Mote SEA Shark Pups & Grown Ups
Before children learn to pronounce “ecosystem,” they are already busy investigating one.
By Edit Sarasota Staff
Before children learn to pronounce “ecosystem,” they are already busy investigating one. They notice the shimmer of a fish, the drag of a shell across sand, the way a crab moves sideways instead of forward. Mote SEA Shark Pups & Grown Ups meets that instinct for discovery at exactly the right age, turning a morning of play into an introduction to science, curiosity and the living world around Sarasota.
Designed for children ages 2 through 5 and their favorite adult, the early childhood STEM program invites families to explore together rather than placing learning on one side of the room and grown-up support on the other. Each class combines movement, sign language, science-tool exploration, role play and games—an active, multisensory approach suited to young children who learn with their whole bodies.
The format also reflects something essential about early education: wonder is contagious. A parent, grandparent or other beloved grown-up can model close looking, ask questions and join the imaginative play, helping a child build confidence as an observer. In a community shaped by the Gulf, its waterways and a deep interest in conservation, those first encounters with science can carry particular resonance. A child’s fascination with a shark, a tide pool or an unfamiliar creature is often where stewardship begins—not with a lecture, but with a memorable experience.
Hosted at Mote Science Education Aquarium, the program brings families into a setting devoted to making marine science accessible. Mote’s work has long connected research, education and public engagement, and Shark Pups & Grown Ups translates that mission for the youngest visitors. The recurring program changes its theme each month, with every class offering a distinct experience, giving families a reason to return while allowing children to encounter new questions, tools and forms of play.
For Sarasota families, the appeal is both immediate and lasting: a shared outing that honors a preschooler’s energy while giving adults a meaningful way to participate. It is science education at a child’s scale—hands-on, social and full of room for surprise. Shark Pups & Grown Ups takes place Saturday, September 26, 2026, at Mote Science Education Aquarium, 225 University Town Center Dr., Sarasota.