28 space activities for kids excited about Disney’s light year

What kid doesn’t dream of one day becoming an astronaut and seeing them? All future astronauts and rocket scientists will love these fun and open space activities for kids. It’s time to learn about Disney’s new movie release Light year!

1. Build a spinning solar system.

Paper plate is a yellow pom pom painted black, construction paper circle and silver painted pebbles on top

This fun pinwheel galaxy is perfect for teaching the orbit of the sun. All you need is a paper plate, colored construction paper, pebbles, and black and silver craft paint.

Learn more: Books and giggles

2. Create a space-themed board game.

A hand-drawn board game with a curved path with questions written in different boxes

This Planet Board game is a fun way to learn and practice information about the planets of our solar system. The kids roll the die and work their way around the finish line. This activity comes with free downloadable planet cards.

Learn more: Inspiration Laboratories

3. Build a balloon-powered space rover.

This clever craft mimics the tiny rover (only a few inches high) that NASA created to explore and photograph the surface of an asteroid.

Learn more: Space Place

4. Make a planet wrapped with yarn.

Cardboard disc wrapped with yarn

This simple activity will help young students understand the relative size of the planet as well as build their fine motor skills as they wrap cardboard discs with different colored yarns.

Learn more: And next comes L.

5. Create a DIY sandal.

Help your students build their scientific observation skills. This simple sunlight will teach them to tell time by tracking the movement of the sun across the sky.

Learn more: Green Kid Crafts

6. Build a model solar system.

Space activities for kids Colorful mobile of the planet hanging from the ceiling

It’s one of those classic space activities for kids that everyone should try at least once. There are hundreds of ways to make one; Find alternatives at the link.

Learn more: The gift of curiosity

7. Snacks in the phases of the moon.

The Orio Cookie Moon Phase Activity Card shows 8 Orio with different amounts of cream filling that represent the phases of the moon.

What goes better with Orios than a glass of milk? A little about the science of the moon! We like lessons that you can eat when you’re done, don’t you?

Learn more: Science Bob

8. Use Geoboard to map constellations.

Space Activities for Kids Using Geoboards from Pushpins and Rubber Bands to Construct the Stars

Geoboards are such a great classroom tool, and you can use them for many things, such as creating constellations. Get the free printable patterns below.

Learn more: School time snippet

9. Create an astronaut training center.

A play astronaut training center attached color printouts on either side of a cardboard box, made with plus tools and a clipboard

This kind of space activity for kids encourages them to use their imagination while learning. Get lots of great ideas to stock up on your astronaut training center at the link.

Learn more: The concept of elementary education

10. Launch a rocket into space.

Space Activities for Kids - 4 Color Paper Rockets with Striped Drinking Straw

Paint free printable rocket templates, then mount them on a straw launcher and send them into flight!

Learn more: Buggy and Friends

11. Play a solar system flash-card game.

A young boy wearing a headband attached to a planet card

Use these free printable Planet Flash cards and reuse an old headband set. Which game set? Instead, tape them on the foreheads of children!

Learn more: Ordinary everyday mother

12. Find out why there are holes in the moon.

Space activities for kids - a cake pan with white sand inside and pebbles on the side

This clever science demo imitates the action that created the moon’s hole. All you need is flour, baby oil and some small stones.

Learn more: I can teach my child!

13. Combine the Marshmallow constellations.

Tiny marshmallows attached by wooden toothpicks to create constellations

Here is some more delicious science to try! Use a toothpick to connect the marshmallow “stars” to form the constellations.

Learn more: Play Teach Repeat

14. Play with Galaxy Play Flour.

Space Activity for Kids - Two-handed gray play dough hanging with pink and blue glitter

This gorgeous DIY Galaxy Play Doty is a lot of fun to play while you are reading a book or watching a documentary about space. Learn how to create it at the link.

Learn more: Pet Father’s Day

15. Turn on a bottle rocket.

A DIY rocket made from a green plastic bottle gestures with brown cardboard wings up to the sky

This is one of the classic space activities for kids that you just have to try. Go to the complete how-to link.

Learn more: Wikihow

16. Model planets from clay.

Twelve flour balls represent planets made of different colors

There is no better way to know the individual planets than to model them from clay. Try using foam balls in the center so that you don’t need so much clay for each.

Learn more: 3 dinosaurs

17. Build a Lego Moon Rover.

Space Activity for Kids - DIY Space Rover made from Lego pieces

Aspiring engineers will love this STEM Challenge! Set a series of parameters to make sure their creations must be met, then examine them.

Learn more: Mumidame Adventure

18. Illuminate the constellations.

Space Activity for Kids - Magnetic LED light attached to a metal cookie sheet and glows like a large dipper

First, create your own LED light magnet, then use them to map all your favorite constellations.

Learn more: Buggy and Friends

19. Design a space lander.

DIY space lander made from small plastic cups, orange construction paper and masking tape

The challenge? Design a space lander that allows two passengers to land safely on the planet’s surface using only some very basic equipment. This one will really get them thinking.

Learn more: Animate the stem

20. Join the NASA Kids Club.

Screen shot of NASA Kids Club website

What better place to find space activities for kids than NASA? Their Kids Club is full of games, videos, activities and more and it’s all free

Learn more: NASA Kids Club

21. Place the planets in order.

Space activities for kids - Collection of balls of different sizes to represent the planets in chronological order

Round up all the balls in your house (and a handful of pom-poms for asteroids). Layer them out in sequence with their relative sizes as a guide.

Learn more: Inspiration Laboratories

22. Make a moon-stage toy.

Two plastic cups stacked together with moon phases drawn around the outer cup perimeter

This great little DIY toy displays the phases of the moon. It’s a snap made with a few clean plastic cups and some construction paper.

Learn more: Happy Tot Shelf

23. Turn on a constellation flashlight.

Space Activities for Kids - Star projector to represent a constellation with holes through a black construction paper disc made from a flashlight wrapped around the surface of the light

Turn a flashlight into a star projector by piercing the black construction paper. Take it to a dark room and let it burn!

Learn more: Handmade Charlotte

24. Recycle cardboard tubes on space shuttles.

Colorful domestic space shuttle made from toilet paper tubes and scraps of cardboard

On its heyday, the space shuttle was the most sophisticated spaceship around. Help kids learn about it by making small models out of cardboard tubes.

Learn more: A little pinch perfect

25. Eat a fruit solar system.

A tray with fruits of different sizes placed in a line to represent the order of the planets

Snacks on the solar system as you learn! This activity combines a healthy snack with the fun of the place.

Learn more: Me and B make tea

26. Assemble a constellation.

Space Activities for Kids - A paper cube with a different constellation with holes in each face to allow light from a candle in the middle

How beautiful are these little constellations? Get a free printable and learn how to put it together in a link.

Learn more: Red Ted Art

27. Dissolve crayons in planetary sanctuaries.

9 discs hung from a red dowel inside molten wax of different colors made from 2 sides of waxed paper

Round up some old crayons and use their shaving to create beautiful planetary suncats to brighten up your windows.

Learn more: Idea Museum

28. Learn how the planets orbit the sun.

Silver pie plate with a circle of red flour in the middle and a blue rubber ball along the border of the pan

This quick demo is a great way to introduce the concept of orbit to younger students using a pie plate, some play flour and a ball or marble.

Learn more: The gift of curiosity

Can’t find enough space? Check out these 36 of these world space-themed classroom ideas.

Also, check out 32 great space books to celebrate the release of Disney’s new movie Light Year.

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