Many preschoolers want to grow up and explore space by becoming real astronauts! A space preschool theme can be a big hit in your classroom! Space is a great theme to use to be able to include math activities, an art center, science experiments, and imaginative play! Explore these 20 activities when creating your space theme unit and you are sure to find some big hits with your students!
1. Straw Rockets
Building these rockets will be almost as much fun as launching them! Printable templates, straws, and markers are all you need for this activity. See how far you can launch your rockets into the air and make it into a friendly competition. You can practice measuring the distance.
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2. Moon and Star Math Game
Counting and matching numbers are great math skills practice. Have small space-themed beads or items for students to count out for each number in the muffin tin.
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3. Pattern Block Space Pictures
Another great space activity that brings in some math is this fun pattern block activity. Build rockets, planets, and astronauts with pattern blocks and templates. Activity ideas with this are many and very easy to prepare. Students can count pattern blocks used after they build each picture.
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4. Astronaut Craft
Paper plate astronaut crafts will be a big hit with your little learners. Space theme activities that teach students about astronauts are great activities to add to your preschool classroom. They will have practice with scissor skills, coloring, and gluing with this activity.
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5. Shape Space Rocket
Provide pre-cut shapes or allow students to cut their own shapes to use when building their shape space rockets. This math activity is a great addition to your unit about space. Students can glue their shapes down to build their own rockets.
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6. Space Helmets
No astronaut is complete without their helmets. Students can decorate their own helmets however they choose. Students can use space-themed stickers and glow-in-the-dark stars to add to their helmets.
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7. Jetpacks
Creating a jetpack is sure to be a favorite activity in your space-themed unit. Fashion backpacks with water bottles so students can use these in the dramatic play center to see how astronauts feel when wearing their gear.
Learn more: Pre-K Printable Fun
8. Space Puzzles
Super easy to make and super fun for students to play with, these space puzzles are great for fun and for learning. Use the picture to put the puzzle back together and put the numbers in order to help with the puzzle. Simply print and laminate and cut into strips.
Learn more: Pre-K Printable Fun
9. Space Slime
Space slime may be the best slime! Black slime with plenty of added colors, glitter, and star confetti makes for hours of fun for little ones. This is great for sensory play and can be a lot of fun for preschoolers to help in making the slime as well.
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10. Solar System Lacing Cards
These lacing cards are great practice for little hands. Good for fine motor skills, these lacing cards are planet, sun, and moon themes. Simply print them and laminate for repeated use in centers or independent practice.
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11. Craft Stick Rocket
Coordination skills and fine motor skills are practiced with this cute little craft. Simply color craft sticks, form your rocket ship, and glue them together to make individual rockets.
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12. Constellation Cookies
One of the most amazing ideas for a space-themed unit is to include snacks! Create some cute little constellation cookies and let preschoolers use chocolate chips and sprinkle to build the constellations.
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13. Moon Craters
Concepts about space can include exploring planets and the moons. Let students explore information about moons and their craters, then give them the chance to make their own moon craters with this hands-on experiment.
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14. Space Sensory Bin
Use water beads or black beans to create a space sensory bin for your preschoolers. Add little planets and other small space items, like rockets or space shuttles. Students will have tons of creative and imaginative playtime in this sensory bin.
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15. Toilet Paper Roll Rocket
Toilet paper tubes are perfect for creating rockets or even space shuttles. Allowing students the creativity to build and decorate their own space ships may make this activity one of the most exciting space crafts in your unit.
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16. Busy Box
A felt busy box is great for calm downtime. Students will enjoy building scenes from space and creating new adventures for their own little astronauts. You can encourage them to tell the story of their astronauts during circle time to help build communication skills.
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17. Telescope
Little ones will enjoy making their own little telescopes out of toilet paper or paper towel rolls. This fun space activity is great for an art center and the finished product can be used in a dramatic play center. Students can paint, color, and add glitter to decorate!
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18. Space Themed Opposite Match Up
This is a game preschoolers will love! They will learn as they play. Matching opposites will be a great way to practice vocabulary building for these little learners. The space-themed opposite cards are easy to print and laminate and can be reused for centers.
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19. Space Scissors Practice
Fine motor skills are important at this age, and this lift-off to outer space practice will be great for independent work at their seats or in centers. Students need a chance to practice using scissors with proper grip and hand placement, and this activity will be ideal!
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20. Space Sensory Bags
A little glitter paint in a ziplock bag is a great start to a space-themed sensory bag. You can add letters, stars, suns and moons, and other space-themed items. Sensory bags are great ways to keep little hands busy.
Learn more: Littles Love Learning
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