Read & Learn Outer Space

Memory Box- Moon Sand

For our first week of storytime, we went into outer space. I've added a  new element to our storytime to replace our matching game. I always have more children coming in the summer and different people each week, which makes it difficult to do the same routine I do during the school year. I made moon sand for our Memory Box, original idea from Abby the Librarian. I hid a star under the sand and had the children guess.

We read some outer space books like Goodnight Moon 1, 2, 3 by Margaret Wise Brown and Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me by Eric Carle. I found out my summer group loves counting by the enthusiast shouts for rhymes and the counting book.

"Ten Little Spaceships"

by Robin Currie

from 1, 000 Fingerplays & Action Rhymes

One little, two little, three little spaceships,

Four little, five little, six little spaceships,

Seven little, eight little, nine little spaceships,

Ten little spaceships go.

Countdown? Ready?

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0

BLAST OFF!

We pretended to be comets, then spaceships with rainbow streamers. Their favorite rhyme of the week was  the one I shared, "Ten Little Spaceships".

Last, we made name rockets with squares and triangles. We embellished with glow-in-the-dark glitter glue and star stampers.

Tot Trays: Outer Space 2

Glow Sticks. I planned to make a star shape, Bobo had other plans. I found these at the dollar store and they lasted 2 days! Bobo retrieved them from the bath trash last night and said, "Mama, these still wuk."

Button planet sorting. I've come to the conclusion that I wear very drab clothes from the color of buttons I've accumulated over the years.

Drawing constellations. Bobo made these star shapes last week using the hole puncher. The black paper has a lightning crayon that came from a Harry Potter coloring book.

Making a galaxy with stamps.

Glowing play dough shapes on the black light table.

Planet paint. Mix equal parts glue and shaving cream.

Tot Trays: Glowing Outer Space

We are exploring Outer Space this month. We started a week early to prepare for our field trip to the Children's Museum. I've been stocking up on anything spacey or glow-in-the-dark to use for this theme. I didn't find much at the dollar store for the first time. I had better luck at Meijer and Hobby Lobby.

I found Glow-in-the-Dark spitballs at Hobby Lobby. They come dehydrated and look suspiciously like blue water beads. When I hydrate them, they turn clear and are water beads. They glow blue in the dark. The melon scooper is the perfect size for water beads. The large end will fit two, while the little end fits one at a time.

I guess I didn't completely strike out at the dollar store, because the star glass containers and glass beads come from there. This activity is using tongs to scoop Kryptonite into the "safe" star.

Mix and match space stickers. These are so fun. You can make aliens, robots, rockets and astronauts.

Ben-10 counting and matching. 

Meteor wiffle balls.

Crayola Glow Explosion Glow Magic.

Bobo put the spinner together himself using a screwdriver. The planets, comet and spaceship really glow!

365 Days Outdoors: Moon Sand

We are transitioning into our Outer Space theme and worked on our sensory bin outside today. We used flour and baby oil to make moon sand.

Bobo measured about 10 cups of flour and poured it in our box. Then, he helped me measure 1 cup of baby oil and poured it in. This was the point where he told me he wasn't touching it.

It smells good. You still don't want to touch it? "No."

I added some tools and that was acceptable.

But, it was more fun to pretend to be a kung fu master with the tools.