Blast Off! Fun Ideas for Space Exploration

Space Exploration Day
Photo by NASA.

On July 20, 1969, history was made. Man landed on the moon. At 4:18 p.m., NASA astronaut Neil Armstrong radioed to Earth, announcing, “Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.” Armstrong and fellow astronaut Buzz Aldrin both walked on the surface of the moon after landing in the Sea of Tranquility, one of many lunar plains. Armstrong uttered the now-famous words, “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.” The astronauts left behind an American flag, an Apollo 1 patch in remembrance of the fallen crew, and a plaque reading, “Here men from the planet Earth first set foot upon the moon. July 1969 A.D. We came in peace for all mankind.”

It was a momentous occasion, and in its honor, Space Exploration Day is celebrated every year on July 20. It not only honors the amazing achievements of past astronauts, but also looks forward to our bright future in space travel: both the Obama and Trump administrations have spoken of not only continuing space exploration, but of one day sending men to Mars. And even though your little one isn’t heading for Mars — yet — you can still honor the brave men and women who journeyed through space and start instilling a love for the stars in your kiddos! What better way than with fun, space-themed activities? Here are some out-of-this-world ideas:

Journey to MOSH

The Museum of Science and History has a lot of fantastic exhibits such as the epic Space Science Gallery. There, you can check out some amazing exhibits that show the wonders of space, as well as the incredible history of space exploration. And no space-themed visit would be complete without a trip to the Bryan-Gooding Planetarium! This planetarium is one of the largest single-lens planetariums in the entire United States, and it can take you on fully immersive trips across the entire known universe, with trained educators leading the way.

Travel to the Kennedy Space Center

Feeling up to a road trip? Then head just a short way down the road to the Kennedy Space Center! There, you can see real-life rockets and space shuttles. You can dine with astronauts and see rocks from the moon. You can cool off in the IMAX theater and watch real NASA space missions in 3D. That’s only scraping the surface, too — there is so much to see and do, and all of it is dedicated to exploring space.

Kennedy Space Center, Space Exploration Day

Marvel at the stars

You don’t have to leave the house to see some intergalactic wonders. After the sun has gone down, set up a telescope and let your kids see what kind of amazing things they can find in the night sky. (If you don’t have a telescope, there’s an inexpensive option at Target here!) They can study the Moon, check out the stars, find different planets, and maybe even catch a few falling stars!

Make some out-of-this-world treats

No space exploration celebration would be complete without some galactic fare! If you love to cook, there are lots of fun ideas: popcorn balls to remind kids of the moon; galaxy mousse cakes, sure to incite wonder in your kids, rocket sandwiches, planet pops, pizza moons and even something as simple as swiss cheese (since the moon is made of cheese… right?) and crackers. Other fun treats could be MoonPies and StarCrunch cookies — remember those? And no space-themed buffet would be complete without the astronauts’ drink of choice: Tang!

Space Exploration Day
Sugar Hero’s Galaxy Mousse Cakes are a perfect treat for space exploration!

Eat an astronaut’s breakfast

The morning of the Apollo 11 launch, the astronauts all ate a filling breakfast of steak and eggs. How fun would it be to make the same thing? Then, while you all sit down to eat a breakfast fit for an astronaut, you can tell your kids all about Apollo 11, the NASA mission that inspired this holiday.

Have dinner under the stars

After you’ve got your telescope and a tasty space-themed meal whipped up, why not head outside to eat? Once the sun has gone down, it will be considerably cooler, so it shouldn’t be too hot. You can spread out a blanket, enjoy your treats, and see what cool sights you can find in the night sky.

Watch a space-themed movie

While you’re waiting for the sun to go down — or maybe in lieu of heading outside — you can let your little one blend education and entertainment with some space-themed movies! There are Hollywood movies like Apollo 13 and October Sky, as well as plenty of awesome documentaries like the IMAX Space Collection. Amazing Universe is available to watch on YouTube and The Farthest: Voyager in Space is currently streaming on Netflix, as well as available to watch online at PBS.

Are you into space exploration? What kinds of galactic fun do you love to do with your kids?

Cassy Fiano-Chesser
Cassy Fiano-Chesser is a Jacksonville native and mom to six kids. Her husband is a Marine Corps veteran and Purple Heart recipient. She works from home as a blogger and a freelance writer, and they currently live in the Argyle area of Jacksonville. Benjamin is their oldest, born in 2011, and he loves being a big brother. Wyatt was born in 2012, and he has Down syndrome. Ivy came next, in 2013, followed by Clara, born in 2015, who is a diva-with-a-capital-D. Rounding out the brood is Felicity, born in 2017, and Lilly, born in 2007. They love discovering things to do on the First Coast and going on family adventures, as well as cheering on the Jumbo Shrimp and the Icemen.

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