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Do you have a future little astronaut, astronomer, or rocket scientist at home bursting with excitement about all things space related?  Here’s a fun activity that will make them ‘over the moon’ excited!

Background:

The Moon is the most recognizable object in the night sky.  It seems almost ‘magical’ as it glows, changes shape, and ‘disappears’ throughout the month.  The dark spots on the Moon are called craters.  These craters were left behind from asteroids that hit the moon.  Asteroids are rocky or metallic structures that come in all shapes and sizes.  Asteroids often collide with other objects in space like the moon. After an asteroid collides with the moon, a ‘crater’ forms on the surface. These craters tell scientists quite a bit about the history of our solar system!

Now it’s time for your little space lover to test out their own skills creating craters on their very own moons!  Work with your child to look around the house to find objects (‘asteroids’), to make craters in their moon.  Some examples might be bolts, rocks, Legos, pencils, toothpicks, toys, etc.  Let your child’s imagination, creativity and curiosity lead the way.

Here’s what you need to make your moon:

• One 4 inch smooth Polystyrene Ball (‘moon’)
• Objects (‘asteroids’) to make craters
• A base for your ‘moon’ (we used half of a Polystyrene ball and a toothpick)
• One paintbrush
• A plate or container to hold the paint for painting
• Glow in the Dark paint

Here’s what you do:

1. Ask your child to push the ‘asteroids’ into the 4 inch Styrofoam ball to create craters.
2. Push a toothpick into the center of the Styrofoam ball half and place the 4 inch Styrofoam ball (‘moon’) on top of the toothpick.
3. Use a paint brush to brush on two layers of glow in the dark paint.
4. The first layer will need to dry completely. After it dries, apply the second layer.
5. After the second layer is dry, ‘charge’ the glow in the dark paint under a light for about 5 minutes.
6. Turn off the lights or go to a dark room and check out the glowing moon!

Check out my YouTube channel below for the video on how to make the Moons!

Did you know that NASA has a new program to return to the Moon?  For more information, check out NASA’s Artemis program website. Are you looking for more space activities, books, or movies to ignite your child’s curiosity? Check out all my recommended great things about space!

-Kristen