Space Activities!

Activities for Learning About the Sun & Space at Home

Sun Observations
Make a pinhole camera! Use a pin or the end of a pencil to poke a hole into one sheet of paper. Have one partner hold the paper up to the Sun and another partner place a plain sheet of white paper below it. He or she may need to move the paper around until an image of the Sun is cast onto the paper. Have your child observe what they see and discuss. You could trace the image, draw pictures of the pinhole image, and take notes about their observations. You may wish to do this activity several times during the week, month, or year. How do the images change?

Sun Tales

As a language arts and social studies connection, research different folktales about the Sun together. Many cultures have stories about how the Sun came to be or why the Sun travels across the sky. For example, there are many ancient Egyptian tales about Ra, the god of the Sun, and how he drove his chariot across the sky. Invite students to research at the library or on the Internet to find examples of folktales about the Sun. They can share the stories with the class or even write their own versions and illustrate them.

Trip to the Science Museum

If possible, take your child on a trip to your local science museum or children’s museum. Explore the space section together. Encourage your child to take a notebook so he or she can jot down notes, draw pictures, or write down questions. Many museums have opportunities to ask experts or take guided tours in the space galleries. *The Science museum has a great program! 

Sunrise, Sunset

Together with your child, watch a sunrise and a sunset. This requires waking up early! We recommend reading your local paper or listening to your local forecast to find out the time of the sunrise and sunset in your area. As you watch with your child, ask questions. How does the sky change? What does the Sun look like? How does the color of the sky change? Choose a section of the sky to observe, and record the color at regular time intervals throughout the sunset or sunrise. Make sure you warn your child not to look directly at the Sun!

Star Light, Star Bright
Together with your child, observe the night sky over a week. How does the sky change over time? You may want to research different constellations and planets that come into view in your area by visiting your local library or the Internet. Many communities and local colleges have astronomy enthusiasts who meet and stargaze together.

Solar System at Home
Have your child build his or her own model of the Solar System. You can use a hanger and different balls or fruits to create a planet mobile. It is important for your child to create the planets in relative size. For example, Jupiter is the largest planet and so the largest object should represent it. Uranus and Neptune are similar in size, so your child may want to use the same object, but different colors, to represent those planets. You and your child can research the relative sizes on the Internet, or look at models in encyclopedias and other reference books.