Learn about moon craters with this hands-on sensory play activity. Find out how to make soft and crumbly moon dough with flour. It is easier than you think! Then, use it to set up this moon-themed crater activity to explore how craters form on the moon!
How Are Craters Formed?
Craters are big holes or dents in the surface of a planet, moon, or asteroid. They are formed when a space rock (meteorite) crashes into the surface at high speed! The moon’s surface is covered in craters because it has no atmosphere to protect it from space rocks.
💡Explore all of our space activities for kids here.
How Craters Form:
1️⃣ A meteorite or asteroid falls from space – It moves super fast before hitting the moon.
2️⃣ The impact is like an explosion – It blasts away dust and rocks, making a round hole.
3️⃣ A crater forms – The force pushes down and spreads out, creating ridges around it.
4️⃣ Some craters are deeper than others – Depending on how big or fast the space rock was!
Cool Moon Crater Facts:
Moon Dough Recipe
Let’s make craters with moon dough! Moon dough, known as “cloud dough,” is a soft and moldable sensory play material similar to kinetic sand. It’s made from just two basic ingredients: flour and oil. Here’s how to make moon dough:
Supplies:
- 4 cups of baking flour
- 1/2 cup of cooking oil
- Small rocks, marbles, or other weighted objects (for making craters)
- Astronaut figure (for sensory play after the crater making activity)
- Round baking pan (any shape will do but a circular one gives it a moon shape look.
How to Make Craters with Moon Dough
STEP 1: Add 4 cups or so of any baking flour to a bowl. This can be made gluten-free if necessary with gluten-free flour mixture.
STEP 2: Mix 1/2 cup of cooking oil to the flour and mix! Essentially, you are making cloud dough.
TIP: The texture of the mixture should be moldable or packable.
STEP 3: Add the mixture to your circular “moon” shaped pan! Get your objects ready for making moon craters. You can lightly smooth out the surface of the mixture too, so your craters are more visible.
STEP 4: Making craters is simple and fun. Read more about craters below. To explore moon craters, have your kids drop a variety of weighted objects onto the surface as seen below).
Slowly and carefully remove the object and examine the crater.
💡 Think about it: Does dropping different weighted objects from different heights make a difference in the shape or depth of the crater?
STEP 5: Make sure to enjoy the tactile sensory play aspect of the activity too. Cloud dough or moon dough is perfect for hands-on play!
💡 For more space sensory play, try our fizzy moon rocks, space sensory bin or moon sand sensory bin!
More Space Activities
💡Explore all of our space activities for kids here.
- Make a solar system model
- Track the moon phases
- Put together a solar system lapbook
- Make a solar eclipse model
- Free Solar System Coloring Pages
- Learn about the star life cycle
- Solar Systems Planet Guide
Printable Space Projects Pack
With 250+ pages of hands-on fun space themed fun, you can easily explore classic space themes with your kiddos including moon phases, constellations, the solar system, and of course the 1969 Apollo 11 lunar landing with Neil Armstrong.
⭐️ Activities include supply lists, instructions, and step-by-step pictures. Also Includes FULL Space Camp Week. ⭐️
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