Make Reading Magical with These Mermaid and Shark Bookmarks (Free Printable Craft!)
If your kids are anything like mine, they’re either pretending to be mermaids or chomping the air like a shark at least once an hour. Honestly, my toddler thinks he is a shark most days. And if we’re being really honest, I still want to be a mermaid when I grow up.
Today I’m sharing not one, but FOUR printable mermaid and shark bookmarks: a mermaid tail, a friendly full-body shark, a classic shark fin, and a second mermaid tail version that has a little more detail for your art enthusiasts.
They’re low-prep, super fun, and can double as imaginative puppets for ocean-themed play.
How to Use These Mermaid and Shark Bookmarks
Here’s how to create and use your mermaid and shark bookmarks for hours of magical reading and play:
Use as reading bookmarks or ocean puppets.
Slide them into books for ocean-themed reading time, or let kids swim them around the room for dramatic retellings of Baby Shark or The Little Mermaid.
Print your chosen design.
Black and white outlines mean your child can color or paint them any way they choose. Let those rainbow mermaid tails shine and sharks become purple polka-dotted if they want!
Decorate like it’s their job.
Crayons, markers, watercolors, dot markers, or even collage with tissue paper scales for mermaids or tiny scraps for shark skin texture. Anything goes.
Keep your eye out for metallic, glitter, neon type crayola crayons at the dollar store! You can also get them here, but seriously…check the dollar store first!!
Cut out the shapes.
Thick, bold lines make it easier for those toddler scissors to stay on track. But if they cut the tail in half, it’s now a short tail. We adapt here. It’s not a craft fail – it’s a design choice.
Laminate for durability (optional).
Want to level it up? Try adding glitter before laminating! I’m about to test this in my own laminator to see how well glitter seals inside. Because reading is better with sparkle, right?
This is my favorite laminator, I am going to need to replace it soon but I purchased it in 2021 and it’s still doing it’s job. Slowly but surely.
Attach to a popsicle stick (optional).
Shark fin: Definitely recommend gluing it to a popsicle stick so it sticks out of the top of the book like a sneaky fin in the water.
Mermaid tail: This one works great glued to a stick or simply used flat.
Use them!
These aren’t just bookmarks. They’re story retelling puppets, dramatic play starters, and ocean adventure props.
Our Bookmark Crafting Adventure
As I was making these with my boys, my 5-year-old thought his shark was the coolest shark ever. He got just as excited making his shark tracing page last week, which made my momma heart soooo happy, because sharks are my favorite animal too!
He then proudly tucked his shark bookmark into his Minecraft library book. Listen… we can’t love all the same things. Sharks, yes. Minecraft, not my personal jam, but I love seeing what makes him smile.
Meanwhile, my 2-year-old was working on his shark fin while singing Baby Shark at the top of his lungs.
Honestly, he had way more fun using it as a puppet than as a bookmark. He spent a good half hour swimming his fin around the room “do-do-do-ing” everywhere he went.
And me? I had to test out a mermaid tail because obviously!
We even added sequins to the back of a couple tails to make them sparkle. Next time, I’d use a glue stick first to keep them in place better because they did shift a little, but honestly, it was fine.
We just gave them a little extra trimming space around the edge and called it a win.
Additional Ideas for Play and Learning
⭐ Story sequencing: After reading an ocean book, let your child retell the story using their bookmarks as characters.
⭐ Bookmark gifting: Have kids decorate extras and give them to friends or family with a sweet note: “I hope you have a FIN-tastic day!” or “You’re MER-mazing!”
⭐ Mermaid and shark puppet show: Add googly eyes to the full shark and mermaid tail for silly underwater puppet stories.
⭐ Under the sea sensory bin: Laminate the bookmarks and hide them in blue rice or water beads for a discovery game.
⭐ Ocean dramatic play: Tape them to drinking straws or chopsticks for stronger puppets, then build a quick “ocean stage” from a cardboard box.
Why This Craft Works for Mixed-Age Childcare Groups
As a provider, I’m always looking for crafts that:
✅ Are doable tomorrow with what’s already in my closet
✅ Can be done by my two-year-old AND my five-year-old
✅ Include natural fine motor practice (coloring + cutting)
✅ Inspire storytelling, pretend play, and practical use
These mermaid and shark bookmarks hit every single one of those. Plus, they make your bookshelf look like a tiny undersea kingdom, and who doesn’t want that?
Related Ocean Theme Activities
Final Thoughts from Mermaid Lagoon
Whether you’re raising a future marine biologist or just need a quick, low-prep craft for your ocean theme week, these mermaid and shark bookmarks are the perfect blend of fun and practicality. 🧜♀️🦈
I hope your little sharks and mermaids have the best time creating these bookmarks. And if you happen to sneak one into your own planner or your current read, I won’t tell. 😉
Until next time, we’ll be swimming around Mermaid Lagoon, dodging toddler shark bites and testing if glitter truly belongs in the laminator.
Stay magical
