85 Fun Ocean Facts for Kids

Many kids are captivated by oceans and marine animals. Why is the ocean salty? What kinds of animals live in the ocean? What even is coral? What’s the difference between an ocean and a sea? There is so much to learn, especially in preparation for an in-person or virtual field trip to an aquarium. 85 fun ocean facts for kids on deck…a WAVE we go!

Fun Ocean Facts for Kids

Looking for ocean facts in a specific category? Use the menu below to jump to your section of choice:

• General Facts
• Pacific Ocean Facts
• Atlantic Ocean Facts
• Oceans vs. Seas
• Ocean Life Facts
• Coral Facts
• Jellyfish and Shellfish Facts
• Marine Mammal Facts
• Marine Reptile Facts
• Shark and Ocean Fish Facts
• Ocean Exploration and Maritime Disasters

General Facts

1. The Earth’s ocean is one continuous body of water divided into five areas: the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean, the Arctic Ocean, and the Southern Oceans.
2. The ocean covers 71% of the Earth’s surface.
3. The ocean holds about 96.5% of Earth’s water.
4. Seawater, on average, is about 3.5% salinity. That’s pretty salty! The ocean is salty because as rocks across the Earth are eroded by rainwater they release minerals. Those minerals then flow to the sea. Underwater volcanoes also contribute to the ocean’s salinity by spewing out mineral-rich water.
5. Ocean water is always moving because winds move water around in patterns called “currents.”
6. Scientists estimate that about half of the oxygen production on Earth comes from the ocean—mostly from phytoplankton and algae, which produce oxygen through photosynthesis. Unfortunately, plastic pollution reduces oxygen levels in the ocean.
7. The ocean also absorbs carbon dioxide released by humans into the atmosphere. Thanks, ocean!
8. The ocean is made of five different zones:
   1. Sunlit Zone: The upper layer of the ocean penetrated by—you guessed it—sunlight!
   2. Twilight Zone: This zone is just beyond the reach of sunlight (about 200 to 1,000 meters below the ocean surface).
   3. Midnight Zone: This zone extends to about 4,000 meters below the ocean surface and is, in many places, completely dark.
   4. Abyssal Zone: This zone extends to about 6,500 meters and is too deep to be penetrated by sunlight.
   5. Hadal Zone: This zone extends to 11,000 meters. That’s deep!
9. The deeper you go in the ocean, the greater the pressure.
10. Sea ice is frozen seawater floating on the surface of the ocean. Sea ice is formed entirely in the ocean, unlike icebergs, which come from land-based sources like glaciers and ice sheets.
11. A scientist who studies the ocean is called an “oceanographer.”
12. According to oceanographers, sea levels have risen about 8 inches since 1880.

Pacific Ocean Facts

13. The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of the world’s ocean basins. The Pacific Ocean covers around 30% of the Earth’s surface and measures over 60 million square miles.
14. The Pacific Ocean touches more than 50 countries, including the United States, Australia, Chile, and Japan.
15. The word “pacific” comes from the Latin pacificus, meaning “peaceful.”
16. The Pacific Ocean contains around 25,000 different islands—including Hawaii. Aloha!
17. The Pacific Ocean is also home to the Great Barrier Reef—the largest coral reef system in the world.
18. The Great Barrier Reef in the Pacific Ocean covers more than 1,400 miles and is located off the coast of Queensland, Australia. The Great Barrier Reef can be seen from outer space!

Atlantic Ocean Facts

19. The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world’s ocean basins—covering just over 21% of the Earth’s surface and measuring over 41 million square miles.
20. The Atlantic Ocean is the saltiest of the world’s ocean basins. That’s right—parts of the ocean are saltier than other parts. If you are interested in salinity, consider performing some science experiments using salt or saltwater.
21. The Atlantic Ocean was formed during the Jurassic period and is the youngest of all 5 oceans at around 150 million years old.
22. The name of the Atlantic Ocean derives from Greek mythology, and specifically references the Titan Atlas who was condemned to hold up the heavens for eternity.
23. In 1932, Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.
24. The Titanic hit an iceberg and sank in the Atlantic Ocean in 1912. The wreckage rests on the ocean floor off the coast of Novia Scotia at a depth of 12,500 feet.
25. The Bermuda Triangle is located in the Atlantic Ocean. More than 50 ships and 20 airplanes have disappeared in the area.

Oceans vs. Seas

26. What’s the difference between an ocean and a sea? Seas are smaller than oceans and are usually partially landlocked bodies of water connected to the oceans. Examples: Mediterranean Sea, Bering Sea, Baltic Sea.
27. The Red Sea is the saltiest sea.
28. The Dead Sea is not actually a sea. Instead, it is a fully landlocked saltwater lake (same as the Caspian Sea).
29. The smallest sea is the Sea of Marmara, which is less than 5,000 square miles in area. This tiny sea connects the Aegean Sea and the Black Sea.
30. The Sargasso Sea, located within the Atlantic Ocean, has no land boundaries. Instead, it is defined by its ocean currents and floating seaweed known as Sargassum. The Sargasso Sea is the only sea without a land boundary.

Ocean Life Facts

Ocean life facts will appeal to kids interested in animal trivia. After all, many of the Earth’s animals live in the ocean.

31. Over 240,000 known species live in the ocean. Scientists believe millions more are yet to be discovered.
32. Ocean life includes: corals, jellyfish and other zooplankton, marine mammals, marine reptiles, sharks and other fish, shellfish, seabirds, marine microbes, and ocean plants.
33. A scientist who studies ocean life is called a “marine biologist.”
34. Plankton are tiny animals and plants found near the ocean’s surface. Many marine animals eat plankton, including some whales.
35. 90% of the sea creatures living more than 500 meters below the surface of the ocean are bioluminescent (light-emitting).

Coral Facts

36. Corals are small marine animals, and eat mostly plankton.
37. Reefs are formed through the accumulation of hard coral.
38. Coral reefs grow in shallow, clean waters and tend to be clustered around the Equator as they need sunlight and warm temperatures year-round to survive.
39. The Great Barrier Reef is composed of billions of coral polyps, which together make up the largest living structure on Earth.
40. Coral polyps use ions in seawater to make limestone exoskeletons for themselves, which is what makes them hard.
41. Coral reefs provide habitats for thousands of fish and other organisms, including sea turtles, sea horses, eels, and more.
42. Reefs are threatened by pollution and increasing ocean temperatures, which damage the delicate ecosystems.

Jellyfish and Shellfish Facts

43. Jellyfish are 95-98% water. Human bodies are only 60% water!
44. Jellyfish use their tentacles to sting their prey. Ouch!
45. Jellyfish have been around since before dinosaurs lived on Earth.
46. Jellyfish have no brains, hearts, or bones.
47. The most venomous jellyfish in the world is the box jellyfish.
48. Shellfish are aquatic invertebrate animals like clams, mussels, oysters, crabs, lobsters, and shrimp.
49. There are about 2,000 different types of shrimp. They live in all oceans and are also found in fresh water.
50. The Japanese spider crab is the world’s largest crab and measures 12-13 feet across.
51. Many crustaceans, like crabs and lobsters, can grow new legs or claws to replace lost ones. That’s

Marine Mammal Facts

52. Marine mammals are warm-blooded vertebrates that bear live young and nourish them with milk like land mammals but spend most or all of their lives in the ocean.
53. There are three types of marine mammals:
    1. Sirenians: slow plant feeders (like manatees) found in warm, shallow coastal waters.
    2. Pinnipeds: seals, sea lions, and walruses, which bear young on land but spend most of their time in the ocean.
    3. Cetaceans: dolphins, porpoises, and whales that spend all their lives in the ocean.
54. Seals can sleep underwater, although most come out of the water to rest, molt, or care for their young.
55. Baby seals are called “pups.”
56. Most seals live in colder climates, but the endangered Hawaiian monk seal lives on and near the warm beaches of Hawaii.
57. While resting in winter breeding areas near Hawaii and in the Caribbean, male humpback whales sing songs that can heard miles away.
58. The blue whale is the largest animal that has ever lived. Blue whales can be 90 feet long and weigh more than 330,000 pounds.
59. Bowhead whales can live for more than 200 years.
60. Although orcas are also known as “killer whales,” they are in fact the largest member of the dolphin family.
61. Dolphins (including orcas) live in social groups called “pods.”
62. Whales and dolphins (and, on land, bats!) use echolocation to locate food and navigate the ocean.

Marine Reptile Facts

63. Marine reptiles are reptiles that have adapted to the ocean, including sea turtles, sea snakes, marine iguanas, and saltwater crocodiles.
64. Sea snakes are venomous reptiles found primarily in warmer oceanic waters. They can remain submerged for long periods of time.
65. Marine iguanas are only found on the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific Ocean. They dive to the ocean floor to eat underwater algae.
66. Marine iguanas are the only lizards in the world that forage at sea.
67. Saltwater crocodiles are the largest living reptiles—males can grow to over 20 feet. Yikes!
68. Sea turtles lay their eggs on the beach. When the eggs hatch, the baby turtles (called “hatchlings”) scurry toward the sea and start swimming right away!
69. Unlike other turtles, sea turtles cannot retract their flippers and heads into their shells.

Shark and Ocean Fish Facts

70. Sharks, rays, and skates are all cartilaginous fishes, which have skeletons made of cartilage instead of bone.
71. Sharks have existed on Earth for more than 400 million years, making them older than dinosaurs.
72. The largest shark in the world is the whale shark, which can grow up to 50 feet long. In fact, the whale shark is also the largest fish in the world. Don’t be afraid, though! Whale sharks are famously gentle and mostly eat plankton and small fish.
73. Only a few species of shark are dangerous to humans, including the great white shark, tiger shark, and bull shark.
74. Some species of shark can smell a drop of blood in the water from several miles away.
75. Every year, large numbers of great white sharks congregate in an area halfway between Hawaii and Baja. Accordingly, scientists refer to this area as the “White Shark Café.”
76. Greenland sharks can live between 250-500 years!
77. The manta ray has the largest brain of any fish species.
78. Around 20,000 discovered species of fish live in the world’s oceans. Many more are yet to be discovered.
79. Salmon are “anadromous,” meaning that they live in both salt and freshwater. They are born in freshwater, live much of their lives in salt water, and then come back to freshwater to spawn.

Ocean Exploration and Maritime Disasters

80. Less than 10% of the world’s ocean has been mapped. In fact, humans know more about outer space than Earth’s deep oceans. WHOA!
81. The bottom of the ocean isn’t flat. It’s full of ridges, trenches, and canyons.
82. The deepest part of the ocean is 36,200 feet down. The area is called the Challenger Deep and it is located in the western Pacific Ocean.
83. The largest U.S. oil spill in the ocean took place in Alaska in 1989, when the tanker Exxon Valdez spilled about 10 million gallons of oil into Prince William Sound. If you want to learn more, an easy science experiment for kids is to clean up a mini oil spill.
84. About 171 trillion pieces of plastic are floating in the ocean. 52% of sea turtles have eaten plastic trash because floating plastic bags look a lot like jellyfish, which make up much of sea turtles’ diets.
85. An American explorer, Victor Vescovo, holds the record for deepest human descent in the ocean. In 2019, he explored the Pacific Ocean’s Mariana Trench in his submersible.

Fun Ocean Facts for Kids – Additional Resources

• Best Marine Biology Colleges 
• Best Environmental Science Summer Programs for High School Students
• 101 Animal Trivia Questions for Kids  
• 101 Inspiring Poems About Nature