Have fun and teach your kids about the planets, galaxy, and astronauts with three dozen educational space activities for kids.
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Kids and adults love space. There’s something about looking up at the night sky or watching a space shuttle take off that fascinates people. Learning about the other planets in our solar system helps us better understand Earth. And countless books and movies have let us wonder what it would be like to meet aliens or live on a different planet.
We love to encourage curiosity and these educational space activities for kids will do just that. Space is a big subject! Pick a few different activities for a little bit of everything, or several that focus on a more specific subject (like the moon). You’ll find something for everyone to enjoy.
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DIY moon sand
Make your own moon sand with this recipe from Honey and Lime.
Solar system snow globe
Use clay to make a tiny solar system snow globe with this idea from Red Ted Art.
Backyard bottle rocket
Pick a sunny day you can spend outdoor testing out STEAM Powered Family’s backyard bottle rocket.
Fizzing moon rocks
Little Bins for Little Hands has a simple science experiment for kids to make fizzing moon rocks.
Coffee filter planets
Grab some coffee filters from your pantry to make these colorful coffee filter planets at Fun-a-Day.
Pipe cleaner constellations
Learn about the stars you can see where you live, them make pipe cleaner constellations at 123 Homeschool for Me.
Astronaut training course
Set up an obstacle course in your backyard like Kitchen Floor Crafts and let your kids practice astronaut training activities.
Space dramatic play
This space dramatic play idea from Early Learning Ideas is so creative! Your kids will love pretending to be astronauts on the International Space Station.
Galaxy glitter jars
Your kids will love making these swirling, sparkly galaxy glitter jars from Fireflies and Mud Pies.
Space yoga
Add a few of these space yoga poses from Pink Oatmeal to your day and get your kids moving (or sitting very still!).
Glue resist moon phases
Glue resist is a fun technique for creating art and Chalk Academy uses it to make the phases of the moon.
Asteroid games
Make a few asteroids like Mama of Littles, then set your kids up to play a few of her creative asteroid games.
Orbiting planets
At Gift of Curiosity, discover a creative technique to teach your kids about how planets orbit the sun.
Water bottle spaceship
Raid the recycling bin to find the perfect materials to build this water bottle spaceship, via Mas and Pas.
Moon rock hunt
Visit Get Your Holiday On to find out how to make your own moon rocks and send your kids on a moon rock hunt – indoor or outside.
Constellation projector
Make a constellation projector that works with a flashlight or your cell phone, via Playground Park Bench.
Comet experiment
Visit Preschool Powol Packets to find out how to do a dry ice experiment to make a comet.
Moon phase mobile
This moon phase mobile from The Artisan Life is gorgeous (but younger kids will need help from adults).
Sun experiment
Kids will love this sun experiment from Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls that teaches them about heat and melting.
Human sundial
Teach your kids about how the sun moves by making a human sundial, via Rhythms of Play.
Suncatcher
This sun-shaped suncatcher craft from Lessons for Little Ones is easy and cute.
DIY telescope
Visit eHow for an easy tutorial to make a DIY telescope with magnifying glasses and craft supplies.
Binary language
NASA has a simple introduction to binary language, the way that we communicate with satellites, rovers, and other space machinery.
Find the ISS
You can spot the International Space Station from your own backyard (depending on weather and light pollution) by using NASA’s Spot the Station tracker to find where it is.
Robotic telescope
Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics has a series of robotic telescopes that you can operate remotely online to look at objects in space and take a photo.
Shooting star spinner
Make a shooting star spinner via Teach Beside Me and let your kids explore kinetic energy.
Mosaic Earth
Let kids practice cutting all the tiny bits of paper to make this mosaic Earth, via Crafts by Amanda.
Make a black hole
Introduce your kids to the science behind black holes by doing this experiment using a plastic cup and an oven at Elemental Science.
Space puppets
These DIY space puppets from Mama Cheaps are too cute.
Constellation geoboard
A geoboard is a simple tool for learning about math that uses pegs and rubber bands. Make this fun constellation geoboard from Babble Dabble Do.
Star sensory bag
Put together a squishy star sensory bag, like Playground Park Bench, and watch how your kids explore.
Planet order
Inspiration Laboratories has a fun idea for how to teach kids the planet order and distance using items you already have at home.
Saturn ring toss
This simple Saturn ring toss game (number 5 on The Spruce) is perfect for getting kids up and moving in the backyard.
Cardboard box shuttle
Turn a big cardboard box into a space shuttle for your kids to travel the stars, via Mama Smiles.
Toilet roll astronaut
Craft a whole set of paper tube toys for pretend play, including a toilet roll astronaut, at Monstamoons.
Paper solar system
The Crafting Chicks share everything you need so your kids can make a paper solar system.
This list of space activities is sure to make learning fun. Plan a space themed day, week, or even a whole summer of space for your backyard summer camp this year.
Plan your summer with the DIY Summer Camp Planner!
Our step-by-step guide will help you organize a day, a week, or a whole summer of fun activities for your kids.
