This month we are focusing our attention on “What is in Space”.

We think this is a great resource for any space themed studies, solar system studies or special days such as: World Space Week, Asteroid Day, and International Moon Day.

The colouring activity has 23 images of what you can find in space including:

• Major planets:  Inner terrestrial/rocky planets - Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars.
•                                 Outer gas giant planets - Jupiter and Saturn.
•                                 Outer ice giant planets - Uranus and Neptune.
• Dwarf planets: Pluto, Eris, Haumea, Makemake, Ceres.
• Space Rocks: Asteroid, Comet, Meteoroids, Meteor Shower, Fireball, and Shooting Star.
• Waning Crescent Moon
• Sun
• Star
• Constellations - Orion
• Astronaut
• Man made space objects: Space Craft, Satellite, Space Junk.

Click the link to download this colouring activity from Planet Designs Kids Planet Designs Kids Free Downloads on our website.

Here are some idea’s on how to extend this colouring activity further:

• Have an excursion at night in your backyard when the stars are out and see what constellations you can see in the night sky. *Do some online research to see what grouping of stars can be seen in your location before heading out. 
• Explore the phases of the moon with food: Bake some circle shaped biscuits, mini pizza’s, slices of bread/wraps cut in circles, or use pieces of fruit that when cut have a circle shape, and have kids nibble the pieces into different phases of the moon. You could even take photo’s of these to make up your own Moon Phase booklet or sheet.
• Inflate balloons to represent the different sized planets, Paper Mache them, then decorate as planets to hang on a string across a window, branch or from the ceiling.
• Use each colouring image as a research topic.
• Create a space themed story. This can be done as individuals or as a group. You can make a one off story by sticking the images into a book as you make up the story and write the words. Or to use over again you could laminate the images then sit around a black piece of paper or cloth, this will be “Space” and as you tell your story place the image cards into “Space” (the black paper/cloth).  As the author remember you can do anything, even bring your toy truck, teddy bear or another character eg an alien into the story. 

To download or print using the above links: 

* Planet Designs Kids Free Downloads (on our website) - click the “Planet Designs Kids Free Downloads” link and it will take you to the free downloads page on our website. Put in your email address and you’ll have free access to all of our free colouring activities. Click “Continue”, then on the page you want click “Download”, and it will then be saved in your downloads folder where you can print it.