Ocean explained to kids

An ocean is a large body of water that covers a big part of the Earth. There are five oceans on Earth: the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Arctic, and Southern oceans. The Pacific Ocean is the largest ocean, and it covers more than one-third of the Earth! The word "ocean" comes from the Greek word "okeanos," which means "river." The oceans are very important to us. They provide food, transportation, and recreation. They also help to regulate the Earth's climate. The oceans are home to a huge variety of plants and animals. Some of these plants and animals are still unknown to us! The oceans are very deep. The average depth of the ocean is about 3.7 miles. The deepest part of the ocean is the Mariana Trench, which is about 6.8 miles deep. That's deeper than Mount Everest, the tallest mountain on Earth! The oceans are very big and they play a very important role in our lives.