Summer is starting to get hot, so why not step it up to capture the kids attention with a unit on space! Kids love pretending to be astronauts and learning about celestial occurrences.
Get ready to shuttle through space with some very eager preschoolers. Here are some activities to make the week a success.
Decorate, decorate, decorate
The success and excitement of the kids can be won over immediately with a well-decorated room. Run black butcher paper around the walls. Fill it with stars that are lined with foil or die cut out of yellow construction paper. Leave one wall with just the paper for a fun art project outlined below under the art heading. Hang stars or round Styrofoam balls decorated as planets from the ceiling. Get the room looking like the kids are stepping into space as they step their first foot inside.
Art
Art is my favorite center because it is where I get to see the kids really enjoy creating something on their own and in the process get a glimpse of who they are as a child. The first suggestion I have is to use that blank butcher paper. Have the kids stand against the paper. Trace their outline. Have the kids decorate themselves as aliens or astronauts. Be sure to bring out the puffs, googly eyes, fabric, white foam, sequins, etc. to foster their creativity. You can even include some yarn for hair.
Flying saucers and rockets are also fun to make and there are a variety of ways to make them. For the flying saucer, I have used two Styrofoam bowls stapled together. I allowed the kids to cover with foil sheets then decorate with stickers. You can also use two Cd's shiny side pointing out, glued in the middle as the saucer part. Then glue a lid or milk cap to the top for the cabin area.
Rockets can be made out of paper towel tube rolls, Wrap in construction paper. Glue some sort of cone on top and place streamers at the bottom. My son has even come home with a rocket made out of used paper towel rolls, applesauce container and lots of tape in a recycling center.
Dress up
Make helmets or get an astronaut costume. You can make an astronaut helmet using brown paper bags and a clear plastic container such as the throw away Tupperware ones you find in the store. Paint the brown sacks white. Place one inside the other when dry. Cut out the shape of the container on the sacks after tracing. Glue the bottom of the container in to serve as the mask. Allow the kids to place their helmets on. Then buy the large sponges from the dollar store. Use a rubber band to place the sponge on the bottom of their feet. Tell them to pretend they are walking on the moon. You can even have a flag for them to place somewhere.
Science
Kids love science and should be exposed to it as early as the preschool age. A rocket launch is a fun addition to this unit. You can buy one of the great products at stevespanglerscience.com or you can create your own rocket. Take a fan canister and drop an alka seltzer and a little water in, then close the top tightly. The top will soon launch.
Telescopes are also good to look through and practice with. You can also bring a globe and learn about the earth. Lite Brites are also great class tools. Allow the kids to make constellations after showing them what they are through pictures.
Check out your local library for its resources on space. Be sure to read, Goodnight Moon and sing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star before nap one day. You can also have a pajama day as part of the fun.
These are only suggestions. Feel free to include your own as well in the comment section below.
