When teaching children, whether you are a teacher, home educator, or just a parent who wants to supplement your kid’s education with additional learning opportunities, it may feel as if enough is going on down here to worry about. Planet Earth is a vast and busy place planet and as it is where we all live, what happens here is of most concern to us all without adding the other planets in our solar system into the mix.
We appreciate that you may feel out of your depth talking about outer space. However, there are some huge benefits from making the effort to do just that.
Greater Understanding of Why Life on Earth is so Important
One of the biggest benefits of learning about the solar system for children, as it is for everyone, is helping to understand why life on earth is so important and needs protecting. There are currently no other planets in our solar system that can sustain life of any kind, let alone human beings. Therefore, Earth is our home. Although it is good to learn about this home, by learning facts about the other planets, stars, and bodies floating in space, your children will gain a better appreciation for why the Earth is so important.
Great For Teaching About Size and Distance
Considering facts about other planets can help children understand distance and size. Take Olympus Mons, for example. It is known as a shield volcano and not only is it the largest volcano in our solar system, but it is the largest mountain. Discussing the fact that it is 72.000-ft tall may go completely over the heads of your children. And rightly so. Just as it would if you told them that Mount Everest, earth’s biggest mountain, is 29,000-ft tall.
However, when your children know the sizes of them both and you point out that Olympus Mons is around 2 and a half times bigger than Everest, they might start to understand the difference in size.
Greater Appreciation About the Harmony in the Universe
Another important benefit of learning about the solar system is that your children will gain a better understanding and appreciation for the harmony that exists in the universe. How each planet and planetary body has a place and important role. This can help them to have greater appreciation too for the hot topic that is climate change.
Key to Understanding Life-Critical Cycles
Finally, when kids understand more about the solar system, they understand more about why things work the way they do on earth. They can also learn more about the position of different planets to Earth and how their position plays an important part in the cycles that keep the earth a habitable planet.
Although it may feel out of your comfort zone, it is incredibly beneficial for children to learn about the solar system, because even if they do feel small and insignificant compared to the large vastness of space, the planets and other bodies that make up our solar system have a hugely important role to play and keep the planet spinning and life living.
Take a look at these great solar system projects for kids.