Preschool Astronomy - The Phases of the Moon

The first thing preschoolers see in the night sky is the moon. Many preschoolers are fascinated with the moon; not only the shapes of the moon and but that the moon seems to follow them during long car rides. With this fun preschool science activity, you can teach your preschooler the shapes or phases of the moon and how the moon changes over the course of a month.

What your Preschooler will Learn:

That the shape of the moon changes over the course of a 28 day cycle
What a circle is
What a crescent is

What you will Need to Teach the Phases of the Moon:

A sheet of paper
Pens

What to Do to Teach the Phases of the Moon:

Step one: Start this science activity by creating a chart with twenty-eight boxes on it. Put a title on it, such as 'Shapes or Phases of the Moon'. You can even print out pictures of the moon and glue them on as a border.

Step two: Check your calender for when a full moon is.

Step three: Take your preschooler outside on a full moon and have them find the moon. Point out that it’s in a full circle, called a full moon. Point out the 'Man in the Moon'. If you don’t know what this is, stare at a full moon. You’ll quickly see how the shadows on the moon's surface seem to form a 'face'.

Step four: Draw a picture of it on your chart. It doesn't have to be perfect, so don't stress about this part.

Step five: For the next twenty-eight days (weather permitting) take your preschooler outside and have them find the moon. Every day draw a new picture of the moon on the chart. Over time, your preschooler will notice that the moon is changing in shape. It shrinks away to nothing, and then comes back to its full moon shape.

Variations:

If you can't draw the moon shapes or want to be very accurate, print out these pictures from the US Navy Observatory and glue them onto your chart.
You don't have to take your preschooler outside every day. Every other day or every third day should be enough for them to understand how the shape of the moon keeps changing.

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