Recently, our little learners at Learning Zone studied astronomy. We know that’s a big word and an even bigger topic for children. But while doing hands-on, visually-appealing projects, they absorb the terminology and imagery of space, the planets, and the stars.
The moon is a good place to start with children. They’ve been exposed to it from an early age with Mother Goose rhymes and favorite bedtime stories such as Goodnight Moon. After learning about moon rocks and discussing what a moon rock would look like, our four to five-year-old class decided to create one. The children used foam dough to mold into the shape of what they though a moon rock would look like. They each took turns painting the moon rock with paint dotters.
Learning Zone is one of the best, if not the best Murfreesboro Preschool. We have four convenient locations: John Rice Boulevard, Siegel Road, Veterans Parkway, and Blackman Road. Our hands-on approach and STEAM curriculum engage children with different learning styles. We invite you to join our family.
An easy and delicious way to learn about the phases of the moon is to create “models” of each phase with Oreo cookies. Try recreating this chart with your child:
Carefully pry apart (at least) 8 cookies (but probably more), trying to leave all of the icing on one side. Let your child cut away the icing for each phase using a small children-sized knife. Have fun with the word “gibbous”!
Resources:
If you are looking for astronomy resources geared toward young learners, NASA has a very good website designed especially for children. Check it out here: https://spaceplace.nasa.gov
Another good resource is a book by National Geographic. The name tells it all: Little Kids First Big Book of Space
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