Out of This World! Inspiring Primary Pupils During World Space Week
- Popcorn Education
- Jul 14
- 2 min read
World Space Week (4th–10th October) is an incredible opportunity to spark curiosity and imagination in your classroom. Whether you're teaching tiny astronauts in Year 1 or seasoned stargazers in Year 6, there’s a universe of possibilities to explore.
Below are practical, creative, and curriculum-linked ideas for each year group—helping you bring space alive in every corner of your school!
🚀 EYFS / Reception
Sensory Space Tray: Fill a tray with ‘moon dust’ (flour and glitter), star confetti, and mini astronauts.
Role Play Rocket Station: Build a cardboard space shuttle, add helmets, and let imagination blast off.
Storytime Favourite: Read Whatever Next! by Jill Murphy, then act out your own moon adventures.
🌠 Year 1
Creative Writing Prompt: “If I had my own rocket, I would fly to…”
Maths Countdown: Practice counting backwards from 20—space-style!
Crafty Planets: Use paper plates and paint to create textured planets.
🌙 Year 2
Non-fiction Reading: Learn about real-life astronauts like Neil Armstrong or Mae Jemison.
Materials Science: Design a space suit for a teddy. What materials are best to keep them warm and safe?
DT Challenge: Build a rocket using junk modelling and test it with a pulley launch system.
🛰️ Year 3
Comprehension Focus: Read a short story set in space and answer retrieval and inference questions.
Science Investigation: Explore light and shadows—what causes night and day?
Writing Prompt: “A strange message from Mars just arrived…”
🪐 Year 4
Planet Maths: Compare planet sizes and distances—great for place value and rounding.
Crater Science: Drop marbles into flour to simulate meteorite impacts.
Galaxy Poetry: Create swirling galaxy art and write a poem inspired by the night sky.
🌍 Year 5
STEM Challenge: Design a lunar lander that protects a marshmallow astronaut during a drop.
Scale the Solar System: Use objects to model relative sizes (e.g. peppercorn = Earth, football = Sun).
Writing Prompt: “You are the first child to land on Europa. What do you find?”
🌌 Year 6
Cross-Curricular Writing: Research and report on the future of space travel or alien life.
Coordinates in Maths: Use translation and plotting to track satellites.
Class Debate: Should we explore space—or focus on fixing Earth?
🌟 Wrap-Up
Whether you're writing sci-fi stories, solving galactic maths problems, or building moon landers out of marshmallows, World Space Week is your chance to make learning unforgettable
.
Explore our full collection of FREE Space Week resources here:🔗 Visit Popcorn Education’s Space Hub
