World Space Week: a great time to watch the sky with your family

4 October 2020 - 10 October 2020

World Space Week is an annual event celebrating science and technology and their impact on our lives. It celebrates the many benefits we receive from space and space programmes.

This year’s theme is “Satellites Improve Life.”

World Space Week events

There are thousands of space related events in over 80 countries including educational workshops, online lectures and opportunities to observe planets through telescopes. The events provide a chance to appreciate and wonder at the awe-inspiring phenomena of the universe.

Why learn about space?

Space is an incredibly exciting topic for children. Watch them react with amazement as they learn about the vastness of space, the colours and sizes of the different planets and our voyages to the moon and beyond. Learning about space:

· encourages children to love science and sparks their imagination with its rockets, moon landings and different planets and stars.

· encourages children to aim high

· sparks imagination, ignites curiosity and helps children become creative thinkers

· creates our future scientists.

Read books about space to learn more

Take the time to read books and talk with your children about space. No matter how old the children in your life are, you can find fun and appropriate ways to talk about space. Look at the stars at night and talk about how shiny they are and how far away. Talk about the difference between night and day, about the earth and other planets, astronauts and space travel, rockets and moon walking.

Here are some books you can read together

· Moonwalkers by Mark Greenwood

· Astronaut’s Cat by Tohby Riddle

· Grandpa’s Space Adventure by Paul Newman

· General Relativity for Babies by Chris Ferrie

· Puffin Little Scientist: The Solar System by Penguin Random House Australia.

Join in the fun. There are plenty of official opportunities to celebrate World Space Week. You can attend an event online or visit the Australian Space Agency website for a range of learning resources or the Australian Astronomy Association.

Try these fun ideas for children at home

Encourage children to try these activities and talk with them about what they are doing. 

· stargaze together in your backyard and talk about the wonders of the night sky. Use binoculars, a telescope or visit a planetarium.

· write a story about their trip to a planet

· construct their own spaceship cubby

· make a planet collage or landscape

· role-play their landing on the moon

· dress up as an astronaut or space creature

· draw a rocket, planet, or space

Related resources:

· National Geographic Kids eresource

· Kanopy Kids movies and documentaries for all the family

· Story Box Library popular books on a range of topics read aloud. Ask your local library about access.

Ask your local library for some more great resources on space and make the most of World Space Week 2020.