Space Facts for Preschool

Difficult concepts often can be explained in simple ways.
••• Comstock/Comstock/Getty Images

While outer space fascinates most children, preschoolers -- with their inquisitive minds -- devour knowledge about all things fantastical. Finding the right balance between keeping your preschool class interested and bombarding kids with facts can prove quite difficult. Most preschool children have seen the "Toy Story" movie series, so teachers could use pictures of Buzz Lightyear in his spacesuit and helmet to explain that space has no air for humans to breathe.

Stars

Looking up at the night sky evokes curiosity and a sense of wonder in preschool children, who may wonder why stars twinkle and why they only appear at night. The stars they can see are actually balls of burning gas in outer space, but so far away that they only appear as small, bright dots in the dark sky. Singing “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” and making star-shaped ornaments can reinforce the idea of stars shining a long way from planet Earth.

Planets

The solar system consists of eight planets, one dwarf planet, the sun and the moon. Telling the children that Mars is known as the red planet, or that Saturn's rings are made of ice provides them with some simple facts about each planet. Creating the solar system using different sizes of foam balls reinforces facts about the size and the distance of each planet from the sun. This activity also teaches preschool kids that planets orbit the sun.

Sun and Moon

A full moon is one of the phases of the moon.
••• NASA/Photodisc/Getty Images

The sun is Earth’s nearest star, and belongs to the Milky Way galaxy. Making yellow play dough and asking children to make a model of the sun illustrates its shape and physical appearance. An often-surprising fact for children of this age: The moon is the only place in the solar system that humans have visited. Showing pictures or watching footage of manned moon landings can help them grasp this idea.

The moon’s journey from east to west takes about 27 days and 8 hours. During this journey, the shape of the moon alters, giving the familiar crescents and full moon seen at different times throughout the month. Paper plates painted and cut into the different shapes of the moon simplify this idea for preschoolers.

Space Travel

Toilet roll tubes lend themselves to making space rockets.
••• Hemera Technologies/AbleStock.com/Getty Images

Spaceships and rockets appeal to preschool children, who will be amused to learn that Laika, a dog, orbited the earth in a Russian spacecraft called Sputnik 2 in 1957. Apollo 11, Neil Armstrong's space shuttle, landed in the Pacific Ocean on its return to Earth in 1969. Crafting their own weird and wonderful spaceships or rockets -- made from toilet roll tubes and aluminum foil -- lets children achieve their own version of space travel.

Related Articles

How to Make a Foam Model of Earth's Rotation
How to Make Solar System Projects for Kids
How to Make a 6th Grade Solar System Model Project
How to Build a Solar System Model for Kids
How to Make a Wire Hanger Model of the Solar System
How to Build a 3D Model of the Solar System
School Projects on the Milky Way Galaxy
How to Make a Model of the Solar System
How to Make a Revolving & Rotating Solar System Model
How to Make a 3D Model of the Sun, Earth & Moon
Solar System Projects For Students
Fun Facts of the Sun, Moon & Stars
Solar System Projects for Kindergarten
How to Make a 3D Solar System
How Much Time Is One Day on Mars?
How to Make Jupiter Out of Styrofoam Balls
How to Make a Solar System Model at Home for a School...
Phases of the Moon Activities for Kids
How to Find Mars in the Night Sky
How to View Venus in the Night Sky

Dont Go!

We Have More Great Sciencing Articles!