Science and Space ideas for OSHC
21 DIY activities for a science and space at before and after school care or vacation care, usually run around Mid-Autumn Festival (September/October) or Any time / World Space Week (October). Pick and mix, or build a balanced day in one click.
Biscuit Moon Phases
Children scrape cream from sandwich biscuits to show each phase of the moon, then eat their work.
Space Explorers · Science and Space · Rocket and Plane Day +2Cardboard Rocket Ships
Children build rockets from tubes, boxes and foil, designing fins, windows and a launch pad.
Earth Day · Environmental Day · World Oceans Day +1Coffee Filter Earths
Children colour coffee filters with blue and green markers and spray them so the colours blend into a bright planet Earth.
Space Explorers · Science and Space · Mindfulness Day +1Galaxy Jars
Children layer cotton wool and coloured water in a jar to create a swirling galaxy they can keep.
Space Explorers · Slime Lab Day · Science and Space +1Galaxy Slime
Children make sparkly purple and black slime with glitter stars, then compare their galaxy swirls.
Full Moon Night · Space Explorers · Science and Space +1Moon Crater Experiment
Children drop balls of different sizes into a tray of flour topped with cocoa to see how craters form.
Space Explorers · Sensory Day · Science and Space +1Moon Sand
Younger children mix flour and oil into soft, mouldable moon sand and make craters, footprints and moon bases.
Space Explorers · Science and Space · Space Disco +1Paper Plate Alien Masks
Children design a wild alien mask from paper plates and pipe cleaners, inventing where their alien comes from.
Space Disco · Space Explorers · Science and Space +1Planet Costumes
Children choose a planet, research a fact and make a simple costume to wear in a solar system parade.
Space Explorers · Science and Space · Science Week +1Planet Mobile
Children paint foam balls as planets and hang them from a frame to make a solar system mobile.
Space Explorers · Science and Space · Knights and FairiesPool Noodle Space Swords
Children decorate pool noodle sections as glowing space swords, then use them for gentle choreographed duels and training moves.
Robot Day · Recycle Day · Cardboard Box Day +2Recycled Box Robots
Children build their own robots from boxes, foil and bottle tops, then give them names and special jobs.
Space Explorers · Robot Day · Recycle Day +1Recycled Space Robots
Children build friendly space helper robots from recyclables, inventing what job each one does on a spaceship.
Science and Space · Robot Day · Space Explorers +2Space Robot Crafts
Children build space robots and rovers from boxes and foil, imagining what jobs they would do on other planets.
Science and Space · Space Explorers · Art Attack Day +1Sponge Galaxy Painting
Children sponge dark paints onto paper and flick white paint for stars, creating swirling galaxy artworks.
Science and Space · Space Explorers · Cooking Day +1Star Biscuits
Children roll out biscuit dough, cut star and moon shapes and bake them for a space-themed afternoon tea.
Full Moon Night · Space Explorers · Science and Space +2Star Chart Constellation Viewers
Children learn star patterns from charts and make constellation viewers by poking holes in cups to shine a torch through.
Rocket and Plane Day · Space Explorers · Science Week +3Stomp Rockets
Children stomp on an empty bottle to send a paper rocket flying through a tube, then experiment with rocket shapes to go further.
Space Explorers · Rocket and Plane Day · Science Week +2Straw Rockets
Children make paper rockets that slide over a straw and launch them with a puff, measuring how far each one flies.
Space Explorers · Science and Space · Full Moon Night +2Torch Constellation Cups
Children pierce star patterns into cups and shine a torch through to project constellations onto the ceiling.
At the Building Site · Science Week · Weather Watchers +2Toy Shadow Tracing
Children trace the shadows of toys onto paper outdoors and watch how the shadows change, linking art with simple science.