Being Savvy: Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers and kids in San Jose, CA

Find out more about:

Archives

Moongazing

Summer Activities: Exploring the Nighttime Sky

by bonggamom

July 20, 2009

Can you believe it, we're more than halfway through the summer already!  For some families, the summer camp schedule is in full swing, but for many others trying to make ends meet in this tough economy, a lot of the activities have been the At-Home or Do-It-Yourself guide -- which makes it more of a challenge to keep your child engaged all this time.  Has your child begun uttering the dreaded words:  I'm bored?  Not to worry.  We've still got lots of suggestions for summer activities you can do at home with your preschooler.  There's a whole wide world out there for you and your child to explore.  We've covered nature and the great outdoors, but today we're setting our sights on Infinity and Beyond -- the sky up above.  Take it from the PBS Parents Exploration Guide and try these great suggestions for exploring the nighttime sky:

1)  Reach for the stars:  Allow your child to stay up late one night and observe the moon and stars.  If you have a telescope or some binoculars, let your child look at the moon through them.  For a fun project, you and your child can chart the position and appearance of the moon over the course of a week or two.

2)  Make a "telescope" out of an empty toilet paper or paper towel roll.  Then, put glow-in-the-dark stars on the wall and look at them through the "telescope".

3)  Use play dough to simulate the surface of the moon.  Roll the dough out on a table and push rocks into the dough to make lots of dents for "craters".  


Click here to see the full article on PBS, along with their suggestions for more resources and book suggestions.  And here are some great activities from our Savvysource Activity archive:

1) Astronomy 101
2) Shooting Stars
3) The Night Sky



Don't forget, our Super WHY giveaway ends at midnight PST, tonight!  One lucky Being Savvy Silicon Valley reader will win a DVD of PBS Kids' popular TV series, Super WHY.  Click here to enter -- entries will be accepted until midnight (PST) tonight.  Good luck!  Read more...

The ABCs of Silicon Valley

by Shawn Burns

November 04, 2008

Today at Savvy Source we're doing the ABCs of Silicon Valley. Do you have the song in your head? Good. A is for Armadillo Willy's Barbecue . B is for the Baby Loves Disco . C is for the Cinco de Mayo Festival. D is for ducks . E is for environmentalism. F is for farmer's markets . G is for the Gilroy Garlic Festival . H is for Hobee's . I is for Ice Skating  Read more...

More of Our Favorite Activities and Things to Do in san jose

urbanjungle.jpg

Creatures & Critters:
Our Urban Jungle

doremi.jpg

Do, Re, Mi! Places to Hear, Sing & Play a Tune

artisticendeavors.jpg

Artistic Endeavors:
Our Favorite Art Venues

roomtorun2.jpg

Room to Run:
Run, Jump & Wiggle Outdoors

rain.jpg

Rainy & Quiet Days:
Cozy & Crazy Indoor Fun

localhistory2.jpg

A Sense of History:
Our City's Stories

naturalhistory2.jpg

Tot's Science Fair:
Science & Nature Sites

waterparks2.jpg

Splash, Spray, Play! Local Spots to Get Wet

holdinghands2.jpg

The Most Fun in Life Is Free!

bestofcity2.jpg

The Best of... Our Top Can't-Live-Without Spots

The Voice of Being Savvy san jose:
Shawn Burns, Bonggamom

Read more Being Savvy for:

Favorite san jose Lists

Review Your Preschool

Join the hundreds of san jose parents helping other parents find the right preschool for their child.

Review Your Preschool

View Preschools and Daycare Centers in Other Cities

View preschools in other cities