Explore the wonders of space with fun space activities for kids that teach about the night sky, our solar system, and galaxies. These space-themed activities include science, STEM, art, slime, and sensory play projects for home or the classroom. Perfect for an Earth Science lesson!
Celebrate Space Exploration!
Did you know that World Space Week is celebrated every October 4th- 10th, and International Space Day takes place on the first Friday in May? These events highlight the wonders of space exploration and are a perfect time to engage kids with exciting space-themed activities.
Whether celebrating these special days or simply fostering a love for the cosmos, there’s no better way to spark curiosity than through creative space crafts and STEM projects!
Space Theme Activities for Arts and Crafts
Explore creativity while learning about space! These art projects combine science and imagination.
- Watercolor Galaxy Painting
Create a galaxy with watercolors and salt. It’s a fun mixed-media activity for kids of all ages. - Fizzy Moon Painting
Combine art and chemistry with this fizzy moon painting STEAM activity. - Glow-in-the-Dark Puffy Paint Moon
Craft your own moon with puffy paint and glow-in-the-dark fun! - Phases of the Moon Craft
Learn about the moon’s phases with this easy hands-on craft. - Galaxy in a Jar
Create your own “galaxy” in a jar. Learn how galaxies get their colors from stars. - Fizzy Space Art
An easy, colorful, and fizzy art project to explore the cosmos. - Cardboard Box Rocket Craft
Build your very own rocket from a cardboard box!
Space STEM Projects
Build and design models while learning about space exploration. Grab a free printable space STEM guide to plan a space theme!
- Build a Satellite
Create a simple model satellite and learn about space communication. - Build a Lunar Lander
Honor mathematician Katherine Johnson and build a model of the Apollo Lunar Lander. - Build an Aquarius Reef Base
Model a habitat inspired by astronaut John Herrington’s underwater missions. - Space Shuttle Challenge
Design and build your own space shuttle with basic supplies. - Make a Paper Straw Rocket
Learn about propulsion and aerodynamics with this fun straw rocket activity. - Balloon Rocket
Explore the power of air propulsion by making a rocket using a balloon and string! - Bottle Rocket
Launch your very own bottle rocket! This activity helps teach concepts like propulsion, gravity, and aerodynamics.
Exploring the Night Sky
Get hands-on with constellations and other astronomical concepts.
- Explore the Constellations
Learn about constellations and gaze at the stars with these easy activities. Free printable included! - Make a Star Projector or DIY Planetarium
Create your own planetarium to explore the night sky and constellations. - DIY Pinhole Camera
Learn how to make a pinhole camera to view an eclipse safely. - Oreo Moon Phases
Use Oreo cookies to explore the phases of the moon for a science snack.
Solar System and Space Models
Hands-on activities to explore the solar system and other celestial bodies.
- Solar System Diorama
Build a model of our solar system with simple supplies for a school project or home. - Build a Spectroscope
Create your own spectroscope and learn how astronomers study stars and gases. - Solar Eclipse Model
Make a DIY model to help explain the solar eclipse.
Space-Themed Sensory Play
Engage younger kids with sensory play that also teaches about space!
- Fizzing Planets
Create colorful planets using baking soda and vinegar—a fun science experiment! - Fizzing Moon Rocks
Celebrate the lunar landing anniversary with this fizzy moon rock activity. - Make Moon Craters with Moon Dough
Sensory moon dough to explore how craters form on the moon. - Moon Sand
Create moon sand for more sensory play and learning about the moon’s surface. - Space Sensory Bin
Put together a space-themed sensory bin for younger learners. - Galaxy Slime
What colors do you find in outer space? Make this beautiful galaxy-inspired slime that kids will love playing with!
Space Printables & Worksheets
Explore space with educational resources!
- Solar System Planets Guide
A fun, fact-filled guide about each planet in our solar system. - Solar System Coloring Sheets
Simple coloring sheets to learn about planets. - Day and Night Worksheets
Teach kids about Earth’s rotation and how it creates day and night. - Star Life Cycle
Printable activity to explore the life cycle of stars. - Layers of the Atmosphere
Fun worksheets to explore Earth’s atmosphere. - LEGO Space Challenge Cards
Free printable LEGO challenges with a space theme. - Alphabet Space Playdough Mats
Featuring an alphabet of space-themed images to create, tracing activities for name recognition, and counting exercises. - Constellation Playdough Mats
Make simple constellations from playdough and our printable constellation playdough mats.
Space-Themed Projects
For more space learning, grab these additional resources.
- Solar System Lapbook
Printable solar system lapbook project to explore planets. - Solar Eclipse Activities
Learn all about solar eclipses with this printable activity pack. - Star Wars Activities
Fun printables like coloring pages and search-and-find games. - Science Fiction Would You Rather
A fun space-themed activity to explore with a group of kids. - Space Color by Number
Practice math with this color-by-code math activity with a space theme. - Space Pattern Blocks
Learn math while exploring space using free space-themed pattern block mats. - Neil Armstrong Activity Book
Printable workbook to learn about astronaut Neil Armstrong.
Set Up A Space Camp Week
Are you planning a space-themed camp or week of activities? This free printable guide will help you plan a space camp with engaging science, STEM, and art activities. Add LEGO challenges and other activities to create a fun, educational space week.
Printable Space Projects Pack
Grab our comprehensive Printable Space Projects Pack! With over 250 pages of hands-on activities, including moon phases, constellations, the solar system, and the Apollo 11 lunar landing, this pack is the ultimate way to dive into space learning. 🔎 Find the Preschool Space Theme Pack here.
Earth Science for Kids
Astronomy is a branch of science included under the broader category of Earth Science. It’s the study of the Earth and everything in the universe beyond the Earth’s atmosphere, including the sun, moon, planets, stars, and much more. More areas of Earth Science include the following:
- Geology – the study of rocks and land.
- Oceanography – the study of oceans.
- Meteorology – the study of weather.
- Astronomy – the study of stars, planets, and space.
Thank you so much for everything you do. You are a very talented and dedicated person. Most of the time when I request one of your freebie printouts I recieve them. But the constellation card pack has me stymied.I must have requested them 12 times yesterday and again today. The don’t make it through. Could you please help me?
Linda
I work with a special Ed.. teacher, she did the moon sand for an activity with the children, they have so much fun, hiding objects: toys, we help as well with the moon sand every one has a container with the sand. Taking turns each took an item and described. This activity help them learn to take turns, follow instructions, answer questions, and the most learn having fun!!
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love all your ideas, but difficult to print out any of them ,for instance, galaxy slime, without having to print out multiple (10?) pages each time i want to duplicate or try an activity…so I end up not doing them at all. can you make it easier to keep ( less pages,less ink,less paper wasted)