Sun Moon and Stars
Get ready for an out-of-this-world adventure as we explore the mysteries of space! In this astronomy unit, children will investigate the sun, moon, Earth, stars, and the patterns we see in the sky through hands-on STEAM activities. Students will learn about craters, day and night, Earth’s rotation, the moon’s movement, and the glowing power of the sun using art, sensory play, building challenges, and interactive models. Each activity encourages curiosity, creativity, and scientific thinking while making big space concepts easier for young learners to understand. From glowing parties to messy moon experiments, this unit is packed with exciting ways to explore our universe.
In the STEAM Spotlight
Party in the Stars
Our STEAM Spotlight Glow Party transforms the classroom into a glowing galaxy filled with blacklights, themed music, and stars projected onto the ceiling. Children will explore glowing materials, dance under the stars, and celebrate everything they learned about space in an immersive environment. The glow party creates a memorable experience that combines science, sensory play, and pure fun.
Exploring STEAM Stations
Where Is the Astronaut?
Where Is the Astronaut? is a hands-on positional words mini book that brings space exploration into your literacy center! Designed for PreK and Kindergarten learners, this print-and-assemble activity gives students a 6-page take-home book featuring their very own astronaut navigating through the solar system. Students color and cut out astronauts, then glue each one into the correct position on the page — next to the space shuttle, under the moon, in between the stars, and more — building spatial vocabulary through meaningful, memorable context.
Puffy Paint Sun Craft
Children will create textured puffy paint suns using glue, shaving cream, and paint spread across a sun outline. The fluffy texture gives the artwork a fiery, glowing appearance while encouraging sensory exploration and creativity. Each sun becomes a bright and unique piece of space-inspired art.
Moon Sand
Students will explore the moon’s surface using homemade moon dough made from flour and oil, creating a soft sensory material similar to kinetic sand. Children will toss marbles onto the surface to create craters and observe how impacts change the landscape. This activity introduces simple geology and space science concepts through play.
Earth & Sun Diorama
Our sun and moon diorama brings space science to life inside a cardboard box model of Earth, the moon, and the sun. A flashlight shines through one side to demonstrate how Earth’s rotation creates day and night, while a pompom moon circles around the hanging Earth. This interactive activity helps children visualize movement and patterns in space through hands-on exploration.
Balloon Stamping
Using balloons as paint stamps, students will design their own versions of planet Earth. Children will experiment with color mixing while learning about oceans, land, and the shape of our planet. The round balloon prints create a fun process art experience that feels both messy and magical.
Foil Painted Moons
Children will create textured foil-painted moons by dipping crumpled balls of foil into gray paint and stamping them onto a moon outline. The foil creates rocky patterns and crater-like textures that mimic the surface of the real moon. This process art activity encourages sensory exploration while introducing children to basic lunar surface features.
