10 Marvelous Moon Crafts and Activities For Kids
Since the moon is so far away, fun moon crafts and activities make learning tangible and memorable for kids.
Like most kids, mine are fascinated by the moon. They have a blast trying to find the glowing sphere in the night sky. The changing moon phases are a fun daily surprise, too!
Here are 9 easy moon phase crafts and activities that my children enjoyed in preschool and elementary school. I hope your kids enjoy learning the wacky moon phase names, exploring the stunning NASA pictures, and using our moon phase printables.
Since we’re raising multilingual children, examples of the moon activities are shown in English, Chinese, and/or Korean.
Special dates and holidays for moon crafts and activities
Moon crafts and activities are fun all year round. With certain holidays, moon phases are extra meaningful. Mark your calendars for these important holidays involving the moon!
Chinese Mid-Autumn Moon Festival: This holiday involves a family reunion and celebration of the full moon. The date depends on the lunisolar calendar and occurs sometime in September or October.
Korean Chuseok: In Korean culture, families gather to give thanks for harvest and a full, bright moon. The same is the date as the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival.
National Moon Day: Celebrate the anniversary of the first moon walk by Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin on July 20, 1969.
Lunar New Year: In Asian cultures, this is the most important holiday of the year. It begins on the day of the first new moon of the lunar calendar.
Easter: Because this Christian holiday is based on moon phases, it changes each year. Easter falls on the Sunday after the first full moon or the day after the spring equinox.
Ramadan: In contrast to other cultures, the crescent moon is most significant for Muslim people. When it appears, it marks the start and the end of the month of Ramadan.
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Fun hands-on moon crafts for kids
If your kids like sensory activities, check out these educational moon phase crafts. Which activity will your child like best?
Easiest moon phase craft: Aluminum foil moon phase poster
The interesting texture of aluminum foil is perfect for representing the bumpy moon’s surface with all of the craters and mountains. Black construction paper makes for the perfect background. Use silver marker to write moon phase names in English, Chinese, or any target language you are working on.
Supplies: foil, black paper, silver marker, glue, scissors
Steps:
- Cut 7 pieces of foil into moon phases. (Use the Montessori moon cards for reference.)
- Glue moon phases in order on black paper.
- Write moon phase names with a silver marker.
Fun activity to learn craters: Glue-resist moon phases
This is an incredibly cool moon phase activity for all ages! Thanks to the texture of dried glue, it’s an effective lesson on moon craters.
Our original idea was inspired by my children squeezing out way too much glue and admiring the texture when it dried.
Although it requires a little more patience than the other activities here, my children say that the fun glue-resist moon crafts are worth the time.
Instructions for the coolest glue-resist moon phase craft are here.
Best cultural moon craft: Play dough moon phase mooncakes
Mooncakes are an important part of Chinese Mid-Autumn Moon Festival! With play dough moon cakes, you can easily combine culture with science in a simple fun craft.
Supplies: play dough (or modeling clay), mooncake molds, butter knife, black paper or tray, printable bilingual labels:
Steps:
- Cut moon shapes. (Use the Montessori moon cards for reference.)
- Arrange moon phases in order.
- Label moon phases.
Best moon craft decoration idea
Here’s another paper plate moon craft idea! Transform a regular paper plate into a sweet crescent moon and star decoration for your room at home or school. How cute is this idea? Learn how to make this moon craft from Easy Peasy and Fun.
Best low-prep moon phase activities for kids
These fun moon phase activities are great for busy parents and teachers. Hooray for minimal supplies and prep time!
Best activity to encourage observation: Moon phase journal
Keep track of your night sky discoveries with a moon phase journal! Print the moon diary on white paper, color in the moon, and record the date and time.
Choose English, simplified Chinese, or traditional Chinese language options.
Download your printable moon phase journal here.
Best Montessori moon phase activity for kids
Montessori 3-part cards are wonderful for encouraging careful observation through matching photos and labels.
Our printable Montessori moon phase cards feature stunning NASA photos. Choose English, Chinese, and/or Korean language options.
Download Montessori 3-part moon cards here.
Yummiest moon craft / activity for kids: Oreo moon phase snack
This timeless Oreo cookie moon phase activity – or “snack-tivity” – was one of my favorites from elementary school! The Oreo cookie moon phase treat could also be fun for a solar system or moon-themed birthday party.
Supplies: 8 Oreo cookies, a butter knife for scraping the frosting, and a plate. Use the Montessori moon cards as a reference for learning moon phase names and matching shapes.
Steps:
- Slowly twist an Oreo open; try to keep as much frosting on one side as possible.
- Gently scrape the frosting off of each cookie (except the full moon) to create the phases of the moon.
- On your plate, put the phases of the moon in order.
Best solar system activity with moon phases
Reenact the Earth and moon rotation with this simple activity!
Supplies:
- World globe
- Flashlight “sun”
- Montessori moon phases cards
- NASA video (see below)
Steps: Watch the NASA video and recreate the motions with your supplies. Teach kids that the moon gradually rotates around the Earth and takes about 1 month to complete its orbit. Meanwhile, the Earth spins on its axis and also rotates around the sun.
Best literacy activity: Moon books for kids
Reading is wonderful for building new space and science vocabulary. Although learning about the moon can be very exciting, reading is a wonderful calming activity.
Check out the best moon books for kids in Chinese and English.
For multicultural learning, read about moon-related holidays:
Fun interactive Moon phase craft and activity from NASA
Kids can learn about moon phases by rotating their bodies around the room while holding a white moon ball.
Use a flashlight as the sun and a small ball as the moon. Stand in a dark room and observe how the moon’s appearance changes as you move the moon-ball.
Learn more about this interactive moon phase activity at NASA.
Tips for teaching moon phases with crafts and activities
Demonstrate: Whenever possible, first talk and walk though the moon craft or activity before children or students start. This helps kids understand the end goal and the process they need to follow.
Encourage creativity: While providing instructions, allow room for creative interpretation. This empowers students to think critically and problem-solve, fostering deeper understanding.
Keep it simple: You don’t have to do every moon craft and activity! Remember that going outside and observing the sky is already an amazing activity. And reading is always wonderful.
Follow the child: Children are naturally excited when they notice how bright the full moon shines on a clear night, how the moon changes shape and sometimes disappears, and how the moon seems to move to different parts of the sky.
When a child is interested, they have better concentration and motivation to learn.
What are your favorite moon crafts and activities?
Please share in the comments below. We’d love to learn from your experience!
