GAMES & ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS OF ALL AGES

N A T I O N A L O C E A N I C A N D A T M O S P H E R I C 

ADMINISTRATION
1 Marine Debris Word Find

 Tons of Trash!

2 Picture Crossword

 Types of Marine Debris

3 Coloring Activity

 Healthy Coral Reef

4 Identifying the Problem

 The Source of the Problem

5 Which One Is Different?

 Litterless Lunches

6 Coloring Activity

 Go Fish!

7 Secret Code

 Learn to Be a Drain Brain!

8 Word Challenge

 Beat the Clock!

9 Coloring Activity

 A Day at the Beach!

10 Marine Debris Match Up

 How Long Will it Take?

11 Coloring Activity

 Sailing Away

12 Memory Game

 Marine Match-Up

13 Connect the Dots

 A Sea Turtle’s Story

14 Littering Checklist

 No Excuses

15 Coloring Activity

 Beach Cleanup

16 Unscramble the Phrase

 How Can I Help?

17 A Silly Story

 Cleaning Up the Beach

18 Coloring Activity

 Diver Cleanup

19 Marine Debris Maze

 Getting to the Trash Can

20 Debris Detective

 The Three Rs of Good 

 Stewardship

21 ANSWER KEY

T able of C ontents

This educational document was produced for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Marine Debris 

Program under NOAA contract number AB133F06CN0193 by Sheavly Consultants, Virginia Beach, Virginia.

For more great activities, information, and 

what you can do to prevent marine debris visit www.marinedebris.noaa.gov

www.marinedebris.noaa.gov
1

13 Million Pounds?!

It is estimated that 13 million pounds of litter are put into the ocean each year.*

This litter is generated by many sources, from boats and oil rigs on the water to

picnickers, fisherman, and beachgoers along the shore. Hidden below is a list of

objects that have been discarded into our oceans. See if you can find them all!

BAIT CONTAINER

BALLOON

BUCKET

BUOY

CIGARETTE

CRATE

CUP

DIAPER

DOLL

FISHING LINE

FISHING NET

GLASS BOTTLE

GLOVE

HARD HAT

HOSE

LUMBER

PAINT BRUSH

RADIO

ROPE

RUG

SHOE

SODA CAN

STRAW

TIRE

TRASH BAG

M ARINE DEBRIS WORD FIND

NBAB I H O S E A T M R G

EGUT ACANC EWE L L

K L RCR L ARNRN O U A

T O APKC L G DIA K M S

R V D O A E NOA H W TBS

A E I D W I T T O A A M E B

S H O E HDN GRN L T R O

H SWS B O T TLE C A P T

B K I PCT S J BURG Y T

A F U T DIA P E R D O L L

G C I G A R ETT EUT P E

W A N X O E U O H B ASN E

B F I S HIN G L I NEH M

These hidden words are found horizontally, vertically and diagonally. (Answers on page 21).

*1997 U.S. Academy of Sciences study.

www.marinedebris.noaa.gov

Tons of Trash!

It was estimated that over a billion pounds of litter has been put into the ocean 

each year.* This litter is generated by many sources, from boats and oil rigs 

on the water to picnickers, fishermen, and beachgoers along the shore. Hidden 

below is a list of objects that have been discarded into our oceans. 

See if you can find them all!

*1995 U.S. National Research Council study

For more great activities, information, and what you can do to prevent marine debris visit www.marinedebris.noaa.gov
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Types of Marine Debris

MARINE DEBRIS COMES

FROM MANY SOURCES

PARENTS CAN HELP!

(Answers on page 21)

ACROSS:

These litter items are 

generated by people on 

land such as beachgoers, 

picnickers and those who 

improperly dump their trash.

DOWN:

These litter items are 

generated by people at sea 

such as boaters, fisherman 

and passengers on cargo 

or cruise ships.

7 ACROSS:

_________________

TIRE

12 DOWN:

FISHING _______

14 DOWN:

WOODEN ________

9 ACROSS:

________

BAG

21 ACROSS:

CAR ___________

10 DOWN:

KNOTTED ________

2 DOWN:

FISHING _____

5 ACROSS:

LIGHT

_______

4 DOWN:

__________ TRAP

19 ACROSS:

_____ CAN

3 ACROSS:

_________

BOTTLE

18 ACROSS:

MILK

_________

13 ACROSS:

_____–______

HOLDER

17 DOWN: CRAB ______

8 DOWN:

____________

LINE

11 ACROSS:

CHILDREN’S ________

1 DOWN:

FLOAT OR _______

6 DOWN:

_______ CONTAINER

15 ACROSS:

___________

GLOVE

PICTURE CROSSWORD

20 ACROSS:

________

BOTTLE

16 DOWN:

OIL OR LUBE

___________

2

www.marinedebris.noaa.gov

For more great activities, information, and what you can do to prevent marine debris visit www.marinedebris.noaa.gov

MARINE DEBRIS COMES 

FROM MANY SOURCES

ACROSS:

These litter items are 

generated by people on 

land such as beachgoers, 

picnickers, and those who 

improperly dump their trash.

DOWN:

These litter items are 

generated by people at sea 

such as boaters, fishermen, 

and passengers on cargo or 

cruise ships.

PARENTS CAN HELP!

(Answers on page 21)
Healthy Coral Reef

COLORING ACTIVITY

3

www.marinedebris.noaa.gov

For more great activities, information, and what you can do to prevent marine debris visit www.marinedebris.noaa.gov
There are nine pictures below. 

Circle the pictures which you 

believe could be sources of marine 

debris or ocean trash. When you 

have finished, write down what 

these pictures have in common.

Answers on page 21.

IDENTIFYING THE PROBLEM

The Source

of the Problem

PARENTS CAN HELP!

A CRUISE SHIP A SHARK PICNICKERS

A FISH A MAN WASHING

HIS CAR

DOLPHINS

4 A FISHERMAN SEA GULLS A BEACHGOER

www.marinedebris.noaa.gov

For more great activities, information, and what you can do to prevent marine debris visit www.marinedebris.noaa.gov
Litterless Lunches

(Answer is on page 21)

There are six packed

lunches pictured. 

One of them is 

different from all 

the others. Can you 

find the one that 

is different?

HOW YOUR PACKED LUNCH CAN HELP MAKE LESS TRASH

Many kids carry a packed lunch to school. Food packaging can create a lot of 

trash every year. Here are some ways to reduce the amount of trash generated 

by a packed lunch. 

Reusable plastic containers can store cookies, chips and just about 

everything else you find in a packed lunch. These containers can be brought 

home, washed and used again.

W HICH ONE IS DIFFERENT?

Always recycle the aluminum cans, glass bottles, plastic bottles and plastic

containers found in your packed lunch. 

Reduce the amount of food packaging needed. When planning your 

packed lunches, instead of buying 12 individual bags of cookies, you can 

buy one larger bag of cookies and divide it into serving sized portions in 

reusable containers.

5

www.marinedebris.noaa.gov

For more great activities, information, and what you can do to prevent marine debris visit www.marinedebris.noaa.gov

There are six 

packed lunches 

pictured. One of 

them is different 

from all the others. 

Can you find 

the one that is 

different?
Go Fish!

COLORING ACTIVITY

6

www.marinedebris.noaa.gov

For more great activities, information, and what you can do to prevent marine debris visit www.marinedebris.noaa.gov
SECRET CODE

Learn to Be 

a Drain Brain!

Have you ever wondered what those holes are at the 

edge of the sidewalk? They’re called storm drains

and they carry rain water off the street and into streams 

and rivers.

Unlock the Secret Message and Discover

How You Can Become a Drain Brain!

Soda bottles, paper cups, candy wrappers, cigarette butts 

and all of the trash in the street gets carried into storm

drains with the rain water until it finally reaches the 

ocean and becomes debris.

Unlock the secret message by using the chart below to 

replace the shapes with the letters they match up with.

= A

= C

= H

= I

= L

= N

= O

= P

= R

= S

= T

= U

= W

= Y

(Answers on page 21)

7

www.marinedebris.noaa.gov

For more great activities, information, and what you can do to prevent marine debris visit www.marinedebris.noaa.gov
Beat the Clock!

W ORD CHALLENGE

Find a friend and see which one of you can list the most number 

of new words created by using the letters found in the words 

MARINE DEBRIS. Set a timer for 10 minutes. The person with the 

most number of words WINS! See rule about using double letters.

MARINE DEBRIS contains two “R”s, two “E”s, and two “I”s. It is 

acceptable for your new words to contain these double letters. 

Example: 

1.)

2.)

3.)

4.)

5.)

6.)

7.)

8.)

9.)

10.)

11.)

12.)

13.)

14.)

15.)

16.)

17.)

18.)

19.)

20.)

21.)

22.)

23.)

24.)

25.)

26.) 40.)

27.)

28.)

29.)

30.)

31.)

32.)

33.)

34.)

35.)

36.)

37.)

38.)

39.)

N E E D

Example: B A R N

8

www.marinedebris.noaa.gov

Find a friend and see which one of you can list the most number 

of new words created by using letters found in the words 

MARINE DEBRIS. Set a timer for 10 minutes. The person with 

the most number of words WINS! See rule about using double 

letters.

For more great activities, information, and what you can do to prevent marine debris visit www.marinedebris.noaa.gov
COLORING ACTIVITY

9

www.marinedebris.noaa.gov

For more great activities, information, and what you can do to prevent marine debris visit www.marinedebris.noaa.gov
How Long Will it Take?

Undetermined

How Many Years Will it Take for These Items to Decompose in the Ocean?

600 Years

450 Years

200 Years

50 Years

1-5 Years

3 Months

2-6 Weeks

M ARINE DEBRIS MATCH UP

It takes just a moment for an item to be carelessly discarded or blown by wind 

into the ocean, but it can take many, many years for that item to completely 

decompose. Test your knowledge about decomposition times. Draw a line 

between each item (left) to its corresponding decomposition time (right). 

Styrofoam

Cup

Fishing Line

Glass Bottle

Cigarette Filter

Aluminum Can

Milk Carton

Banana Peel

Plastic Beverage

Bottle

10 Answers are on page 21.

www.marinedebris.noaa.gov

It takes just a moment for an item to be carelessly discarded or blown by 

wind into the ocean, bur it can take many, many years for that item to 

completely decompose. Test your knowledge about decomposition times. 

Draw a line between each item (left) and its estimated decomposition time 

(right). Decomposition times may be used more than once.

For more great activities, information, and what you can do to prevent marine debris visit www.marinedebris.noaa.gov

MANY years

A few months

A few years

A few weeks

UNDETERMINED

How much time will it take for these items to decompose in the ocean?
Sailing Away

COLORING ACTIVITY

11

www.marinedebris.noaa.gov

For more great activities, information, and what you can do to prevent marine debris visit www.marinedebris.noaa.gov
MEMO R Y GAM E

Marine Match-Up

What do you think happens when an animal comes

across litter in its natural habitat?

HOW TO PLAY (FOR TWO PLAYERS)

1.) Cut out the squares and place them face down.

2.) Player 1 turns over two squares. A sea turtle can choke on a plastic sandwich bag 3.) If a match is revealed, the player gets to keep the two squares. 

that it mistakes for food. A curious sea lion can get 

entangled in discarded commercial fishing nets.

Play the MARINE MATCH-UP game to learn more 

about how litter harms marine animals. 

Dolphin Dolphin

A dolphin can

get tangled in fishing gear

A dolphin can

get tangled in fishing gear

Pelican

A pelican

can get its

neck stuck in 

a six-pack 

holder

A manatee can get tangled

in discarded fishing line

Sea Gull

A sea gull 

can become entangled 

in discarded fishing line 

Sea Gull Sea

Turtle

Sea Lion

A sea lion can become

entangled in ropes and nets

For example, if the player reveals two Dolphins, he gets to keep 

the two squares. However, if the player reveals two animals 

which DO NOT match, then both squares are turned face down 

again and Player 2 takes a turn.

4.) When all the squares are gone, the player with the most 

 number of squares wins. 

Manatee

A manatee can get tangled

in discarded fishing line

Manatee

A sea gull 

can become entangled 

in discarded fishing line 

Raccoon Raccoon

A raccoon

can cut its 

paws on broken glass

A raccoon

can cut its 

paws on broken glass

Pelican

A pelican

can get its

neck stuck in 

a six-pack 

holder

Beaver

A beaver can get

its head stuck in a tin can

Beaver

A beaver can get

its head stuck in a tin can

Sea

Turtle

A sea turtle can

choke on a plastic bag

A sea turtle can

choke on a plastic bag

Sea Lion

A sea lion can become

entangled in ropes and nets 12

www.marinedebris.noaa.gov

For more great activities, information, and what you can do to prevent marine debris visit www.marinedebris.noaa.gov
A Sea Turtle’s Story

CONNECT THE DOTS

How Can Litter Be Deadly to a Sea Turtle?

Connect the Dots—Don’t Let Your Trash End Up in the Ocean!

Sometimes sea turtles mistake litter in the water as food. Plastic bags look 

like jellyfish, sea turtles’ favorite food. If swallowed, debris can block digestion

or remain in the turtle’s stomach, causing the turtle to feel “full” and eat less 

than it needs to survive. Plastic or plastic foam in a turtle’s stomach can cause

excess buoyancy, decreasing the animal’s ability to dive deeper for prey.

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Start Here

13

www.marinedebris.noaa.gov

For more great activities, information, and what you can do to prevent marine debris visit www.marinedebris.noaa.gov

Sometimes sea turtles mistake litter in the water as food. Plastic bags 

look like jellyfish, sea turtles’ favorite food. If swallowed, debris can block 

digestion or remain in the turtle’s stomach, causing the turtle to feel “full” 

and eat less than it needs to survive. Plastic or plastic foam in a turtle’s 

stomach can cause excess buoyancy, decreasing the animal’s ability to 

dive deeper for prey.
No Excuses

Have you ever littered and thought you had a good reason for it?

LITTERING CHECKLIST

When people litter, they sometimes think that they have a good reason for it.

But there is NEVER a good excuse for littering. Take a look at the list of 

reasons people use for littering. Put a checkmark next to the excuses you have

heard people use when they litter.

If your friends or family use these excuses, remind them that there are no good 

excuses for littering and ask them to throw their trash away in a trash can.

There’s already trash there.

Why shouldn’t I?

I don’t want to mess up 

my back pack.

It’s too hard to find a trash can.

Mom would get upset if she knew

I ate a snack before dinner.

Everyone else does it!

Someone else will pick it up for me.

It’s JUST a candy wrapper.

It’s too heavy to carry.

Nobody told me not to.

The trash can was too yucky 

to touch.

Animals will eat the apple core.

It’s so tiny, it won’t matter.

Bees were around the trash can.

I saw an adult do it.

I don’t care about the beach.

There wasn’t a sign telling me 

not to litter.

It fell out of my pocket.

14

www.marinedebris.noaa.gov

For more great activities, information, and what you can do to prevent marine debris visit www.marinedebris.noaa.gov

When people litter, they sometimes think that they have a good reason for 

it. But, there is NEVER a good excuse for littering. Take a look at the list of 

reasons people use for littering. Put a checkmark next to the excuses you 

have heard people use when they litter.

If your friends or family use these excuses, remind them that there are no 

good excuses for littering and ask them to throw their trash away in a trash 

can.
Beach Cleanup

COLORING ACTIVITY

15

www.marinedebris.noaa.gov

For more great activities, information, and what you can do to prevent marine debris visit www.marinedebris.noaa.gov
How Can I Help?

Beach or coastal cleanups can be found in many communities. 

During these cleanups, kids and adults work together to collect the

trash that has been thrown into their waterways. Cleanups make

the environment a cleaner, safer place for people and animals.

Unscramble the words below to reveal how you can help! Answers on page 21.

I F D N T U O F I

E H R T E S I A

L T A C S O A LAPU C E N

N I O Y R U

T C I M Y O M N U

UNSCRAMBLE THE PHRAS E

16

www.marinedebris.noaa.gov

For more great activities, information, and what you can do to prevent marine debris visit www.marinedebris.noaa.gov

Beach or coastal cleanups can be found in many communities. 

During these cleanups, kids and adults work together to collect 

the trash that has been thrown into their waterways. Cleanups 

make the environment a cleaner, safer place for people and 

animals.
and I found of them. had a

Cleaning Up the Beach

A SILLY STO R Y

This is a game that can be played with two people, but we recommend playing it

with a group. The READER asks each person (in turn) to call out a word until the 

blanks are filled in. Then the READER reads the entire silly story to the group.

Last year, we had a very successful beach cleanup in our community.

helped out along with ,

, and .

I got the job of picking up all of the 

job himself. He wore gloves so that he wouldn’t 

get any on his . We all yelled

when found a 

stuck in the sand. But the most 

piece of garbage we found was a . By the end of the day,

we had found , , and

. The beach was a much cleaner, safer place to play!

FEMALE CELEBRITY

FEMALE PLAYER MALE CELEBRITY

ADJECTIVE

ADJECTIVE

ADJECTIVE

TYPE OF GARBAGE CLOTHING

EXCLAMATION!

NOUN

NOUN

NOUN PLURAL

NUMBER

NUMBER NOUN PLURAL

NOUN PLURAL

NUMBER NUMBER

MALE PLAYER

FEMALE PLAYER

NOUN PLURAL

MALE PLAYER

17

www.marinedebris.noaa.gov

For more great activities, information, and what you can do to prevent marine debris visit www.marinedebris.noaa.gov

This is a game that can be played with two people, but we recommend 

playing it with a group. The READER asks each person (in turn) to call out 

a word until the blanks are filled in. Then the READER reads the entire silly 

story to the group.
Diver Cleanup

COLORING ACTIVIT Y

18

www.marinedebris.noaa.gov

For more great activities, information, and what you can do to prevent marine debris visit www.marinedebris.noaa.gov

Only a trained and experienced diver should 

attempt removing marine debris underwater.
Getting to the Trash Can

Using a Pencil, Help Billy 

Find His Way through 

the Maze and to 

the Trash Can

M ARINE DEBRIS MAZE

Sometimes it takes a couple more steps to get to a trash can where you can properly

discard your trash. But these extra steps will make you a good steward of the 

environment. Always put your trash in a trash can and always look for recycling bins 

for your glass, plastics, cardboard, metals and newspapers.

TRASH

19

www.marinedebris.noaa.gov

For more great activities, information, and what you can do to prevent marine debris visit www.marinedebris.noaa.gov

Sometimes it takes a couple more steps to get to a trash can where you 

can properly discard your trash. But these extra steps will make you a 

good steward of the environment. Always put your trash in a trash can and 

always look for recycling bins for your glass, plastics, cardboard, metals, and 

newspaper.
The Three Rs of

Good Stewardship

DEBRIS DETECTIVE

Hidden in the phrase below are the three most important words to remember 

if you want to be a good steward of your environment. Link the missing letters

in the phrase (in order) to spell out these three words. Answers on page 21.

1.

1.

2. 3. 4. 5.

6. 7. 8. 9.

10. 11.

13. 14. 15.

16. 17. 18.

12.

2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

7. 8. 9. 10. 11.

12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18.

A good steward protects and promotes a clean, safe environment through their own actions—

making our planet a place where future generations of both humans and animals will thrive.

20

www.marinedebris.noaa.gov

For more great activities, information, and what you can do to prevent marine debris visit www.marinedebris.noaa.gov

Hidden in the phrase below are the three most important words to 

remember if you want to be a good steward of your environment. Link 

the missing letters in the phrase (in order) to spell out these three words. 

Answers on page 21.
21

ANSWER KEY

Identifying the Problem (Page 4).

Wherever you find people, you find a potential 

source of marine debris. A cruise ship, picnickers, 

a man washing his car, a fisherman and a 

beachgoer are ALL potential sources of marine 

debris.

Which One is Different? (Page 5).

The lunchbox which is different is found in the 

center of the bottom row of lunchboxes.

Secret Code (Page 7).

ALWAYS PUT YOUR TRASH IN A TRASH CAN.

Word Challenge (Page 8).

Here is a sampling of 40 words we found:

(I, a, in, is, as, me, red, bed, are, rid, arm, ear, 

bin, see, sin, bee, rim, rib, rind, dine, seem, bind, 

read, bare, darn, rain, main, need, bead, bear, 

rare, mine, dear, sire, beer, drain, bread, breed, 

inside, sardine, etc...

Marine Debris Match Up (Page 10).

Glass bottle = UNDETERMINED

Fishing line = MANY years

Plastic beverage bottle = MANY years

Aluminum can = MANY years

Styrofoam cup = MANY years

Cigarette filter = A few years

Milk carton = A few months

Banana peel = A few weeks

Unscramble the Phrase (Page 16).

FIND OUT IF THERE IS A BEACH CLEANUP

IN YOUR COMMUNITY.

Debris Detective (Page 20).

REDUCE REUSE RECYCLE

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URE CROSSWORD

P

B U

B

O

Y

L B

A U T

E

N

O M O B I L E

I

T R

O

XIS P A

H

I

N

G L A

B

R

C

S S

C A

T

E

R T O N

I

F

C

R

K

E

A S H

L

O

S

T O Y S

E

R U B B

O

T

T I N

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B R ETTA Y

E R

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U

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A S T I C

NBAB I H O S EAT M R G

EGUT ACANC EWE L L

K L RCR L ARNRN O U A

T O APKC L G DIA K M S

R V D O A E NOA H W TBS

A E I D W I T T O A A M E B

S H O E HDN GRN L T R O

H SWS B O T TLE C A P T

B K I PCT S J BURG Y T

A F U T DIA P E R D O L L

G C I G A R ETT E U TPE

W A N X O E U O H B ASNE

B F I S HIN G L I NEH M

(Where applicable)

Word Find (Page 1).

Picture Crossword (Page 2).

www.marinedebris.noaa.gov

For more great activities, information, and what you can do to prevent marine debris visit www.marinedebris.noaa.gov
N A T I O N A L O C E A N I C A N D A T M O S P H E R I C 

ADMINISTRATION