The Jelly Blubber Discovery
Friday 28th of November 2025
During this mornings City to Sea adventure, the children were busy building sandcastles. As Tash, filled the buckets, she discovered a Jelly Blubber floating near the shore. Wanting to spark curiosity, she gently placed it into Occy’s bucket as a surprise. Moments later, Occy reached in for water and jumped back surprised. “What’s that?” he exclaimed as he stared into the bucket. His reaction drew Jo over, who peered inside with equal fascination. Carefully, Occy scooped the Jelly Blubber into his palm for a closer look, and soon Max joined them, all three children mesmerised by the clear, wobbling creature.
Jo reached out and gently rubbed his fingertip across the top of the Jelly Blubber. “It feels like jelly… it’s just all wet,” he described thoughtfully. Their observations drew Alice closer, and she asked, “Is it alive?” Jo paused and replied, “I don’t know, but you have to be gentle if it is.” Occy leaned in, studying it closely. “It’s not moving, maybe not alive… umm, yes it’s alive,” he concluded. Henry joined the group and confidently declared, “It’s not alive.” But after touching it himself, he changed his mind with excitement: “It’s a real jellyfish!” The children continued sharing ideas, with Jo suggesting, “We can put it on top of our sandcastle!” Max added his own observation, giggling, “It feels like a squishy watermelon.” He then announced, “I know what it’s called—it’s a Bonk!”
Beatrice noticed the gathering crowd and hurried over. “What is that?” she asked. Jo answered proudly, “It’s a Jelly Blob… it’s alive.” Beatrice gently touched the Jelly Blubber and giggled at the squishy feel. Inspired, she suggested drawing the sea creature and moved to the drawing mat to begin her artwork. Once everyone had touched, observed, and wondered about the Jelly Blubber, it was time to return it safely to its home. The children gathered at the shore, offering their goodbyes before watching it drift back into the ocean.
This spontaneous beach discovery offered a rich learning experience that nurtured curiosity, cooperation, and respect for living things. The children demonstrated strong inquiry skills, asking questions such as “Is it alive?” and testing theories through touch, observation, and shared dialogue. Each child contributed ideas based on their own perspectives, comparing textures, guessing names, and forming hypotheses which reflected early scientific thinking.
The experience also encouraged social and emotional development. The children gathered together naturally, taking turns feeling and observing the Jelly Blubber while listening to one another’s ideas. Their gentle handling of the creature showed empathy and growing understanding of caring for living things. The shared excitement strengthened their sense of belonging and community.