Backyard Summer Camp: Outer Space Week

If you're home with your kids this summer, you know that a little preparation can go a long way to keep everyone busy and happy. There is nothing I despise more than whining, so until my kids are old enough to "go play" by themselves, I'm sticking with Backyard Summer Camp.

Kids who like aliens, planets, and stars are sure to love these ideas for active/outdoor play, quieter/hands-on play, as well as a couple of destinations to get everyone out of the house while staying here on Earth. Be sure to check out Wacky Sports Week and Under the Sea Week ideas, too!

Outer Space

Active Play

• ·      Catch a Falling Star (try to get inflated balloons into a laundry basket, using pool noodles)
• ·      Chalk aliens: lie down on the driveway & trace each other with sidewalk chalk; have kids color in the outlines to turn everyone into aliens
• ·      Planetary Volleyball (pretend the ball is a planet – let kids pick their favorite) 
•     In our house, there's bound to be some lightsaber game where we need to defeat the battle droids (imaginary, of course)
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Quiet Play

• ·      Spaceship craft - with alien or without alien (paper bowls, aluminum foil, glue, etc.)
• ·      Make jet packs (cardboard, ribbon, two empty 2-Liter bottles, silver paint, orange/red felt or foam or streamers, hot glue)
• ·      Make a solar system mobile (paper, etc.)
• ·      Moon rocks (rocks, silver paint, black and white tissue paper, glitter glue)
• ·      Galaxyplay-dough (2 c. flour, 2 c. water, food coloring, 1 Tbsp. oil, 1 Tbsp. cream of tartar, 1 c. salt, glitter, star shapes, faux gems, etc.)
• ·      Fiery suns (paper, paint, plastic wrap)
• ·      Handprint alien (paint, paper, google eyes - make a handprint with only three fingers & pointing up; add eyes to top of each fingerprint; draw legs)
• ·      Balloon rocket (cardboard tube, balloon, card stock, safety scissors, glue, markers/crayons)
• ·      Footprint rocket (white paint, black paper)
• ·      StarWars crafts (Yoda & Chewbacca puppets - need to print the templates & directions, plus a trip to the craft store...but will be worth it for any fanboys & fangirls!)
• ·      Make a LEGO space ship and aliens
• ·      Read stories about planets, outer space
• ·      Write a story together about visiting outer space. Let kids illustrate.

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Field Trips

• ·      Visit a planetarium and check out a giant-screen film
• ·      Go to the library for books about the planets, outer space

Have fun with your own Outer Space Week! As always, thanks for reading.