Exploring Space: Planets, Astronauts and Moon Sand at Our Marleigh Nursery in Cambridge
Last week at Monkey Puzzle Marleigh, our Cambridge day nursery, the children took a close look at space. Every room explored the topic in its own way, from learning about the solar system in preschool to role play in the toddler room and sensory discovery with our babies.
Preschool: The Sun, the Moon and Eight Planets
In the preschool room, the children learnt about the Sun as our nearest star and the eight planets in our solar system. They were able to identify the Sun as a source of light and warmth, the Moon as something that changes shape and appears at night, and the stars that shine in the night sky.
Toddlers: Mission Control and Countdowns
When a space station arrived in the toddler room, it sparked plenty of astronaut role play. The children took charge of the control panels and counted down for rocket launches, and got hands-on with real-life objects such as binoculars, telescopes and foil.
Babies: Moon Sand and Galaxy Textures
Our babies explored a range of space-themed textures, including moon sand, galaxy sensory bags and space tinfoil helmets, discovering new sensations through touch, sight and sound.
How Topic Weeks Help Your Child Learn
Our key words for the week included planet, rocket, orbit, star, astronaut and gravity, giving children rich new vocabulary to hear, use and explore. Whether your child is feeling moon sand for the first time, counting down a rocket launch or naming the planets, a shared topic lets every room build curiosity, language and understanding of the world at exactly the right level. It’s one of the ways our Cambridge nursery and childcare team makes early years learning exciting, meaningful and fun.