Looking for a fun space activity for preschoolers? Download these Free Space Playdough Mats for an easy, hands-on activity that’s perfect for preschool, Kindergarten, daycare, homeschool, or your next outer space theme.
These free printable space playdough mats feature fun space-themed images and require very little prep. Just print, add playdough, and let your kids create!
Grab your Free Space Playdough Mats now
Did you know that space is silent? Learn more fun facts about space when you visit theplanets.org.
These Free Printable Space Playdough Mats include an astronaut and stars.
This freebie includes two different playdough mats: an astronaut and stars.
Kids can roll, pinch, flatten, and shape their playdough as they complete the pictures. It’s a fun way to combine imaginative play with fine motor practice.
These mats are especially fun for young children who love astronauts, planets, rockets, aliens, and everything outer space.
Fine Motor Practice with Playdough
Playdough is fun, but it’s also a simple way to help children develop fine motor strength.
Rolling, pinching, squishing, and shaping playdough strengthens the small muscles in children’s hands and fingers. These are the same muscles they’ll eventually use for writing, cutting with scissors, buttoning clothes, and other everyday tasks.
That’s why these free printable playdough mats are more than just a way to keep kids busy. They’re an easy hands-on activity that combines creativity and learning.
An Easy, Low-Prep Space Activity
If you’re a preschool teacher, parent, grandparent, librarian, homeschooler, or daycare provider, these playdough mats are an easy low-prep activity to keep on hand.
All you need is a printer, paper, and some playdough.
Use them for:
- Preschool space themes
- Fine motor centers
- Morning work
- Indoor play
- Early finishers
- Homeschool activities
- A science or outer space unit
They’re also a great addition to a week of learning about planets, astronauts, the moon, stars, the galaxy, spaceships, or even aliens.
Grab your Free Space Mats now
Space Activity for Toddlers
Why do l love playdough? First, even the youngest child can play with it. My kiddos were squishing playdough when they were toddlers, just 18 months old. Second, it’s so inexpensive, you can even make your own at home. There are tons of homemade playdough recipes out there.
Toddlers don’t need to make the astronaut or stars perfectly. Let them squish, roll, flatten, and explore the dough.
For older preschoolers and Kindergarteners, encourage them to make different objects with the playdough. They could create planets, stars, a rocket, a moon, an alien, or even a telescope.
That’s where these simple mats can become a fun starting point for imaginative play.
How to Use the Free Space Printables
Use the playdough mats again and again. Here are some options. You can print them on white paper or cardstock, but just know that cardstock will make the mats more sturdy if you put the playdough directly on it.
Better yet, if you can laminate the mats, you can use them over and over. If you don’t have a laminator, you have a few other options:
- cover the mats with packing tape. A few strips should do the trick.
- Slide the printout into a page protector
- Slide the page into a gallon storage bag
Once protected, you can even use dry erase markers on the mats for additional tracing and writing practice.
Add a Little Math to Your Space Playdough Mats
You can easily turn playdough time into a simple preschool math activity.
Ask your child to make a certain number of playdough stars, planets, or balls. Then have them place one piece of playdough onto each part of the picture.
This gives young children a simple opportunity to practice counting and one-to-one correspondence while they play.
You can also ask questions like:
“How many stars did you make?”
“Can you make three planets?”
“Which playdough planet is the biggest?”
Keep it simple and fun. There’s no need to turn playtime into a formal lesson.
Use Your Imagination with this Year-Round Activity
You don’t have to use just playdough. You can add pom-poms, confetti, buttons, pipe-cleaners, or whatever you please to make this playdough mat even more fun.
The name of each item is also written on the mat. This way, older children can practice tracing and writing the words of each space-themed items.
Create an Outer Space Theme for Preschool
Print out the playdough pages, make a craft, and read some books.
This Space BINGO is just what you need.
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Do your Space Playdough Mats while reading these Fun Books:
Want more Space-Themed Activities?
This is such a fun and simple space activity. It’s perfect for preschoolers, Kindergarteners, Daycare, a homeschooler, or just a fun craft at home idea.
As always, I try to make my crafts fast, easy & inexpensive. Enjoy
