The United Nations declared World Space Week based on the recognition of two important dates in space history: the launch of the first human-made Earth satellite, Sputnik1, on October 4, 1957; and the signing of the Outer Space Treaty on October 10, 1967. World Space Week is the largest annual space event in the world. Last year, it was celebrated with over 8,000 events in 96 countries. Events included school activities, exhibitions, government events, and special activities at planetaria around the world. From books, to toys, gear and activities, we’re celebrating everything “space” for curious minds from toddlers to adults!
BLASTOFF WITH BOOKS
One of the incredible things after the launch of SpaceX has been seeing our kids’ love for all things space grow even more. So we have taken that passion and channeled it to dive deeper into learning about space. A great book if you want to see if you have what it takes to be an astronaut is Astronaut Academy. From building a rocket to practicing the hand-eye coordination necessary to fix a spaceship, the academy series features activities, cool quizzes, and super skill tests. Stickers, model, poster, and games included. There are several different jobs to explore in this series and it is a great supplement to at home/virtual learning as it is activity-based! Another one of our favorites is Dr. Maggie’s Grand Tour of the Solar System. Written by Space scientist Dr. Maggie Aderin-Pocock, it takes readers on the trip of a light-speed lifetime. It is full of facts about the planets, asteroids and more. Plus we love her personal story. She has dyslexia and when she was younger she told a teacher she wanted to be an astronaut. The teacher responded, “Become a nurse. That is scientific too.” Our other favorites include Dogs in Space, which is base on the true story of cosmonaut dogs, Belka and Strelka, On the Space Station Shine-A-Light, where you use a flashlight to reveal to reveal facts and You Choose in Space. It is a great building block for creative writing as it encourages imagination and problem solving.
For the older readers, the Extraordinary Life series is great. It includes Katherine Johnson and Neil Armstrong. From real-life narratives to timelines and facts, each fully illustrated book focuses on the life of an inspirational historical or modern figure. Explore the childhood, the achievements, and the qualities of each figure – the very things that helped them have such an incredible impact on the world.
CREATIVITY TO THE MOON AND BACK
As a parent, we are most thrilled with education and play can intersect and ignite creativity in our kids. So when we found CreateOn Magna-Tiles Structure and Storybook Sets we were smitten. Our boys immediately lit up at the chance to build their own spaceship. The Galaxy Rocket Ship allows them to build a replica on one side, and the other side of the tiles includes all the planets of our solar system, two versions of the sun, the moon, and an astronaut! Plus the sets are compatible with the original Magna-Tiles for endless opportunities to create.
To understand the phases of the moon, we turned to a childhood classic — Eric Carle’s Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me. This set is based on the book and teaches your little ones about the moon phases while helping to develop storytelling skills too. So whether you’re helping Papa build a ladder to reach the moon, or you’re arranging the tiles to show the phases of the moon, these colorful magnetic tiles are sure to a hit!
OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD FASHIONS
Adventurous Astronauts! Whether you are studying the moon or dreaming of space travel, it is always fun to dress the part. Piccolina Kids has the most adorable dresses, embroidered skirts and shirts for your aspiring astronaut. We love the detail and quality of the pieces and our kids love how soft they are and twirling in their dresses. From Katherine Johnson and Mae Jamison to other women who have helped shape our history, we love their Trailblazer t-shirt line. We love how it gives our girls women to look up to who not only did astonishing things in their field of work but also broke barriers for women everywhere. Mae Carol Jemison was the first African-America female to be selected to join the NASA training program and the first to travel in space. Katherine Johnson is an American mathematician who calculated and analyzed the flight paths of many spacecraft during her more than three decades with the U.S. space program. During her career at NASA, she earned a reputation for mastering complex manual calculations and helped pioneer the use of computers to perform the tasks.
Solar System Snuggles! Kids love to be comfortable and this loungewear set from goumi in Many Moons tops our list for practical and playful. Whether running errands, homeschooling or bedtime, the two-piece set is perfect. They are made of super soft material that is 70% bamboo 30% organic cotton. They are breathable, antimicrobial (which is huge especially during COVID) plus they have peek-a-boo heels, thumbs holes, and a giant pocket (for carrying around their favorite stuffed friend!)
This collection is meant to inspire families to dream big and we love that since the beginning, goumi has contributed 10% of their profits to lift the planet’s most vulnerable – helping rescued human trafficking victims stay rescued and giving preemie mitts to families in need in the NICU.
Galaxy Gear! From sanitizers to supplies, there is so much more to pack in this quarantine climate. We love jujube backpacks and bags and take them most everywhere we go! They have pockets for your phone and keys, sunglasses, water bottles and clothes, snacks and even a laptop if needed. Plus they are machine washable and come in a variety of patterns like these two fun space themes — Galaxy and Harry Potter Lumos Maxima.
STARGAZING AND STEM CHALLENGES
Studying the Stars from Home! One of the positive things that has come out of the pandemic is companies developing amazing resources for families to support learning from home. Morehead Planetarium has a whole curated page Morehead at Home with 360 degree planetarium videos, educational videos, and a virtual skywatching. There is also curriculum and resources for parents and teachers for a variety of age groups. Even if you miss the virtual skywatching sessions, they have them archived and each one has accompanying activities. We liked the free Star Chart printable that shares how to spot stars in Carolina’s Fall skies and Do You Have a Birthday Star?
NC State University’s Science House has also created The Science House Express. It has STEM virtual content for K-12 students, parents and educators. The best part is that new content is released Monday, Wednesday and Friday! The content is organized each week by a theme and everything is archived so you can use it at your convenience. We have found these resources great for when our child gets excited about something, we can study it more in depth with resources like these. Your family can blastoff with It is Rocket Science straw rocket experiment and hear from Ashby Scruggs, President of the High Powered Rocketry Club NC State University. You can also Size Up the Solar System with Dr. Kathryn Stack Morgan, a research scientist at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
