30+ Amazing Space Activities to Enjoy With Your Kids

Space 🪐 is a fascinating yet complex field of study. So, if you want your kids to engage in space education, you have to introduce them to it through playful activities. We all know how it’s always easier to understand things practically than theoretically. 

In this article, I will discuss fun and engaging space activities you can try out with your kids. 

Interesting Space Activities for Kids

These are hands-on activities that require minimal time and effort but are excellent ways to help the little ones visualize and perceive this unending universe. 

These space activities will take your kids on an exciting journey to learning about Space 👾. Maybe they would even consider starting a career in this field later! Let’s start!☀️

Astronaut Glove Box 

Astronauts use a glove 🧤 box to conduct intricate examinations while wearing bulky gear. To let your kid experience some of it, help them make a glove box. This is not only fun to do but also improves kids’ hand-eye coordination.

Astronaut Training 

Physical education is an important part of being an astronaut 👨‍🚀 since keeping perfect shape is an important challenge for them.

You can guide your kid through the concept of moonwalk training to help them understand what an astronomer goes through.

Balloon Rocket 

Your kids are going to have a blast with this activity. You just need a balloon 🎈, two chairs, strings, and a marker.

The kids will love doing this experiment, and it will also familiarize them with the work of astrology.

Soda Bottle Space Rocket

Did you do this craft project as a kid? I sure did! Just an old bottle of Coke or soda, and your kids can decorate it into a space rocket 🚀. My kids would do this project for every Space Week!

Pro Tip: If you are doing this activity using real crackers, it is advisable to be careful with your kids around.

Balloon Stamping Solar System

You can use balloons 🎈 to teach your little ones about the solar system. Paint the planets 🪐 accordingly and help them understand and memorize the names and their characteristic features. This is a great activity to bring art and science together.

Becoming a Home Astronaut

The ISS National Laboratory has an amazing program for kids that includes activities done by astronauts 👩‍🚀 on the space station.

Sign your kids up for this engaging experience, which will help them learn about astronomy at a very young age.

Building a Galaxy

NASA Stem Works has an activity that helps kids build a galaxy 🌌 at home. With little help and online guidance, they can create this amazing space project that will intrigue their minds and help them understand the concepts of Space.

Marshmallow Constellations

Trust me, this is the most tasty way to teach your kids about Space ☄️. It is a simple hands-on activity that helps kids make crafts out of food. This is a great way to challenge their imagination and engineering skills. 

Pro Tip: We would often use a candle to add fire to this activity. It adds an extra spark and flavor, but do it with discretion if your kids are too young.

Building a Telescope

What better way to understand the working principle of a telescope 🔭 than to let your kid build one of his own with easily available material and guidance? My kids were so interested in building a Galilean telescope. And they did!

Color, Astronomy, and Coding with Pencil Code

This fun activity, curated by NASA 🛰️, uses Chandra X-ray Observatory information. This is a great way to introduce your kids to the everyday life of an astronomer and what it would be like to work at a renowned space station.

Constellation Flashlight Discs

Your kids can project constellations 🌌 onto the kitchen wall through these flashlight discs. This fun, easy project is also an efficient way for them to study and identify the various forms of constellations that we see in the night sky.

Shooting Star Favor Pouch

I love this activity because it is an amazing multitasking project- not only does it keep kids busy, but it also gives me amazing shooting stars 💫 party favors. They look beautiful, and our guests love these little presents made by the kids.

Pro Tip: If you want to make decorations out of this activity, stuff party favors with non-edible ingredients.

Constellation Geoboards

Completing a constellation geoboard will be a great follow-up activity to the flashlight 🔦 disk. Ask your kids to choose a particular section of the night sky and place the constellations. What a great way to make a science project artistic!

Constellation Hunter

This project is primarily for older children. It is a great way to help them understand the minute details of the sky 🌌 above. It is a very useful tool that will make your kid more interested in learning about Space.

Constellation Luminary 

This activity is also an excellent way to get your little one excited about stars ⭐️ in the sky. It comes with printables, the lightbox is beautiful, and there are specific constellations in it that the kids are going to love.

Space Snacks

Bribe your kids to learn about Space through food! Trust me, it works every time. Make space-themed snack 🥨 plates that your kids will love eating, and throw in some space trivia once in a while. Snack time is learning time!

Pro Tip: I love the idea of making Alien Parfait with googly-green marshmallow eyes.

Cupcake Solar System

You can bake cupcakes 🧁 in the form of the planets 🪐 and stars ⭐️ and create a yummy solar system that your kids can learn from and eat later. I often made space-themed birthday cakes for my boys when they were young.

DIY Rocket Corner Bookmarks

This bookmark-making 🔖🚀 activity is fun and informative, and the kids get something practical that they can use later.

It’s one of my favorite tie-in projects that combines Space with reading. My kids often gifted these to their close friends, too.

Erupting Black Holes

You can try teaching more about black holes 🕳️ to your kids through this project. Make a batter with baking soda and freeze it in silicone doughnut molds. Later, take them out, dab vinegar, and let your kids enjoy the eruption!

The Thousand Yard Model

This is the best activity to give your kids a fresh perspective regarding the original scale of our solar system.

We previously discussed doing it with toilet paper 🧻, but this version is far more interesting and accurate for the kids. 

Pro Tip: My kids even made a sun holder during the activity.

Erupting Moon Rocks

The concept is similar to the previous activity. But this time, the baking soda represents the ‘moon 🌕 dough,’ and your kids will be creating ‘rocks 🪨.’ This is also a fun project, and the eruptions are so amazing to look at!

Galaxy Bath Bombs

This activity is great if you want to explain the importance of hygiene for astronomers and how they avoid specimen contamination.

It’s fun, and the variety of colors attracts kids. These galaxy bath 🛁 bombs also make for amazing presents 🎁 for friends or grandparents.

Galaxy Jars

This project combines art with science and results in a beautiful STEAM craft. With a few supplies, you can easily make these colorful galaxies 🌌 and put them in your kids’ bedrooms later. They also make amazing decor for theme parties.

Galaxy Playdough

Kids love playdough, and therefore, this activity is a great way to encourage your kids to learn about Space.

They play with the dough and learn about the stars ✨. My kids did this craft for hours when they were young!

Pro Tip: Knead the playdough very gently to create an elegant, marbled effect.

Growing Space Seeds

Many space centers have amazing activities based on space horticulture for kids that allow them to make space pillows for their seeds 🌱. Only a few basic origami will do. This is a great twist on germination that kids will love!

Hanging Solar System

You can ask your kids to make a planetary 🪐 model. This is not only a great way to learn about Space but also makes for great bedroom decor. This is a creative, hands-on project and elevates a kid’s artistic curiosity. 

How big is the solar system?

Space ☄️ is enormous. The distance between two planetary bodies is basically incomprehensible by normal means.

This project will help you simplify these complicated calculations for your little ones. Using toilet paper, you can help them map distances. Simple yet powerful!

Following the Sunspots

Every kid learns first that the Earth is rotating around the Sun 🌞. You can challenge their scientific minds by asking them if the Sun spins, too. Following the sunspots to understand the Sun’s movements is a practical and fun activity.

Pro Tip: You can get a pinhole viewer to make this activity easier for the kids.

Junk Model Space Rocket 

This is such a fun project for preschoolers. Also, it is a great exercise for their hand-eye coordination and motor skills.

They can also use it for imaginative play. My kids would often spend hours playing with their model rockets 🚀.

Kerbal Space Program

I know, as parents, our main concern is to reduce screen time for our kids. But, when they are using tech stuff, make sure they learn something. For example, the Kerbal Space 🔭 Program can be a fun and interactive experience.

Making a Moon

With very simple ingredients like card stock, flour, and water, you can make an amazing moon 🌝 replica with your kids. This is an amazing space activity if you want to educate the little ones about the surface of the moon.

Making Moon Dough

You can ask your kids to make moon 🌙 dough instead of play dough. There are plenty of recipes available online.

Try choosing one that includes a lot of colors and textures. Trust me, your kids will enjoy doing this craft.

Pro Tip: If the dough becomes too sticky, I generally add more cornstarch to maintain consistency.

Making Moon Craters

Your kids can make moon 🌑 craters out of moon dough. It’s not just about punching holes. To explore their creative instincts, you can hand them some rocks and marbles. See if they can create a more realistic texture using them.

Mapping the Stars

My kids still love exploring the night sky. I guess it has to do with the star 🌟 mapping activities they did as toddlers. They would always insist on including the ‘glow in the dark’ element to make a delightful presentation. 

Moon Observation Journal

It is very important to work on your kids’ observation skills while they are still toddlers. With the element of Space included, you can ask them to keep a moon observation journal 📔 where they can write notes regarding moon facts.

NASA Space Palace 

This is an excellent activity for all parents. There are endless ideas- making a CD Saturn 🪐, moon cookies 🍪, Space Week, and the list goes on. You can also borrow innovative ideas for science class or simply to keep the kids busy.

Pro Tip: NASA also provides Climate Kids for kids to learn and experience climate change.

NASA Kids Club

You can sign your kids up for the NASA Kids Club, primarily for kindergarten pupils. They have amazing activities and ideas to introduce the concept of Space and heavenly bodies ☄️ to little ones. My kids loved doing the coloring sheets.

Oreo Moon Phases

This space activity is informative and delicious! Oreos are a big hit in every household. Now, you can ask your kids to create several phases of the moon 🌗 using these heavenly treats. Then, they can even snack on their project!

Outer Space Bingo

Just take your classic game of Bingo and give it a space 🛸 makeover for preschoolers. It is not just fun to play but can be a great way to bond with your kids and teach them interesting facts about Space.

Phases of the Moon

With simple ingredients like a flashlight and a ball hanging from a string, you can ask your kids to create a practical demonstration of the phases of the moon 🌓. It is always easier and fun to learn new things practically.

Pro Tip: For accuracy, wrap the ball in tin foil as smoothly as possible.

Pilot Pals

If you want your kids to experience what it’s like to be an astronaut 👩‍🚀, you can let them discover their flying skills using the Pilot Pals program online through the National Air and Space Museum. There is no chance of crashing, right?

Plastic Egg Alien

If you want your little ones to get involved in spacecraft projects, you can try this egg alien 🥚👽 activity out of recycled plastic.

Let them design their craft as they please and see what innovative ideas they come up with. 

Soda Straw Rockets

If you want an indoor rocket 🚀 launching activity for your kids, this one’s perfect for you. They will enjoy doing it as much as the others, and most importantly, you won’t be left with a big mess to clean later.

Pro Tip: Create a ‘nose cone’ at the top of the rocket to prevent any air from escaping.

Solar System Slime

If your kids love slime, you can also use it to teach them about Space. They can make a replica of the solar system using slime, which is always fun to play with. Also, throw in a few faux planets 🪐.

Space Crayons

Why waste crayon 🖍️ bits when you can see it for something creative? Ask your kids to do a space crayon craft. They are so easy to make and look amazing. Also, they can give some of these to their friends.

Making Starshades

Is your kid interested in origami? Let them do this space project- a brain teaser, craft idea, and a practical lesson, all at once. They also get to learn about Starshades ⭐️, the device used by astronomers to learn about exoplanets.

Pro Tip: I advised my kids to use a stylus or empty ballpoint open to score the fold lines gently. This promotes easier creasing, but make sure you don’t tear the paper.

Space Sensory Bin

Sensory bins are an amazing study tool for preschoolers nowadays. You can even use them to teach your kids about outer Space 🛸.

It’s an excellent way to fuse the diversity of education and play the potential of learning more about Space.

Space Suncatchers

Space suncatchers 🌞 look gorgeous, trust me. We have a few hanging in the windows 🪟 in our kids’ room. Instead of real stained glass, these are made from plastic plates.

Kids can easily make them, and they are easy, inexpensive home decor.

Spot the Space Station

This is the new eye-spy. A particular NASA website will let your kids track the visibility of the ISS from Earth 🌏.

You can simply search for your location, mark the date, and use a telescope for a fun learning night.

Touchdown Astronauts

This challenge, published by NASA for kids, allows them to design and create their own shock-absorbing system inspired by equipment used by NASA.

Well, in this case, marshmallows are the astronauts 🧑‍🚀! It is an excellent activity with a competitive edge.

Pro Tip: Use straws and rubber bands to make a flexible structure and cards as springs.

Conclusion

That was fun, right? Wait till you try them out with your kids. Even adults will love being a part of it. I consider these activities to be a nice way to bond with the kids as well as help them embark on a journey towards learning new Space 🔭 stuff that will prove extremely beneficial to them later. 

I hope you loved reading them and are excited to see how they turn out when done practically. 

Well, I’ll be waiting to hear from you. Please let me know if you loved my ideas or what happened when you experimented with your kids. 

I just hope I can be of help! Thank you! 😊

Let’s get the little ones learning! Good luck!