Preschool Space Activities : Part 2
So I’ve been dying to ask, “Did you try out any of the Preschool Space Activities introduced on Monday?” I have a dear friend who tried making the planet magnets yesterday and even though they ended up pretty lopsided (she was ready to call them a fail!) her kiddos LOVE them! She called me this morning and couldn’t believe how much fun her little girl was having. She kept asking her the names of the planets and then going around the house looking for things they would stick to.
If you’re having a little trouble remembering the planets yourself, then today is your lucky day! I’ve designed a new set of space themed Nomenclature Cards. I also have a fun new sensory bin and a constellation activity. Let’s jump right in!
Space Themed Nomenclature Cards
If you’ve been hanging out at Nugget & Goose for any amount of time you’re already very familiar with my love of Montessori nomenclature cards. I don’t see myself ever leaving them out of a tot school unit. If you aren’t already familiar with them, this handy post will explain everything you need to know about how to use them and why they are so fantastic.
This set of space nomenclature cards consists of 27 unique images and covers all of the planets in the Safari Ltd Safariology Solar System
I found that this set of nomenclature cards worked really well in conjunction with the clay planet magnets and play mats I mentioned earlier this week. Nugget really enjoyed when I showed him a nomenclature card with a planet, and then he could find the corresponding magnet to hold up. If you really have it together you could use the images on the cards as your guide to make the clay planets. Then they would match quite a bit better than my own 🙂
I have also used the cards with Goose to play several learning games. I allow him to independently match the cards to their corresponding Safari Ltd. pieces which he always enjoys, and then once I feel confident in his vocabulary I ask him to play sorting games where he finds all the cards with a ‘M’ sound etc. He is really on the cusp of reading so phonics games are great at this age! A final game we play is what I call the ‘story game’, he uses the cards as prompts to tell a story. So for example he might have to make up a story about Neptune, a lunar rover and a space chimp. I try to record these when he tells them because they always crack me up!
Would you like to download your own free set of Space nomenclature cards?
Of course you would! Why waste your valuable time making what I already have? This set of cards and many others are all available for free in my Digital Resource Library. All you have to do to get access is join with your email address below.
Space Themed Sensory Bin
Here is another way to use the Safari Ltd. figures I mentioned above, and best of all it’s EASY! All you need is a few tablespoons of black water beads (and a few clear as well if you have them). Pour the beads in a small bin and submerge in water overnight. When you wake up you’ll find a glistening bin of plump black water beads ready for play! I buried all of our Safari Ltd. figures and prompted Nugget and Goose to go on a ‘deep space scavenger hunt’!
I still have to watch Nugget pretty closely with these beads because they look a little too food-like for my comfort. They have a particular tendency to bounce so if one escapes from your bin you may never find it (but I guarantee if there’s a toddler in your house they will find it the minute you turn your back.) … Or is that just Nugget? 🙂
Flashlight Constellations
I feel like so much of what we learn about space can feel very abstract. We tell our children about these far off planets and colorful nebulae but they can’t really see it and experience it themselves. Spending time outside star gazing is a fantastic way to bridge this gap and create a connection for your kids. If you live out in the country you’re absolutely golden (and I’m super jealous!) but for the rest of us there are usually parks or even a planetarium that you can visit to help your child get close to the cosmos.
I created this activity to teach my boys about constellations. It doesn’t require too much preparation and even my nephews who are in 5th grade enjoyed this activity! So gather your supplies and then check back in the comments to let me know how it went.
Supplies:
- 1 basic flashlight (with batteries of course!)
- a few sheets of black construction paper or card stock
- piece of foam or cutting board
- small hammer
- Golf Tees (or for an older child, nails)
- White, Silver or Gold pen
- A Rubber band
Instructions:
- Begin by cutting your construction paper into circles the same size as the end of your flashlight.
- Use your pen to draw dots where the stars should be to form a constellation. Label it, if you wish. You can search google for constellation ideas, or use the ones I’ve provided below.
- Place the stack of constellations, golf tee or nail, and hammer on a tray beside the piece of foam. Invite your child to place a constellation on the foam. Use the hammer and tee to punch holes where the stars are.
- Once your child is finished punching out constellations, attach one to the end of the flashlight and secure with tape or a a piece of cellophane. Turn down the lights and let your child shine the flashlight against the ceiling so the constellation shows up.
Extension Activities:
- Provide some blank pieces of paper and allow your child to draw his or her own constellations to punch out.
- Discuss the shapes and stories behind the constellations, for example you could share the Greek myth of Hercules.
- Ask your child to create their own myth and design a corresponding constellation
- Take your constellation flashlight outside at night and try to find the constellations that they made (big dipper etc)
“. It was a relatively cute story (a bit dry but very educational) but it has sparked a real interest in beavers for Goose. As a surprise I picked up a 
and we made a River Sensory Garden.
Dk Tractor Shaped Board Book
Otis by Loren Long
The Grumpy Morning by Pamela Duncan Edwards
Moo by Matthew Van Fleet
Cock-a-Doodle-Doo! Barnyard Hullabaloo by Giles Andreae
Lift the Flap Farm by Hinkler Books
Pass It On! by Marilyn Sadler
The Cow Loves Cookies by Karma Wilson
and 
. Then allow your child to match the photographic image on the nomenclature card to the Toob figurine. For us this process often devolves into imaginative play but even then the boys are learning. It usually sounds something like, “The baby horse is driving my Hot Wheels, Mommy!” “The foal is driving the Hot Wheels dear.” 
, and set them loose in a tub full of chocolate pudding.
‘ by Karma Wilson.
(which we have used endlessly for fort building!) I think you could use just about anything with 4 legs, maybe even a kitchen chair?
or wax paper.
bath toys. He quickly figured out how to lay out the cards and match the bath toy to the corresponding card. It was so much fun! When he proudly said “Sark!” it just warmed my heart!
is very affordable and has worked perfectly for more than a year.
from Amazon and the tiny package has lasted several months. The beads expand to nearly 200 times their original size, so it doesn’t take many to fill a sensory bin. I usually prepare them the night before – pour a tablespoon or two in a bin full of water and by morning they are ready for play!