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My kids and I love the moon and love to study the different moon phases. I have a little moon phases activity you can use to teach them to your kids.
When I was a kid, I would look out the window at night while driving and watch the moon. I remember always saying that it felt like the moon was following me. So, we started calling it “My Friend the Moon”. I think that has always made the moon a special thing to me. I dreamed of one day walking on the moon. Ok, I still do! Did you know this year is the 50th anniversary of Neil Armstrong walking on the moon? Cool, right?
Moon Books for Kids
I have two moon books books to share with you that are greatly loved around here:
If You Decide to Go to the Moon by Faith McNulty
Kitten’s First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes.
Both of these are fun and great to read to kids of all ages! And they go perfectly with the moon phases activity I am sharing today.
What are your favorite books about the moon?
Moon Phases Activity for Kids
Now, on to the Moon Phases Activity!
This is a super simple thing to create and it shows just how a moon looks at the different phases. I made it into a printable to make it simple for you to use. You can get the template in my shop!
To make this moon phase slider, print out the template. Cut out the circle from the first page. Glue the first and second page together along the top and bottom edge. Trim off the side edges to make it smaller.
Use the template page to make the slider out of black paper. Once the glue is dry, insert the slider in-between the two pages and use it to make the different moon phases.
Isn’t it fun?! We love it!
Download it here:
See More of My Space Themed Activities:
Shooting Star Spinner
Space Lesson
Straw Rocket
Constellation Cards
pinah says
this experiment doesn’t show moon phases, but instead lunar eclipse phases. because the shadow on moon phases always “connect” both moon’s poles.
Cynthia says
I’m so grateful for the freebies but this doesn’t really show the moon phases. I didn’t even realize it until I had finished the craft. I think maybe the name should be changed. This isn’t a mean comment, just an observation.
Kelli Saunders says
Hi, so I wanted to subscribe to your library so that I could use the mood phase template, but it won’t let me subscribe, and I’m not sure why.
Karyn Tripp says
I just got you set up, so look for an email!
Lori says
I don’t see where the moon phase printable is? Also reading the comment about the eclipse you could make the black slider paper a square and use the straight edge for the 1/2 moon phase.