Astronomy - for children

Astronomy can be quite abstract, but what child doesn't have some fascination with stars and planets and moons?

There are some really neat books and activities written for the youngest children. I've wondered for a long time, though, "Are these too abstract? Is it appropriate to teach preschool children about astronomy? Shouldn't we wait until they are in elementary to really get into studying these things?"

Well, I sort of still agree with myself - and I sort of don't.

My primary Montessori training did not include much on anything beyond the world. The focus was giving the child "keys to the world". But I've seen other Montessori albums for the same age group that include basic presentations on not only stars, but the planets in our solar system, discussions on galaxies, and more. While I do not see these things as "keys", I can confidently say that if a child has an interest, Follow the Child! If there is an interest, there is more likely to be an ability to grasp some abstract concepts, though I still say, "Focus on the keys even within the interest."

But what about the rest of the under-6 children? Those without an intense interest? Well, we should definitely give them sensorial experiences - let them see the stars, watch the sun rise and set, note the phases of the moon, perhaps even mention that some of the brighter objects in the sky are actually planets, worlds that also go around the sun like our own - these things can all be seen from the world on which we live and can fit in the same category as cloud-watching (look for patterns in the stars as you would look for patterns in the clouds). If there is interest in moon-phases, get a really neat book on it, such as Moonfinder, which can also be used by older children and just follow their interests. There is no need to give them more than they are asking.

As these young children pass into the second plane of development, starting between 5 and 6, they will want to use their imaginations, and we can work  with their reasoning mind. Now our Montessori geography presentations include presentations on the sun and earth in relationship to one another; God with No Hands (the creation story) is followed up by many branches of science and one direction is also discussing the remaining planets in our solar system.
There is a great Magic School Bus Secrets of Space science kit on the planets for 4-8 year olds (there are places to pick up 6 MSB kits for less about $90 if you're interested in all of them); I would not go much above age 7 or 8 with this kit, unless the child is at a lower academic level. And many excellent kits and tools for older children.

Hint: if you're going to invest in a telescope, get a good one. You do NOT want to make this a frustrating experience, so invest in something good. If that means waiting a bit longer, just get a *really* good pair of binoculars in the meantime - it's amazing what can be seen with something so simple.

There are so many good websites for children and parents to explore together.You may want to install something like AdBlock before visiting ad-intensive sites.

Start with NASA.gov -- then visit any of the following (and please share your own discoveries in comments)

ClassicalAstronomy - Christian-based website featuring a free newsletter, inexpensive monthly Almanack, Signs and Seasons Curriculum, Moonfinder book and more. This site really focuses on what a child can actually experience and discover.

Astronomy.com

UniverseToday.com

SkyAndTelescope.com

BadAstronomy.com - Dedicated to quelling myths and rumors

I'll add more sites and links to Montessori materials soon!