This week, we continue our theme of “The World Around Me”. We will learn about changes in the sky. The sky is home to the sun, the moon, and the stars. When is the last time you looked up at the night sky? Children are often fascinated by clouds, the stars, the sun, and the moon.
Spending time with your child studying the clouds, the stars, identifying constellations, or mapping the phases of the moon is a fun way to pique their curiosity while also continuing to help them understand changes.
You can create a fun and educational activity at home using black-and-white sandwich cookies. Begin by showing your child a picture or drawing of the moon phases. Explain that the moon changes shape in the sky throughout the month. Next, give your child a cookie and show them how to gently twist it open to reveal the cream inside. Using a plastic knife, help your child scrape to mimic the different phases of the moon.
For example, leave all the cream for a full moon, scrape off half the cream for a half moon, and scrape off most of the cream for a crescent moon. Arrange each “moon phase” cookie on a paper plate in order, from new moon to full moon and back to new moon. As you create each phase, discuss its name and how it looks in the sky.
