The Ultimate Space Week Guide for Early Years

Come explore World Space Week with us, celebrating the theme of 2023: “Space and Entrepreneurship”

What is World Space Week?

This year World Space Week will be held from October 4-10, 2023.  World Space Week is an annual event that celebrates science and technology and their impact on the development of the human condition. The theme of 2023: World Space Week 2023: Celebrating Space and Entrepreneurship.

The week begins on the 4th of October to commemorate the launch of the very  first human-made satellite, Sputnik 1 which took place on October 4th 1957. The week ends on the 10th of October honouring another significant day in space: the signing of the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies which was signed in 1967.

World Space Week is an opportunity to learn about space and how we benefit as a collective from the knowledge and exploration of space.  This is a great opportunity to learn about space programs and to further explore our understanding of our place in the great expansive cosmos. 

What is the theme of World Space Week 2023?

Each year there is a theme for World Space Week, and the theme for the 2023 World Space Week is "Space and Entrepreneurship," a theme that acknowledges the ever-increasing importance of the commercial space sector in the realm of space exploration. 

In the upcoming World Space Week of 2023, global students will be encouraged and motivated to delve into studies related to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) as well as business disciplines. 

Throughout the week, there are thousands of events across over 80 countries in the world. There are educational workshops, online lectures and opportunities to observe planets through telescopes. These global events are an opportunity to educate people about space and the significance of cosmic discoveries. They are also a chance to appreciate and wonder at the vast beauty of our universe. 

Teaching Resources You Can Use During World Space Week 2023: Celebrating Space and Entrepreneurship

We have some fantastic Planets + Space resources to support children's interest based play. Space piques children's curiosity and nurtures their inquisitive nature. Our range of space inspired toys and educational resources support children's learning about the great unknown that is space. 

• The Wild Republic Space Nature Tube
• Set of 9 Planetary Gemstones
• Travelling in Space - Wooden Solar System Set
• Planets Story Teller Discs by my little set
• Outer Space Memory Match by my little set
• Space themed Water Marbles, Flurry, Bio-Glitter by Huckleberry
• Solar System Space Felt Planets 
• Moon Crater Felt Play Mat with Astronaut
• Solar System and Outer Space Felt Playscape with Felt Planets
• Outer Space Story Board by Felt Creations

For 100+ fabulous ideas and freebies check out our Pinterest Space Play Board and follow along! 

The Best 5 Ideas to Celebrate World Space Week 2023: Celebrating Space and Entrepreneurship

1. Make a Star Gazing Galaxy Discovery Bottle! One of my favourite DIY teaching resources for the Science & Nature Table in an early learning setting is a good old fashioned discovery bottle. 

To make these galaxy sensory bottles you will need:

• plastic water bottle, 200-500ml
•  warm water
• glitter glue or glycerin to slow the water's movement down
• star sequins of varying sizes
• gold or silver glitter, fine and super fine (optional)
• clear hand soap (optional)
• hot glue gun, or super glue to secure the lid

Simply add all your ingredients to the bottle and then experiment with your children or students. I could have provided you with measurements BUT that takes away from the learning experience! The whole purpose of science is to learn and discover and experiment. 

2. Make a Space Sensory Play Tray! 

One of my favourite DIY teachers is Loretta from Made for Teaching. She's sent me a sensory and small world play set up using some colourful cosmic sensory rice she's made. She's added in some Wild Republic Space Figurines, a wooden slice platform and some space word cards to inspire some conversation.

3. Make a Space Small World Play Tray with Pebbles and Bling

This pebbley play tray is from Coolibah Kids Family Day Care.  This invitation to play, includes space figurines, small silvery aluminum trays, gems that reflect the light, black aquarium pebbles as the base and a spoon for scooping. Letters also add an explicit literacy element to this gorgeous play tray.  

4. Make a Large Transient Art Table with a Space Theme Twist!

A wonderful offering from Little Mini Lighthouse Family Day Care. In fact I couldn't just pick one of their gorgeous activities to share - so I'm adding in a few! Make sure you follow her Facebook and Instagram accounts. 

5. A Coloured Sensory Play Tray using Salt and Space Images 

This next offering is from Forever and a Play (I really love their name) with their stunning salt sensory play tray. It really is a gorgeous invitation to play. Something so simple yet so effective. A black play tray, vibrant Milky Way Galaxy inspired coloured salt and some printed planets with a little shuttle will certainly inspire children to explore the salt and explore mark making, patterning and colour with a bit of pretend play thrown into the mix! Carly and Gemma do such gorgeous inspiring activities and when my eyes came across this one from last year's space week, I knew I had to ask them for permission to include it in this blog! Check them out at Forever and a Play. 

 More to come ... 

 As I find more amazing ideas, I'll add them in! If you have one you want to share and have featured ... let me know!

Online Resources You Can Use During World Space Week

Videos and Songs about Space for Preschool and the Early Years

The Planets Song by Kids Learning Tube (KLT) which reminds me Alice in Chains! My preschoolers over the years have loved this song! I love it too. 

Don't forget about the Dwarf Planets. They too have their own song on the KLT network! Dwarf Planet Song | Space Explained by KLT

StoryBots Outer Space | Planets, Sun, Moon, Earth and Stars | Solar System Super Song | Fun Learning by StoryBots from Netflix Jr. I also love this one as its hiphop and also my preschoolers have loved it as well. 

Cosmic Relaxation is 8 hours of deep space NASA footage with some relaxation music in the background. I have watched this with many classes and it's just gorgeous resources to use - especially on the large screen.  

Online Space Science Resources for Preschool and the Early Years

NASA has a wealth of images that can be used in the classroom or for children to explore. The new imagery from the James Webb Space Telescope are absolutely awe inspiring and I've used them with preschool classes as well as a Year 4 class to support a budding future space scientist!

NASA Image of the Day:

NASA also has an Image of the Day which is a fanstastic learning prompt you can use with your space loving kiddos, or as a great conversation starter during Space Week. 

Past Themes of Space Week:

What is the theme of World Space Week 2022?

The 2022 World Space Week theme, “Space and Sustainability” allows World Space Week to address sustainability from two angles:

• First, how space benefits society and contributes to sustainable development on Earth and
• Second, what are the challenges ahead of us to keep space activities and the space environment safe and sustainable.

What is the theme of World Space Week 2021?

The theme of World Space Week in 2021 was 'Women in Space'. Traditionally STEM subjects have been seen as the domain of men, and the field is predominantly dominated by men. Over the years this gender imbalance is improving, and there have many amazing contributions by women in the world of science, specifically space exploration.

Some women of note include:

• Judith Love Cohen: Her engineering work included work on the guidance computer for the Minuteman missile and the Abort-Guidance System (AGS) in the Apollo Lunar Module. Her engineering brought the Apollo13 team safely home. She also started a publishing company in her retirement and is the mother of Jack Black the actor. 
• Katharine Bouman: an American scientist who helped pioneer the algorithm responsible for the first images of black holes. 
• Katharine Coleman Goble Johnson, was an African American mathematician, whose work has been instrumental in US space exploration.  She made valuable contributions to critical aeronautics and space programs of the NACA and NASA. She also had to overcome the constraints of segregation and gender bias. Her amazing 33-year career, and contributions are discussed in the best-selling 2016 book “Hidden Figures” by Margot Lee Shetterly and the Academy-Award nominated motion picture of the same name.