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Themes | Sun, Moon, Stars & Planets
Sun, Moon, Stars & Planets Theme
Crafts & Activities
Songs, Finger Plays & Nursery Rhymes
Recipes
Crafts & Activities
Prop Box Ideas: (You will find easy instructions for making some
of your own props below)
helmets, moon boots, white clothing for their space suits, gloves,
goggles, telescopes, binoculars, old headphones, large boxes to build rocket
ships, oxygen tanks,
Glow in the Dark Creations
With glow in the dark paints, crayons or markers, have the children
color night scenes on dark construction paper (blue and black work best!)
Build a Rocket Ship
Get out those toothpicks and marshmallows and the kids can build their
very own rocket ship! Add details with a black marker.
More Rocket ships
toilet paper roll, aluminum foil, cone shaped paper cups (or make your
own cones), glue, red tissue paper strips (flame), scotch tape.
Give each child a toilet paper roll and a piece of foil to cover the
tube. Glue the cone shaped paper cup on top. Glue or tape the
red tissue paper in place for flames shooting out of the bottom of the
paper roll. The rocket ship can be decorated with sequins, paper
bits, markers - whatever their little hearts desire!
Planet Talk!
Hang up a large poster with all the planets on it. Teach the
children the names of them: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter,
Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto and don't forget the Sun and the Moon!
Astro Talk!
Tell the children that astronauts are community helpers. Discuss
how astronauts get to the moon, how they eat, sleep, communicate with us
on earth. Talk about why they go to the moon. Where does the
space shuttle take off from? How do they land?
Show pictures of the moon and discuss why people, plants and animals cannot
live there. Borrow books from the library to help. Display
pictures of astronauts and rocket ships. Did you know that Moon Day
is celebrated on July 20th? It is that day in 1969 that the first
mission landed on the moon.
Musical Space Trip
Plan a space trip to visit all the planets! Make space helmets
(see below) for all the kids (don't forget yours!) Play some "space"
type music, countdown and blast off! As you arrive at the first planet,
tell them that on this planet they can only hop on one foot! Start
the music again....and explore the planet hopping on one foot. Stop
when the music stops! Everyone gathers in a circle to begin their
next journey. After a few stops - you might want to let the kids
decide on what type of planet you are landing on! Return to earth
when all the children have chosen a planet landing!
Space Helmets
With large paper bags, cut square holes out of three sides. Cut off
the bottom of the bag so that when the bag is on their head it just covers
their ears. The children can decorate them by adding bits of foil,
glitter, markers, crayons..etc.
Plastic 4l milk jugs make great helmets too! Cut the handle portion
out so it looks like a helmet and cover with foil. You can add pipe cleaner
antennas.
Stuffed Moons
With newsprint cut out two large half moon crescents. Staple
around the edge, leaving room to stuff with tissue paper. Finish
stapling the edge and paint! Display them around the room.
Glowing Stars
Cut different sized star shapes out of the white poster board. Use
glow in the dark crayons or paint to color both sides of the stars. With
a hole punch make a hole in the stars and thread a piece of clear
fishing line through the hole to make a hanger for the stars. Display them
around the room.
Martian Drawings
Draw a moon, planets and stars on large pieces of white paper with
a white crayon for each child ahead of time. Have the children paint the
paper with a thin layer of blue or black thinned tempera paint. For
older kids, write a special martian message!
Space Mobiles
With dough or clay recipes (see Craft
Recipes) make star, moon crescents and circle shapes. Cookie cutters
are great for this! The children can help. They will each need
at least 3 of each shape. Let dry or bake as per recipe and paint!
Meteors
Wrap large styrofoam balls with aluminum foil. Attach long streamers
of crepe paper for tails. Use these to play a game of Meteor Catch!
Oxygen Tanks for Astronauts
Use two 1 or 2 litre plastic pop jugs. Tape them together. Add
strips of 1 inch wide ribbon to the "tanks" to form straps (like a backpack)
so the kids can wear them on their back.
Moon Boots
With large sponges, cut out a section in the sponge so that it fits
snugly around a child's foot or shoe. Slip the sponges on their feet
and they have moon boots!
Flying Saucers
Tape two sturdy paper plates together for "flying saucers". Have the
children decorate them with crayons or collage materials. Then go
outside and the children can see who can throw the farthest.
Telescopes and Binoculars
Paper towel tubes and toilet paper rolls make great telescopes and
binoculars- cover with aluminum foil!
Add a piece of colored cellophane to the ends of the tubes - secure
with tape. Add a few star stickers to the cellophane so that the children
"see stars" when the look through them!
Starry Numbers - Felt Board Activity
Cut out two sets of five or ten star shapes out of felt. Number
one set of star shapes 1-5 or 1-10; on the other set place the correct
number of dots to correspond to the numbered stars. Let the children
match the numbered stars to their corresponding dotted stars.
Star Gazing Activity
On a piece of paper draw five or ten columns. Place a number
1-10 at the top of each column. With star stickers have the children
match the number of stars in each column.
Sun and Moon Dough Art
Make two batches of playdough (one red & one yellow). Give
the children a piece of each color to make a yellow sun and a blue moon.
Let the children use their thumb to imprint "craters" into the moon surface.
Moon Dust Pictures
Give each child a baby food jar shaker with moon dust inside (recipe
below) to create a glue picture! Have them drizzle glue onto a piece
of construction paper. Let the glue dry and shake off the excess
moon dust onto newsprint. Save for later use on your next project!
Moon Dust Recipe
Mix equal parts of clean dry sand and any color dry tempera paint.
Add some gold or silver glitter for a sparkly affect. Store in airtight
container. Baby food jars make great shakers - just put a few holes
in the lid and make sure to screw it on tight!
Songs, Finger Plays, Nursery Rhymes
Star Light Star Bright
Star light, Star bright
First star I see tonight
I wish I may, I wish I might
Have the wish I wish tonight.
Then ask the children to each make a wish!
Hey Diddle Diddle
Hey diddle diddle,
The cat and the fiddle,
The cow jumped over the moon.
The little dog laughed
To see such sport,
And the dish ran away
With the spoon.
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Twinkle twinkle Little star
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.
Twinkle twinkle Little star
How I wonder what you are.
I'm an Astronaut
Sung to "Jimmy Crack Corn"
I'm an astronaut flying in space.
Going in my rocket ship to someplace.
Maybe landing on Plutooooooooo
I'm just ready to GO!
Ten Astronauts (finger play)
Ten astronauts in a rocket ship
Hold up fingers and touch both hands together at fingertips
to make point of rocket
Flying through space gonna make a little trip
Keep point of rocket with hands and go back and forth
Going past Mars and Jupiter, too!
Ten little astronauts, what a crew! Hold up 10 fingers
Four Little Stars
Four little stars winking at me,
One shot off and then there were three.
Three little stars with nothing to do,
One shot off and then there were two.
Two little stars afraid of the sun,
One shot off and then there was one.
One little star not having any fun,
It shot off and then there were none!
Astronaut Song
Sung to "If You're Happy and You Know It"
Outer space is where I really like to go.
I ride inside a spaceship, don't you know?
I like to travel near the stars,
Wave to Jupiter and Mars.
Outer space is where I really like to go.
Planet Song
Sung to Ants Go Marching
The Planets revolve around the sun...hurrah, hurrah
The Planets revolve around the sun...hurrah, hurrah
The Planets revolve around the sun, they spin on their axis everyone
And they all go spinning...around and around they go
Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars...hurrah, hurrah
Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars...hurrah, hurrah
Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars all whirling and twirling among the
stars
And they all go spinning, around, and around they go
Jupiter and Saturn are next in line...hurrah, hurrah
Jupiter and Saturn are next in line...hurrah, hurrah
Uranus, Neptune and Pluto makes nine
And they all go spinning around, and around they go
Boom, boom, BOOM!
I'm a Little Rocket
Sung to "I'm a Little Teapot"
I'm a little rocket pointing at the moon.
Raise arms above head and fingers tips touching
Now I'm getting fueled up
Wiggle hips
We'll be ready soon.
Stand up straight and tall
When it's time to board me, then I'll say
Slowly bend knees and crouch down - arms still above
head
Blast off! Zoom! We're on our way.
Jump up and shout!
The Man in the Moon
The man in the moon
Looked out of the moon,
Looked out of the moon and said,
It's time, I think, for all good children
To think about going to bed.
Aikendrum
Sung to the tune of "Here We Go Round the Mulberry
Bush"
Or listen to the tune on Raffi's "Singable Songs
for the Very Young" Cassette/CD
There was a man lived in the moon
In the moon, in the moon
There was a man lived in the moon
And his name was Aikendrum.
And he played upon a ladle
A ladle, a ladle
He played upon a ladle
And his name was Aikendrum.
And his hat was made of cream cheese...
And his coat was made of roast beef...
And his pants were made of haggis...
There was a man lived in the moon...
Bend and Stretch
Bend and stretch, reach for the stars.
There goes Jupiter, here comes Mars.
Bend and stretch, reach for the sky
Stand on tip-e-toe, oh! so high!
Recipes
Astronaut Food Snacks
Serve dried fruit such as apricots, dates, raisins, apple slices, banana
chips. Add shredded coconut, pumpkin seeds,
Astronaut Pudding
Into a ziploc bag for each child, put the following: an eighth of a
cup of instant pudding mix and a 1/4 cup milk. Make sure the bags
are securely closed. Have the children gently knead the mixture until the
pudding forms. Snip off one of the corners and encourage the children
to squeeze the pudding into their mouths from the bag.
Cheesy Man on the Moon
Cut cheddar or other type of brick cheese into different sized chunks.
Give the children pretzel sticks and let them put the chunks together to
create their "man on the moon."
Moon Balls
2 cups peanut butter
1 1/3 cups honey
2 cups raisins
2 cups dry milk
3 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (reserve 1/2 cup)
Mix dry milk, raisins, and 3 cups graham cracker crumbs Add honey
and peanut butter. Mix will (fingers work best). Roll into
small balls Place remaining 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs in a large
baggy Place several balls at a time into the baggy and shake, then
place on a cookie sheet. Chill and eat .
Edible Stars
2 slices of bread (for each child)
star shaped cookie cutters
strawberry jam, orange marmalade, grape jelly,
Have the children cut the bread into star shapes. Its easier
if you toast the bread first! Have the children spread jam
on their stars.
Do you have an idea to share?
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