September 25, 2023
September 25, 2023
The ocean is truly amazing. With such a diversity of marine life and a huge variety of stunning underwater landscapes, the opportunities to explore what lies beneath the water’s surface are endless. To show our appreciation of the ocean in all its glory, here are 10 facts about the ocean for kids!
Facts About The Ocean
These fun ocean facts for kids are sure to pique their interest in all things marine.
1. The ocean covers around 70% of the Earth’s surface
Isn’t that fascinating? Considering that the world’s population is growing each year (and that our own cities seem vast to us!), it’s hard to believe that land occupies only about 30% of the Earth. The Pacific Ocean is the largest body of water, making up about 30% of the Earth’s surface itself. It may seem surprising to some children that we focus on learning about human life on land so much rather than all about the ocean, considering how massive it is!
Thanks to National Geographic for this awesome piece of information, and the following two facts about the ocean…
2. The Mariana Trench is DEEP
Another of our favorite fun sea facts for kids focuses on another impressive dimension of the ocean: its depth. The Mariana Trench is the deepest section of the ocean, located in the western Pacific, and within it lies the Challenger Deep. This part of the Mariana Trench is the deepest point and lies over 36,000 feet below the surface of the water. To show just how incredibly deep that is, imagine almost a ten-minute drive!
3. The Great Barrier Reef is the biggest living structure on Earth
The Great Barrier Reef, which is located off the coast of north-eastern Australia, is over 16,000 miles long. Home to a wide variety of marine plants and animals, not to mention its beautifully colorful corals, which are famed throughout the world, the Great Barrier Reef is considered the largest living structure in the entire world. It’s important that we learn to protect its fragile and unique ecosystem so it can continue to sustain such an incredible variety of ocean life.
4. The ocean isn’t blue simply because it reflects the sky
Next on our list of ocean habitat facts, let’s investigate the cause of the sea’s color. As Kiddle explains: contrary to popular belief, the ocean isn’t blue because it reflects the sky. In fact, the blue or green hue of the ocean comes down to the fact that water filters out red light particles and reflects the blue and green light particles. This is what we see when we look at the ocean and what gives it its wonderful color.
5. There are over 33,000 species of fish in the world
The exact number of fish species in the world is unknown, as scientists admit that there are plenty left for us to discover. However, according to AZ Animals, there are more than 33,000 species of fish – but, not all of these species live in saltwater. In fact, half favor freshwater. However, this is still a massive number and shows just how varied marine life can be. How many fish species can you and your children or students name?
6. Over 80% of the ocean remains a mystery to us
What's special about the ocean? Well, how’s this for fascinating: some scientists estimate that we have explored a mere 5% of what lies beneath the sea. Others think that this figure is closer to 20%, but either way, we know relatively little about this vast body of water. Bearing in mind the extraordinary diversity of marine life that we know about so far, can you believe that there are so many more marine creatures and underwater worlds to discover?
7. Icebergs can reach over 300 feet above the ocean’s surface
Icebergs – like those that caused the fateful sinking of the Titanic – can reach some jaw-dropping heights! In fact, there are different names for these pieces of floating ice, depending on their height. Under 16 feet tall, they are often called “bergy bits”, and smaller parts of three feet or so may be called “growlers.” If you think about the fact that only about 10% of an iceberg is above water (on average), we can see how these vast chunks of ice are responsible for some damage to ships!
8. Whale sharks can reach up to 65 feet in length
As the largest type of shark, these massive fish can reach enormous proportions, according to WWF. Want another of the coolest ocean habitat facts? Well, get this: whale sharks also have their own unique patterns of spots – just like human fingerprints!
9. Jellyfish don’t have a brain – or a heart
Jellyfish are invertebrates and use their venomous tentacles to kill their prey. Their mouth is in the center of their body and is the same opening they use to get rid of their waste, as well as to project them forward as they squirt out water.
10. Mountains exist underwater, too
You may think of mountains as something that you only see above ground on dry land – but think again! Mountains and even entire mountain ranges can be found under the sea as well. In fact, the mid-Oceanic Ridge is the longest mountain chain in the world. Far from the flat seabed that we may often see in images, the bottom of the ocean can be very topographically varied.
We hope you’ve enjoyed these 10 facts about the ocean for kids – and remember, there’s plenty more left to discover!
Featured image by Francesco Ungaro on Unsplash