Space Activities for Preschoolers

"If the idea of the universe is presented to the child in the right way, it will do more for him than just arouse his interest. For it will create in him admiration and wonder, a feeling loftier than any interest and more satisfying."

- Maria Montessori

Autumn is right around the corner and for us that means cool temperatures, warm blankets, hot cocoa, autumn spices, an explosion of colorful fall foliage, harvest celebrations, stargazing, twinkle lights, and all the hygge you can handle.  It also means space activities for preschoolers.

As we prepare to welcome another beautiful season, filled with flannel, earthy tones, and moonlit evenings, we thought we'd share some of what we like to do this time of year.

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What are Montessori Unit Studies?

I've been getting some questions about how we do our unit studies. To be honest it can vary a bit.  We have our general framework. However, it can look very different with each unit, depending on what our children are interested in at the time. That determines what resources we use as a result.  

One benefit of Montessori homeschooling, or even homeschool in general, is the ability to treat our unit studies as family subjects.  For us, that means a multi-age environment with children working on the same subject simultaneously. 

Multi-age learning environments are the standard in Montessori education and this works well for us. Our oldest two spend most of their time together.  As a result, splitting them up to focus on different areas doesn't fit with our normal rhythm and routine. 

For us, it makes sense to include books, materials, and opportunities appropriate for our 2 y.o. son and our 3.5 y.o. daughter. 

When our youngest gets a bit older, she will participate as well.  For now, she seems content listening to the read-alouds, bonding with her siblings, and engaging in her own work while soaking up the atmosphere as her siblings work nearby.

When Should You Provide Montessori Space Activities for Kids?

Our children's persistent interest in the dark has peaked now that the sun is setting at a noticeably earlier time each day.  They have a solar system night light/projector in their room that they are very attached to. It's part of their bedtime routine.  As a result, this is an excellent time for us to do solar system activities.  It is, for the most part, new vocabulary for my son and will serve as a great way to explore more in-depth some topics that would otherwise be a review of last year's curriculum for our oldest.  Be sure to check out this Geography post for more on our experience last year. 

If you're interested in incorporating unit studies into your Montessori homeschool curriculum and your child is showing interest, this is a great choice for the earlier part of your academic year.  Montessori Geography focuses on educating children using a systems-based approach. It begins with large-scale physical geography and slowly narrows its focus to smaller-scale features such as biomes and political geography. In short, you'll be starting with the solar system for the primary years.

Free Pre-K & Kindergarten Homeschool Course

Would you like to learn more about how to homeschool your preschooler or kindergartener the Montessori way?

This 8-week course will provide parents and caregivers with a no-nonsense approach to homeschooling. You will learn how to homeschool using hands-on, child-centered, and diverse learning experiences.

This course covers ALL the relevant subjects. You'll receive information and insight that will help you identify what is best for your child. You'll also be introduced to plenty of free resources along the way.

Most importantly, you will walk away with the tools and resources you need to confidently begin your own homeschooling journey.

Montessori Space Activities for Preschoolers

This unit uses an interdisciplinary approach in its space activities for preschoolers. It even includes space crafts for kids and resources for additional craft-making. In addition, this Montessori solar system unit provides opportunities for matching, sorting, sequencing, and pattern work. You'll find lots of new vocabulary and language work in the books and 3-part cards.

Montessori Space Activities for Preschoolers Picture Books & Field Guides

• Planetarium - We have several in this series and they're great books to open up on the floor and gather around.  The illustrations are amazing and my daughter loves looking through this book.
• Older Than the Stars - Covers the connection between humans and the beginning of the universe.  Great resource for Montessori Cosmic Education.
• Zoo in the Sky:  A Book of Animal Constellations - This book is beautiful and perfect for an animal lover.  Pairs well with our Constellation 3-part cards.
• Glow-in-the-Dark Constellations:  A Field Guide for Young Stargazers - This is an excellent field guide for a preschooler and covers some introductory topics, such as how and where you'll see various constellations depending on location and season.  It glows in the dark.  Can't beat that.  Also pairs well with our 3-part cards.
• Hello World!  Solar System - Great first book on the solar system.  My son spends a lot of time looking at this board book.  It's very bright and attractive.
• Planets, Moon, and Stars:  Take-Along Guide - We have several in this series as well.  It's packed full of useful information, colorful illustrations, and even includes some simple activities.
• You Are Stardust - Another great selection for Montessori Cosmic Education
• Born with a Bang:  The Universe Tells Our Cosmic Story - Cosmic Education story told from the perspective of the universe
• Moon:  A Peek-Through Picture Book - Great choice for incorporating wildlife and phases of the moon
• Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars:  Space Poems and Paintings:  Rhythmic, creative poems about space

See our full collection of Montessori Books about the Universe.

Books on Relevant People

• Caroline's Comets - Caroline Herschel, scientist and astronomer
• Star Stuff - Carl Sagan, scientist, astronomer, cosmologist, astrophysicist
• My Journey to the Stars - Scott Kelly, engineer, astronaut
• Margaret and the Moon - Margaret Hamilton, computer scientist

Activities and Shelf Work

• Stargazing, use of field guides
• Music - The Solar System Song to the tune of Yankee Doodle and The Family of the Sun to the tune of The Farmer in the Dell
• Object to Picture Matching using Solar System 3-Part Cards & Safari Ltd Solar System
• Constellation Tiles
• Constellation 3-Part Cards
• Earth vs Space Sorting (FREE)
• Planets Pattern Sequencing {Similar}
• Creating/Using Felt Solar System
• Rotation vs Revolution simulation
• Seasons Mat with Celebration Sun and Montessori Sandpaper Globe using the Waseca Biomes Curriculum Guide
• Solar System Coloring Pages

Get a $15 coupon toward your first Waseca Biomes purchase.

These Mirus Toys Constellation Tiles pair well with the field guide and other constellation books in this unit. Our collection consists of the Animals in the Sky (set of 6) and 4 custom tiles (Ursa Major, Draco, Orion, and Canis Major) for a total of 10 constellation tiles. This gives us a nice set of circumpolar (visible year-round) and seasonal constellations for our location in the Northern Hemisphere.

Free Constellations 3-Part Cards

These three-part cards are perfect for introducing constellations to kids. To use these as 3-part cards, simply print two copies of the printable and then cut the labels off the cards on one of the copies. Children can match the picture and then match the label as they show readiness.

The best part: these cards grow with your learners. Kids can also sort the cards into rows or columns using the heading cards: Year-Round Constellations, Winter Constellations, Spring Constellations, Summer Constellations, and Autumn Constellations. The colors of the cards provide a control of error so that kids can self-correct when completing this work independently.

These constellation cards are will be a great resource for the elementary years as kids become more familiar with the stars.

This Earth vs. Space Sorting activity is lots of fun. Also, there are tons of ways to extend the learning with these, depending on the age of the child.

The Waseca Biomes Seasons Mat and Celebration Sun are excellent materials for demonstrating the rotation of the earth on its axis, the revolution of the earth around the sun, and the resulting seasons.

We come back to these materials frequently for various lessons throughout the school year for preschool and elementary. In addition, the mats are used for our Montessori birthday celebrations.

Get a $15 coupon toward your first Waseca Biomes purchase.

Space Activities for Preschoolers Conclusion

This unit study work is self-directed and self-correcting.  My 3.5-year-old typically completes all the works, and teaches my 2-year-old at times when he is interested.  My 2-year-old is currently focusing a lot of his attention on the solar system board book, the music, and the art materials.  Scissors are his jam right now.

Most of the printables are free and we used mostly resources we already owned.  In fact, the Safari Ltd Solar System miniatures and the felt are the only materials we acquired for this unit. However, they will be useful in other works throughout the school year.

Special thanks to all the folx for the printables and Cosmic Montessori School for sharing the book suggestions.

More Montessori Unit Studies

• Oceania & Coral Reef Unit
• Geology & Paleontology Unit Study
• Montessori Tree Unit Study
• Continent Studies: Antarctica
• Montessori Community Helpers Unit Study

Thanks for stopping by!

- Kristin