Mister Seahorse: questions to ask and activities to try
When Mrs Seahorse lays her eggs, Mr Seahorse looks after them until they hatch. Mister Seahorse is a gentle Eric Carle book about caring dads, with see-through pages that hide fish under the sea.
What age is it for? Mister Seahorse is best for ages 2–5. Good for: Dads who care for their babies, and life under the sea.
Mister Seahorse (Eric Carle)
- Age
- 2-5
- Best for
- Dads who care for their babies, and life under the sea
Before you turn each see-through page, ask your child who might be hiding. Then talk about the grown-ups who look after them, and how they do it.
What it helps with
- Seeing dads and carers as people who look after babies
- Different kinds of families
- Fish and life under the sea
- Looking closely and spotting hidden things
Comprehension and discussion questions
Pick two or three, not all of them. “I don’t know” is a fine answer, and you can always come back to it another day.
- “Where did Mrs Seahorse put her eggs?”
- “Who looked after the seahorse eggs?”
- “Which other fish dads did Mr Seahorse meet?”
- “Which fish were hiding behind the see-through pages?”
- “How did Mr Seahorse feel when the babies hatched?”
- “Who looks after you, and how do they do it?”
5-minute activities to try together
Hide and spot
Hide a paper fish behind a see-through sheet or a glass of water and spot it together.
Looking after
Look after a toy “egg” for the afternoon, then talk about who looked after your child when they were a baby.
Free printables: Mister Seahorse worksheet and activity pack
This book’s one-page worksheet with the questions and activities above, plus our activity pack: printable scenario cards, three 5-minute activities and a “What could I try?” page for practising everyday skills together. Enter your email and download them straight away.
Free. We’ll only email you if you tick the box.
If your child liked this, try
Seahorses Are Sold Out (Constanze Spengler and Katja Gehrmann)
- Best for
- A busy parent working from home, and a very funny pet shop
- Age
- 3-7
Hooray for Fish! (Lucy Cousins)
- Best for
- Colours, describing words and a happy ending
- Age
- 0-4
The Very Busy Spider (Eric Carle)
- Best for
- Sticking at a job, even when others want you to play
- Age
- 0-4
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By the Growing Wise team · Last reviewed: 15 October 2026
Growing Wise offers educational ideas for parents and carers. It is not a substitute for professional medical, developmental or mental-health advice. As an Amazon Associate, Growing Wise earns from qualifying purchases.