Teaching Your Child About the Moon

PAULA WILLOWMOON

  • Teach your child the phases of the moon. For younger children, just casually make observations about the moon. For example, say, "The moon sure is very round tonight." For older children, help them chart the moon each night. A calendar with circles for them to color in each night is perfect. Don't be afraid to tell your children how the moon's phases make you feel. For example, when the moon is waxing, tell them it makes you feel like creating things.

  • Take your children on a field trip to the ocean. Nothing shows the power of the moon better than watching the tidal changes.

  • Allow your child to celebrate the Full Moon with you, however you do this.

  • For a book with factual information about the moon, read "What the Moon Looks Like" by Franklin M. Branley.

  • For the best infant and young children's book ever written, read "Goodnight Moon" by Margaret Wise Brown.

  • Make Moon Crafts:
    * Have your child paint pictures of the moon with white or silver paint on black or dark blue paper.
    * Have the children make a moon shape with glue on paper. Have them sprinkle glue with glitter. Shake excess glitter back into the jar.
    * Let your child make pictures of the moon by cutting moon shapes out of aluminum foil and gluing to the paper.
    * Your child can use chalk to make pictures of the moon too.
    * Cut out a full moon and crescent shapes out of cheap sponges. Have your child dip these into white, silver, or cream paint and print onto dark blue or black paper.
    * Cut a slice off the end of a paper towel or toilet paper roll. The child can dip the end of it in white, silver, or cream paint and print Full Moons.

  • Make A Full and New Moon Pillow:
    You can have your child do as much or as little of this project as they are able. Purchase silver, white, or gray cloth for one side of the moon. Purchase dark blue or black cloth for the other side of the pillow. Use a large bowl to trace a circle on paper. Use this as a pattern to cut out a circle of the white (or gray or silver) cloth and one out of the blue or black cloth. Turn right sides of cloth in, and stitch around the circle, leaving an opening only large enough to stuff the moon. Turn right side out, stuff with polyfil or other stuffing material, and stitch closed. Your child can sleep with this pillow, or get it out only for the Full Moon, and the New Moon as a special occasion.

  • Make Moon Cookies:

    * 2 cups flour
    * 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
    * 1/2 teaspoon salt
    * 1/2 cup butter
    * 1 cup sugar
    * 1 egg, well beaten
    * 1 teaspoon vanilla
    * 1 Tablespoon milk or cream

    Sift together into a bowl flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Cream the butter. Add the sugar and stir until creamy. Add the egg, the vanilla and the milk and stir until smooth. Add the dry ingredients a little at a time. Chill for at least 1 hour. Roll out 1/8 inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut into circles with a round cookie cutter , a biscuit cutter, or a floured drinking glass. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

    • This article was originally found at http://paganparent-ivil.tripod.com/moon.html and minimally formatted. We have gone through every effort to find the author of this page, but all contact links were dead ends. If this is your article, or you own the rights to it, please let us know!