Fun Facts about the Solar System for Kids and Fun Astronomy Games

The solar system for kids can be quite an amazing place, and you will find that teaching astronomy for kids can be a lot of fun. The truth is that kids love the solar system and the universe, as it is a giant place that presents them with endless hours of imagination and fun.

Teaching kids astronomy is a great way to get them interested in natural sciences, and there are all kinds of astronomy projects that you can use to teach your kids all kinds of things about the solar system.

Why not look into a few astronomy quiz tests, astronomy kids books, astronomy science fair projects, and fun astronomy for beginners lessons you can use to teach your kids?

There is really an endless amount of information on the planets for kids, facts about the 9 planets, information on the tenth planet, ways to teach the order of the planets, ways to make solar system models and other solar system science project ideas, some fun solar system games, facts about the solar system and the universe, and other fun solar system projects for kids that you can use to help your kids learn all about the planets in the night sky.

By using these fun kids astronomy lessons to teach your kids planets and other fun solar system facts, you will find that you can spark your interest in the world and the universe around them.

Teaching Solar System for Kids and Making Astronomy Fun

It is very important to make astronomy fun for your kids, as it is often difficult for kids to leave behind their video games and TV programs to actually do something educational.

If you don't give them something that will be equally as entertaining as the things they find fun, it will be a huge challenge for them to learn anything due to the fact that they will be constantly complaining that "it's boring!"

For this reason, you have to make astronomy fun for your kids, as that is what will help them to start being interested in these natural science themes - themes that can present them with no end of interesting things to learn about.

Teaching kids astronomy or the solar system is going to be a challenge, but it can be a lot of fun at the same time. After all, you are going to be learning a lot about the solar system and the universe around us, and you can find all kinds of amazing things to do to teach the kids.

You will actually be learning right along with them, and you will find that your interest in the universe is just as piqued as theirs.

In the end, the journey that you will all go on together will lead to amazing discoveries and learning of marvels that you had no idea existed.

How to Help Your Kids Remember the Order of the Planets

It is hard for many kids to remember exactly the order of the planets, but there are a number of simple mnemonic or memory devices to help your kids learn.

The devices use the first letter of the name of the planet (i.e. N for Neptune, E for Earth, J for Jupiter, etc.) and make simple phrases to help your kids remember.

For example:

Mary's Violet Eyes Make John Sit Up Nights Period
My Very Educated Mother Just Showed Us Nine Planets

These simple mnemonic devices can help your kids to remember the order of the planets easily!

10 Great Facts about the 9 Planets

Here are some interesting things that you can use to teach solar system for kids, and more specifically, facts about the 9 planets:

1. Saturn isn't the only ringed planet - other gas giants such as Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune also have rings, they are just less obvious.
   
   
2. Footprints and tire tracks left behind by astronauts on the moon will stay there forever as there is no wind to blow them away.
   
   
3. Many scientists believe that an asteroid impact caused the extinction of the dinosaurs around 65 million years ago.
   
   
4. The Moon appears to have more craters and scars than Earth because it has a lot less natural activity going on, the Earth is constantly reforming its surface through earthquakes, erosion, rain, wind and plants growing on the surface, while the moon has very little weather to alter its appearance.
   
   
5. Jupiter's 4 biggest moons are named Europa, Ganymede, Callisto and Io. It is because of the Sun & Moons gravity that we have high & low tides.
   
   
6. Some of the fastest meteoroids can travel through the solar system at a speed of around 42 kilometers per second (26 miles per second).
   
   
7. In 2006, astronomers changed the definition of a planet. This means that Pluto is now referred to as a dwarf planet.
   
   
8. The Solar System formed around 4.6 billion years ago.
   
   
9. Because of lower gravity, a person who weighs 100kg on earth would only weigh 38kg on the surface of Mars.
   
   
10. The first man made object sent into space was in 1957 when the Russian satellite named Sputnik was launched.

(These facts about the 9 planets are obtained from www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/space.html)

 What About the Tenth Planet?

Most kids will have no idea that the tenth planet exists, and there still is a lot of controversy going on about whether or not it really is a planet.

Either way, it can be a great thing for your kids to learn about…

1. The tenth planet is named Eris, also the name of the Goddess of Discord in Greek mythology.
   
   
2. It was discovered in 2005, and it is actually bigger than the ninth planet, Pluto.
   
   
3. It requires around 550 years for the planet Eris to go around the sun a single time, while Pluto only takes about 250 years. However, the path of the planet's orbit actually brings it closer to the sun at one point than Pluto.
   
   
4. You can actually see the planet if you look through a really powerful telescope (a backyard telescope will do), but it will be an even tinier dot of light than Pluto is.

All these solar system facts and facts about the 9 planets are incredibly fascinating and great for teaching kids about the solar system. And the truth is that your child is sure to develop an interest in the solar system if you can present them with these facts in a fun way.

This interesting solar system information is guaranteed to have his or her attention, and all you will have to do is encourage that fascination and provide them with the tools they need to learn more!

More Inspiration to Help Teaching Kids Fun Solar System Facts

Teaching kids about the solar system and solar system facts can be a challenge, especially if you know that your kids really aren't going to pay attention unless you make things fun.

If you really want to teach astronomy for kids, it is essential that you find fun things to do to teach them.

Here are some ways to make the solar system for kids a whole lot more fun for them:

Go Online and Do Some Research

You can spend hours sifting through website after website on solar system for children finding all kinds of interesting facts and information on the planets, or you can find games and other educational tools online.

The internet is basically your ultimate resource for fun ways to teach your kids all about the solar system, and you would do well to spend some time looking up more fun things to do.

The truth is that there is no end to the information that you can find on solar system for kids, and you should have no problem coming up with all kinds of fun things to do if you just look!

Encourage Your Kids to Experiment and Study on Their Own

If you want your kids to be interested, they will have to develop the interest themselves.

You can only give them so much encouragement, but why not get them a telescope that will help them to look into the night sky and see the stars?

This simple gift may be a bit costly, but it is a great way to spark the kids' interest in all things universe-related.

After all, once they can see the marvels of the universe for themselves, you will find that they will be much more fascinated.

Make It a Fun Experience for Them

One thing that many parents do is encourage their kids to learn, but they don't join in on the experiences with them.

If you really want to make solar system fun for them, why not take your kids camping, bring along a telescope, and spend the whole night staring at the stars.

You can take some time to learn more about the constellations in the night sky, look at the stars through the telescope, and share a nice snack together.

It's all about making it fun, so find creative ways to share the experiences with the kids.

Check out Some Books from the Library

There have been thousands of books written on the solar system, and many of them are written directly for kids.

If you want to get your kids interested, why not check out some of the books on the solar system for kids from your library?

There are also all kinds of fun novels and movies (like John Carter of Mars, for example) that can help your kids learn about the stars and the planets, so get some of these resources and start using them.

Take a Trip to the Planetarium

The planetarium may seem like a boring place to you seeing as you have probably gone a number of times, but it will be a brand new experience for your kids that are attending the first time.

You will find that a trip to the planetarium will be well worth it, as it will open your kids' eyes and give them an insight into the solar system and the marvels of the universe.

It can be a great way to spark your kids' interest, and they will no doubt spend the entire trip home talking about all the amazing things that they saw.

Use Computer Software and Games

There is a wide variety of computer games that you can find in stores, games that will help to teach your kids all about the planets and the universe.

Some of these games are more educational than fun, but they will be an excellent resource to help your kids learn about the solar system - as well as a number of other solar systems beyond ours.

There is also educational software that isn't game-oriented, but can be an interactive trip through the solar system.

Find TV Programs and Movies

Nearly every educational TV program has at least one or two episodes that deal with space, the sun, the universe, the solar system, etc.

Find programs like The Magic School Bus (more for smaller kids), Bill Nye the Science Guy (oriented for older children), and more that focus on the solar system will help your kids learn.

Visit Sci-Fi Conventions

This may sound silly, but many of the Star Wars, Star Trek, and other Sci-Fi conventions not only feature all the fan fiction and movies, but most also offer educational resources and booths as well.

Most of these conventions have a special science area with people providing fascinating information on the world of science, with real information about real things.

These are just a few ways to make it fun for your kids to learn about the solar system, but the sky is the limit!

How to Use Astronomy Trivia and an Astronomy Quiz to Help Kids Learn

Astronomy trivia can be a fun game to play with your kids, and you may find that your kids will actually have a lot more fun learning facts about the universe and the solar system if it is made into a game like this.

• Go online, download an Astronomy quiz, and separate each of the questions into cards with their answers on the back.
  
  
• Bring out your board game of Trivial Pursuit, and play Astronomy Trivia with the same rules as the regular game.

You can adapt the gameplay to suit the Astronomy trivia, and it can be a fun way for your kids to learn all about the solar system and the stars.

An astronomy quiz may not be the most entertaining thing to use to teach your kids, but you can use the questions to make it more fun for them.

You don't have to give them the quiz in the form of a test, but it can be sort of like a "Mother May I" or "Simon Says" sort of game where each of the kids can only advance if they answer a question correctly.

2 Great Solar System Games

Playing solar system games can be a fun way to help your kids learn more about the planets, and you can even customize some regular games to make them more fun for your kids.

Space Monopoly

Monopoly has only 8 different colors, but you can use them to teach the kids about the first 8 planets.

• Invent real estate names on the planet, but use real facts about the planet (the rings of Saturn, Jupiter's red spot, etc.) to help them learn more about the various planets.
  
  
• The "Go to Jail" area can be where the kids learn a bit more about Pluto, and you can use the Community Chest and Chance cards to quiz your kids about the sun - with rewards for those that answer correctly.

Changing your monopoly game in this way can make it a great way to spend an afternoon learning more about the solar system.

Space Chess

Chess boards are also 8 spaces wide, which is perfect for those that believe that Pluto is a dwarf planet and not a real planet.

• Each of the primary pieces can be one planet, the white pawns are the sun, and the black pawns are Pluto and Eris (the 10th planet).
  
  
• Every time a piece is moved, the person who moved the piece has to read a fact on the planet (print out a fact sheet), and any time a piece is captured a fact about that planet has to be read.

Chess and space - what a way to go!

You can customize pretty much any game you want to be more solar system-oriented, so get creative and find fun ways to learn more about the universe with home board and card games focused on teaching about the solar system for kids!

3 Fun Astronomy Projects: Educating the Solar System for Kids:

If you are going to be teaching your kids astronomy, it is important to find some fun astronomy projects that you can do to help them learn in a fun way.

Here are a few projects that you can do with your kids, projects that will make learning about the solar system a whole lot of fun for them:

Moon Design

This project is all about getting the kids to think creatively about what it would be like to live on the moon if we weren't able to live on the earth.

The kids can use any kind of building blocks - Lego, Duplex, etc. - and they will create their own little moon cities.

As they build, you can explain to them all about the need for water, how the sun helps you to generate electricity, the importance of putting space for everyone, and a lot more.

Each of the kids will be able to build their own moon colonies, and you can learn all about the geography of the moon in order to help them decide where their base will be set up.

You can even find fun ways to link all the moon cities together, learning about the distances on the moon and so much more!

Spaceship Creation

Kids love to build stuff, and having them build a spaceship can be a great way to spend a school day or even a weekend.

What you can do is study the design of the spaceships currently used by NASA, and then you and your kids can actually build your own using papier-mâché.

You can also make a frame for the spaceship out of wires, and the boosters on the side of the spaceship can be made out of large soda bottles or other cylindrical objects.

If the kids are creative, they can make their own spaceships out of all kinds of materials, and you can examine each spaceship to learn a bit more about how the vacuum of space works and how their spaceships would fly.

It can be a great way to not only get creative, but to have fun with learning about space travel and distances.

Comet Builder

This is a fairly complex creation, but it can help your kids to learn all about what comets are and how they are made.

To make the comet, you will need to use plastic liner to protect a bowl as you mix corn syrup, sand, ammonia together.

Get some dry ice, crush it up with a hammer, and mix it into the other ingredients to create a mixture that will freeze solid.

Remove the block of ice from the bowl, and shape it using your hands until it resembles a comet (make sure not to touch the ice, but use gloves and shape it by pressing on the plastic liner).

Teach the kids about how things move faster when they are closer to the sun, and how they move more slowly the farther away they get.

Also comment on how the heat is less farther away from the sun, and show them how gravity swings the comet around and sends it flying out into space.

These are just three fascinating solar system projects that you can do to teach solar system for kids, and there are many more amazing projects that will help to spark your kids' interest in all the wonderful things the universe can teach them.

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