Pumpkin 1 has been fascinated learning about our solar system. She has decided she wants to be an astronaut and go to Mars. She tells the daycare kids, “I’m going to go to Mars one day”.
I have been learning so much about the Solar System that I didn’t know. Like that there are at least 5 dwarf planets including one between Mars and Jupiter called Ceres. And that Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune are made up of a gas and have no solid surface. I got this book from Amazon and it’s amazing. It’s perfect for Kindergarten age and is full of colourful pictures.
We also have this solar system from Discovery Toys.
It’s great to show how the planets go around the sun but I wish the planets turned around too and a moon going around earth would be awesome. The planetarium part is disappointing. We used to have a planetarium as a child and I loved it (though it was my brother’s). I’ve been hunting for an affordable one for my kids. I decided to go with this one because it’s affordable and has ok reviews. We should get it in the mail soon and I’ll review it for you.
I wanted 3 part cards that had all planet on them but I couldn’t find any so I made my own. That took a lot of work but I’m very happy with the results.
(The blanket on the carpet is to protect it from accidents from Pumpkin 2, who is pretty much toilet trained except when he’s too involved in playing. I can just pick it up and throw it in the wash and the carpet is safe).
It has the 8 large planets and 5 dwarf planets as well as the major moons. Pumpkin’s favourite moon is Callisto because it looks sparkly. There is also the 3 types of galaxies, other items in space such as 2 asteroids, comets, stars and meteoroids and nebulas (they’re so beautiful I had to include 3). Each card as some info on the back.
You can download the cards for your own use below.
Solar System Cards cursive: Solar System 3 part cards
Solar System Cards print: Solar System 3 part cards print
When you print them out print the planet pictures first (the odd number pages) and then print the information on the back (the even number pages). These can be your control cards. Then you can print off a second set of the picture cards and cut the labels off along the line.
The Solar System chart is from here:
I also printed off the symbols for the planets. Astronauts need to know that too of course!
I just printed them off from the below site and cut them out.
Though I try to avoid screen time, space is just something you have to see. To see objects floating in space and see what life is like on the International Space Station, is just not something that photos can do justice too. Pumpkin 1 loves to watch videos of life on the ISS. Chris Hadfield, who is a Canadian, has some excellent ones.
Pumpkin also liked watching the female astronaut wash her hair in space.
I’m really glad Pumpkin 1 lives in this generation. 50 years ago being an astronaut wouldn’t have been open to her being a girl. Now she can dream big space dreams.
Pumpkins and Me 