Since the sun sets so early this time of year, it’s a great time for curious toddlers to observe the moon without staying up late. A bright, full moon is perfect for starting a discussion about the moon and how it looks a little different each night.
Find the moon in the sky. Talk about the shape together and introduce simple moon vocabulary.
When the moon looks like a round ball, it’s called a full moon. When it looks like a banana, that’s called a crescent moon. When we can barely see the moon at all, it’s called a new moon.
Explain that the moon reflects light from the sun. The reason the moon looks like it’s changing shape is that it travels around the Earth each month. Talk about how the moon is very far away, but that humans have always been curious about it. Describe how astronauts visited the moon and discovered that it is made out of rocks and dust.
Then, when it’s time for bed, read Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown. Be sure to look for the little mouse on every page!
