Explore
Short & Simple
These hands-on space science activities relate to simple concepts and will take a short amount of time, or can be done as a demonstration. They can be extended through discussion.
Jump To Jupiter
Children explore a scale model of the solar system, counting the number of jumps to each planet.
A Trip to Mars
Children play a game using posters and dice that steps through a human mission to Mars, to learn about the variety of people on the ground supporting missions, and the factors that can affect a mission outcome.
Make a 3D Viewer
Children ages 8 up to adults cut, fold, and tape a stereoscopic viewer to examine planetary stereo images.
Kid Moon: Splat!
Children use water balloons as a model of impacts, comparing the width of the balloon to the width of the splatter.
Making Impact Craters
Children model craters by dropping balls into trays of sand, flour, and cocoa.
Teen Moon: Moon Ooze
Children model how the Moon’s “seas” were made, using edible treats.
Investigating the Insides
Children make observations of mystery “planets” to infer their composition and structure.
Heavyweight Champion: Jupiter!
Children weigh themselves on other worlds using modified scales.
Edible Rocks
Analyze and discuss candy bars with the same terminology used by geologists to study rocks from space.
Meteorite Investigators
Examine rock samples to determine which are meteorites and which are not.
