How to encourage your child to write:

Choose the level of your child:
Toddler/Preschool – discuss the answer(s) out loud first and have your child draw a picture of the answer

Preschool/Kindergarten – discuss the answer(s) out loud first and write the answer down for him/her leaving one word for him/her to write out himself/herself with your help. You could also encourage him/her to draw a picture as well.

Early Grade School – have your child either write out the answer himself/herself (encourage phonetic spelling) without your help, or offer to help with spelling each word out loud one word at a time.

Grade School – have your child write a sentence or two on his/her own and then read over and discuss the response. (You decide whether to correct the spelling or not)

Older Child – have your child write a longer response (paragraph).

As A Challenge – instead of a question ask your older child to write a story poem about the planets or outer space.

Space

Take a field trip to the library as a family to find books about space and the planets!

Here are some books about astronauts:

Astronauts, by Ryan Nagelhout, Powerkids Press, 2016 - Part of the "Out of the Lab: Extreme Jobs in Science" series this has larger text but enough detail to please budding astronauts.

All About Astronauts, by Miriam Gross, PowerKids Press, 2009 - With large text for early grader schoolers this one still offers a lot of detail.

Ask the Astronaut, by Tom Jones, Smithsonian Books,2016 - this is a book for older kids as it is mostly text, however, it is written by an astronaut who complete four space shuttle missions and three space-walks at hte Space Station!

I Want to be an Astronaut, by writer and educational consultant Catherine O'Neill Grace, Harcourt Brace & Company, 1997 - with colour photographs and enough text to please older students this book offers a lot.

The Life of an Astronaut, by Niki Walker, Crabtree Publishing Company, 2001 - A great book for grade-schoolers full of information and photographs.

Who Walks in Space? Working In Space, by Linda Tagliaferro, Raintree2011 - Part of the Wild Work Series this book focuses on astronauts in an easy to read format.

Woman in Space, by Carole S. Briggs, Lerner Publications Company, 1999 - this biography book is great for older grades as it has a lot of detail about some pretty awesome women!

Photo: Microsoft Clipart

For some fun picture books try these:

A Trip into Space, by Lori Haskins Houran and illustrated by Francisca Marquez, Albert Whitman & Company, 2014 - A simple book for early readers to take your child into space.

Curious George Discovers Space, Written by Monica Perez and Joe Filler, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015 - As the little monkey Curious George learns about space so will your kids. This includes a gravity experiment at the end, too.

Earth Space Moon Base, by Ben Joel Price,Random House, 2014 - With very simple text and sleek illustrations this book tells the tale of a spaceman,a robot and a monkey...but beware of scary aliens.

Meet the Planets, by John McGranagh and illustrated by Laurie Allen Klein,Sylvan Dell Publishing, 2011 - With fun illustrations of the planets with faces you learn a lot about each planet's name.

Outer Space Bedtime Race, by Rob Sanders and illustrated by Brian Won, Random House, 2015 - This delightful book with bright illustrations and rhyming text will lull your little one to sleep to have dreams of the kids on other planets.

Space Boy, by Leo Landry, Houghton Mifflin Company, 2007 - When Nicholas can't stand all the noised of home he blasts off in his rocket ship!

Try to find some of these nonfiction/ learning titles about space:

The Amazing Space Quiz Book, with Contributor Carole Stott, D, 2014 - if your kids like quiz books this big one about space is for them!

Astronomy, Astronauts, and Space Exploration, by Clive Gifford, Crabtree Publishing Company, 2015 - A book full of fun facts and cool photographs.

Did You Know? Space: Amazing answers to more than 200 awesome questions!, by Sarah Cruddas, DK, 2017 - This book has plenty to pour over as it answers questions like "How big is the universe?", "What are Saturn's rings made of?" and "What do astronauts eat in space?"

International Space Station, by David Baker and Heather Kissock, Weigl Publishing Inc., 2010 - a great overview of what the ISS is all about. (Other books int eh series include: Journey to Mars, Living in Space, Living on the Moon, Probing Space, Rockets, Satellites, and The Shuttle).

Our Solar System, by Seymour Simon, Harper, 2014 - A good overview with a few photographs.

Probes to the Planets, by Steve Parker, Smart Apple Media, 2016 - Part of "The Story of Space" series this one explains what the space probes have discovered.

Science Q & A: Space, by Eward Willeett, Weigl Publishers Inc., 2010 - This book answers twenty questions about teh planets, stars, asteroids etc..

Stars and Planets, by Carole Stott, Kingfisher 2011 - An easy to read book with lots of facts for kids.

BOOKS

JOURNALING Question Prompt:

Write out one or more of the following questions in the family notebook or on a piece of paper:

Can you name the planets and any dwarf planets in our solar system? What planets can you name? Which planet do you like the best and why? Would you rather fly to the moon or to another planet and why? If you could name your own planet what name would you choose? What other things can you find in space? what would you like to learn more about? Would you like to be an astronaut or go into space?

Reading & Writing

Your kids might want to explore the planets more...try some of these titles:

13 Planets: The Latest View of the Solar System, by David A. Aguilar, National Geographic, 2011 - a nice look at the planets including the dwarf planets, the sun and the asteroid belt.

Dwarf Planets, by Susan Ring, av2books, 2014 - a great explanation as to what dwarf planets are.

Exploring the Inner Planets, by Nancy Dickmann, Rosen Central, 2016 - It may be a small book but it has a lot of information in it. Also in the series "Exploring the OuUter Planets."

Planets, by Elizabeth Carney, National Geographic, 2012 - a great book for early readers.

Planets, by Penelope Arlon and Tory Gordon-Harris, Scholastic, 2013 - A fun book with lots of labels and interesting facts.

The Planets, by Chelsea Donaldson, Crabtree Publishing Company, 2012 - Grade- school students will learn a lot with this book.

The Planets, by Gail Gibbons, Holidy House, 2008 - part picture book part fact book this is a good one to learn abotu the planets.

Why Isn't Pluto a Planet? A Book About Planets, by Steve Kortenkamp, Capstone Press, 2007 - Part of the First Facts series this is an easy reader that will appeal.