Have you ever looked up at the night sky and wondered what’s beyond Earth? Explore the solar system through hands-on activities and a free printable solar system planets pack below. Add this to a fantastic earth science lesson featuring space activities for kids.
What is the Solar System?
Imagine a giant, spinning playground in space, with the sun at the center, acting like a huge glowing ball of fire! Our solar system’s planets include gas giants, rocky inner planets, and even dwarf planets like Pluto. The Milky Way galaxy is home to our solar system, along with billions of other stars and planetary systems!
Solar System Planets 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
Order of Solar System Planets from the Sun
The planets are arranged in order from closest to farthest from the sun:
- Mercury – 36 million miles (57.9 million kilometers), the smallest planet.
- Venus – 67 million miles (108.2 million km), the hottest planet.
- Earth – 93 million miles (149.6 million km), the only planet known to support life.
- Mars – 142 million miles (227.9 million km), known as the Red Planet.
- Jupiter – 484 million miles (778.5 million km), the biggest planet.
- Saturn – 886 million miles (1.4 billion km), the sixth planet famous for its rings.
- Uranus – 1.78 billion miles (2.87 billion km), an ice giant that spins on its side.
- Neptune – 2.8 billion miles (4.5 billion km), the eighth and windiest planet.
Explore More with Our Printable Solar System Planets Pack!
Want to explore the wonders of planets, orbits, and space? Our free Solar System Printable Pack is packed with fun, educational activities, including:
- Planet fact sheets with cool illustrations and key details.
- Cut-and-paste solar system activity to help kids learn planet orbits.
- Space exploration timeline with major events in space history.
- Fun quizzes and puzzles to test your space knowledge.
- Hands-on experiments like making asteroid belt models and a DIY rocket launch!
This planets printable pack is perfect for kids who love space, whether at home or in the classroom. Download it today and start your journey through the Milky Way galaxy! 👇
Meet the Planets
Each of the solar system’s planets has its own personality. Let’s take a tour!
🌍 Earth: Our Home Sweet Home
Earth is the third planet from the sun and the only place where life is known to exist! It has oceans, mountains, and an atmosphere full of gases that support life.
☿ Mercury: The Speedster
The closest planet to the sun, Mercury has extreme average temperatures and a surface covered in craters from asteroids and comets.
♀ Venus: The Hotshot
Venus is the hottest planet in the solar system due to its thick, heat-trapping atmosphere. The surface of Venus is rocky and covered in volcanoes.
♂ Mars: The Red Planet
Mars has a rusty red surface, frozen form of ice, and might have once had liquid water. The surface of Mars is covered in canyons, volcanoes, and dust storms.
♃ Jupiter: The Giant
Jupiter is the fifth planet from the sun and the biggest planet in the solar system. Its Great Red Spot is a giant storm that has raged for centuries!
♄ Saturn: The Ringmaster
Saturn is the second largest planet and is known for its dazzling rings made of icy objects and dust. Some of Saturn’s moons may even contain liquid water beneath their surfaces!
♅ Uranus: The Sideways Spinner
The seventh planet, Uranus, is an ice giant with a tilted axis. It has poles that experience decades of darkness and light due to its extreme tilt.
♆ Neptune: The Windy Wonder
Neptune, the eighth planet, is a gas giant known for its intense winds, swirling storms, and dark blue color. It orbits the sun in an oval shape.
Fun Solar System Facts for Kids!
Space Exploration
Humans have been studying space for a long time! Here are some key moments in space exploration:
🚀 1957 – Sputnik 1: The first artificial satellite sent into space!
👨🚀 1969 – Apollo 11: The first humans walked on the moon!
🛰️ 1990 – Hubble Space Telescope: Sent to capture incredible images of space!
🤖 2020 – Perseverance Rover: Landed on Mars to search for signs of past life!
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. ⭐️
