Space Activities for Preschoolers: Crafts, Books, Experiments
There are good chances that if you take your preschooler stargazing, you will find yourself inundated by a barrage of questions pertaining to Outer Space. Questions like ‘Where has the Sun gone?’ or, ‘If the stars are so far away then how can we see them?’
The very concept of space is a great humbler, for adults and children alike. It makes us believe we are part of something much larger. A Science that seems almost impossible to comprehend.
Well, let’s leave the difficult stuff to NASA!
In this article we strive to take that ‘spark’ of interest your child might have about Space, and turn it into a raging wildfire. From some cool Space Activities for Preschoolers, to Space Crafts for Kids, we have it all covered.
Let’s man that Virtual Rocket then, and take a trip to Outer Space!
Space Activities for Preschoolers
Here are some space-related activities that are simply ‘Out of this World.’ These include Space Crafts for Kids that are really easy to create, and a great deal of fun, too.
Putting the Planets in Order
To Do: Collect all the balls in your house, and arrange them in varying sizes to represent the planets in our Solar System. Tip: You might want to throw in some pom-poms, for the asteroids.
Space Sensory Bin
This is one of those space craft activities for kids, they will never tire of. All you need is some black beans or water beads, and a large tray. You can add make-believe ‘planets and rockets’, with some of the toys that they already have.
Read Books about Space
For kids looking to learn more about Space, reading books about the subject is the best bet. Here are some of our recommendations.
- Rylee The Young Rocketeer by JoAnn M. Dickinson.
- If You Had Your Birthday Party On The Moon by Joyce Lapin.
- Real Spaceships by Z.B. Tucker.
Planets in a Bottle
Yet another wonderful activity, to help children learn more about the planets, this one.
- Take a clear bottle and fill it with water. Then, take five or more water beads that represent the planets of your child’s choice, and drop them in the water-filled bottle before shutting it tightly.
- See your child’s face light up in fascination, as they witness the simulation of planets moving in space, as the water beads slowly traverse through the water when the bottle is turned up and down.
The Venus Science Experiment
Tell your kids that 96% of Venus’s atmosphere is carbon dioxide. Then, get them to make their very own carbon dioxide!
- Put 10-20 milliliters of baking powder in a graduated cylinder. Then add a teaspoon of vinegar and watch the bubbles form! Tell your kids these are carbon dioxide bubbles.
- After the reaction has stopped, pour that carbon dioxide gas onto a candle and watch it go out!
Space Playdough
Space crafts for kids must involve some good old playdough!
- Pour some flour, salt, glitter and cream of tartar in a saucepan. These make for the dry ingredients.
- Add some black food coloring to warm water, and stir until blended.
- Add coloured water and oil to the dry ingredients.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until you get a big blob.
- Knead that ‘Space Playdough’ into a smooth ball.
Galaxy Jars
Who needs ‘The Big Bang’, when you can create the galaxy without a noise? This is one of those space craft activities for kids, they will absolutely relish it.
- Fill a third of a clean glass jar with water.
- Add several drops of acrylic tempera paint to the water, close the lid of the jar and mix well.
- Add some glitter to the water and paint mixture. Voila! You have twinkling stars in your galaxy.
- Stretch out some cotton balls, adding them to the water until the bottom is filled with cotton.
- Fill another third of the jar with water, and add drops of contrasting tempera paint. Repeat steps 2-4, so your colors blend into each other.
- Fill the final third of the jar with water, and once again, repeat steps 2-4.
Craters on The Moon
Children are fascinated at the mere thought of craters on the moon. How amazing it will be, if they can create their own!
- Have them create a relatively large ball using magic mud.
- Hand them some rocks and encourage them to form their own craters, by crashing those rocks into the moon.
- Now is a good time to ask them, ‘How did the moon get its craters?’
Fun Space Questions for Kids
It’s about time the roles were reversed. Get those budding astronauts to stop asking questions about Space, by asking them Space Questions for Kids yourself!
Q) What is the closest planet to the Sun? A) Mercury
Q) What is the hottest planet in our Solar System? A) Venus
Q) What planet is famous for its big red spot? A) Jupiter
Q) Can humans breathe normally in Space as they can on Earth? A) No
Q) Is the Sun a Star or a Planet? A) Star
Q) If you were standing on the moon and the sun was shining on you, what color would the sky be? A) Black
Q) What is the ‘proper’ name for Rocket Science? A) Astronautics
Q) If you travel with the speed of light, in approximately how many years will you cross the solar system? A) Years
Q) What is the name of the largest known star in our Universe? A) Stephenson 2-18
Q) What planet has the greatest number of moons? A) Saturn, with a whopping total of 82 moons.
Q) Which planet is known as Morning Star? A) Venus
Q) Which planet is known as Evening Star? A) Venus
At EuroKids, we believe that teaching kids about Outer Space ignites their natural sense of curiosity. Forget adults, children too are fascinated with the vastness of the Universe we live in. When we introduce conversations about things like Planets and Stars, we only serve to nurture those inquisitive minds.
