played again and again.
Under the Sea Matching Games
Our under the sea memory game includes several different ways to play. Children can match identical sea creatures, connect pictures with their shadows, practise counting and recognise letters of the alphabet.
The pages feature plenty of colourful ocean animals and underwater objects, including dolphins, jellyfish, starfish, sharks, seahorses, crabs, shells, coral and many more.
You can use the complete pack with older children or introduce one matching game at a time for younger learners. Start with a smaller collection of cards and gradually add more as your child becomes more confident.
What Is Included in the Under the Sea Memory Game?
The printable PDF contains 15 pages of under the sea matching activities and cards. Each game offers a slightly different challenge, helping children practise a range of skills while sticking with the same fun ocean theme.
Under the Sea Picture Match
The classic picture matching game includes pairs of colourful under the sea pictures. Children will need to find two identical cards, such as two dolphins, two crabs or two jellyfish.
This is the easiest game to introduce first because children can rely entirely on visual recognition. You can begin with just four or six pairs before moving on to the full selection of cards.
Under the Sea Shadow Match
In this activity, children match each colourful sea creature or underwater object to its correct shadow.
Shadow matching encourages children to look carefully at shape, outline and small visual details. Some of the pictures may look quite similar, so children will need to concentrate before deciding which cards belong together.
Under the Sea Alphabet Match
The alphabet matching game includes colourful letter cards from A to Z, along with ocean-themed picture cards.
Children can match each letter with the picture that begins with the corresponding sound. For example, they might match C with clownfish, D with dolphin and J with jellyfish.
This is a fun way to practise letter recognition, beginning sounds and vocabulary. It can also encourage conversations about unfamiliar sea creatures and what makes each one unique.
Under the Sea Count and Match
The counting game includes number cards and illustrated cards showing different quantities of sea creatures.
Children count the creatures on each card and match the picture to the correct number. The number cards cover numbers from 1 to 20, allowing you to adapt the activity to suit your child’s current ability.
Younger children can work with numbers 1 to 5 or 1 to 10, while children who are ready for a bigger challenge can use all the cards up to 20.
How to Prepare the Printable Memory Game
Print the pages onto white cardstock or thick paper for the best results. Carefully cut around each of the individual cards, keeping the different matching games in separate groups to make them easier to organise.
If you plan to use the cards regularly, laminating them will help to keep them in good condition. You can store each game in a small envelope, reusable bag or labelled container.
When playing a traditional memory game, it is helpful if the back of every card looks the same. You could glue the cards onto coloured cardstock before cutting them out so that the pictures cannot be seen through the paper.
How to Play the Under the Sea Memory Game
Choose which set of cards you would like to use and shuffle them thoroughly. Place all the cards face down in neat rows.
Players take turns turning over two cards. If the cards make a matching pair, the player keeps them and takes another turn. If they do not match, both cards are turned face down again, and play moves to the next person.
Continue until all the matching pairs have been found. The player with the most pairs at the end wins.
For the picture game, children are looking for two identical images. For the other games, the matching cards will be different but connected. One card might show a sea creature and the other its shadow, a quantity and its number, or a letter and a corresponding picture.
Other Ways to Use the Matching Cards
The cards do not always need to be placed face down. Younger children may find it easier to begin by laying all the cards face up and looking for the pairs.
You could also place one group of cards on the table and hide the matching cards around the room. Children can hunt for each card and bring it back to complete the correct pair.
Use the sea creature cards for sorting activities, vocabulary games or storytelling prompts. Children could choose three ocean pictures and create a short underwater adventure featuring those creatures.
The counting cards can be used alongside shells, counters or small ocean animal toys. Children can select a number card and count out the matching number of objects.
Benefits of Playing Memory Games
Memory games help children develop concentration and visual recall as they try to remember where each card is hidden. They also encourage patience and turn-taking when played with siblings, friends or adults.
The different activities in this pack support additional early learning skills, including counting, number recognition, alphabet knowledge, phonics, observation and matching.
Cutting out the cards can provide extra fine motor practice, while picking up and turning over small cards helps strengthen children’s hand and finger control.
Most importantly, the underwater theme makes the learning feel like a game. Children can enjoy discovering sharks, dolphins, jellyfish and other fascinating sea creatures while practising useful skills.
Ideas for Using This Ocean-Themed Printable
This printable memory game would work brilliantly as part of an under the sea classroom topic, ocean homeschool unit or summer learning theme. It is also an easy activity to set out during playdates, rainy afternoons or quiet time at home.
You could use the cards after visiting an aquarium or reading a book about the ocean. Ask children which creatures they recognise, which ones they have seen before and which animal they would most like to learn about.
The printable games can be played independently, in pairs or in small groups, making them easy to adapt for home or classroom use.
Download the Free Printable Under the Sea Memory Game PDF
Download the complete 15-page under the sea memory game PDF below. Print the pages you want to use, cut out the cards and get ready for some ocean-themed matching fun!
For personal and classroom use only. Please do not redistribute or sell the PDF. If you would like to share this printable with others, please direct them to this blog post so they can download their own copy.
More Under the Sea Activities for Kids
Keep the ocean fun going with more of our under the sea crafts, colouring pages, learning activities and printable resources. They are perfect for summer themes, classroom ocean units or children who simply love sea creatures.
- 10 Ocean Coloring Pages for Kids
- 30 Best Ocean Animal Crafts For Kids
- Free Printable Disguise a Shark Activity for Shark Week
- 28 Fin-tastic Fish Crafts for Kids
- Ocean Foam Sensory Bin
- Beach Day STEM Challenge Pack
We hope your children enjoy playing these under the sea memory games! Please share this blog post with other parents, teachers and caregivers who would enjoy using the printable too.