Full Moon Celebration

How would you like to celebrate the full moon. Each full moon serves as a passage of time. Many cultures and religions follow their calendar based on the moons and the passing of each moon cycle. Perhaps you would like to bring your own culture, religion or heritage into your celebration. Spend time becoming accustomed with the different phases. Be sure to make use of the illustrated Moon Phase Cards. Throughout the month you could display the card that corresponds to the current moon phase on your nature table. 

Create a Moon and Stars Nature Table

Setting up a nature table, or simply a shelf, windowsill or even a tray that can be moved, is a great way of creating a space that brings your child’s focus to the topic you are studying. The nature table can be an invitation to explore the topic, as well as a space for adding to and showcasing what you have learnt.  

Make a Moon and Stars Garland

Instructions for making a felt moon and stars garland are in the Moon and Stars Field Guide. It’s a simple but effective way of celebrating the night sky. You could alternatively make a garland from paper, using foil or paint to make them sparkle if you wish.

Work on Your Nature Journal

Using the journal cards in Field Guide to Moon and Stars you can create a double page spread of your moon and star studies for the month. Start by considering what you want to learn about. 

Ask and list, what do I want to find out? What questions do I want to know the answer to? Is there anything about the moon or stars that I don’t understand but would like to? These questions and there answers will act as great starting points and create meaningful learning activities. Write your chosen questions, and any other questions that arise through the month onto your journal cards.

Perhaps through the month you will also:

• Draw the different moon phases for a week or month by dividing a card in to sections.
• Draw any constellations that you have learn to recognise and show how you recognise them.
• Paint watercolour paintings of the moon.
• Draw diagrams of what you learn about stars, moon or planets.
• Write a poem describing the moon or stars
• List adjectives which you can later turn into poetry about the moon or stars

Tell The Hiddles Story and Hold a Storytelling Night

There are many stories about the moon throughout many different cultures. I encourage you to spend some time researching such stories and gathering some for a storytelling night. Take time to acknowledge the cultures these stories are from and discuss this with your child.

Included in the Field Guide to Moon and Stars is a story of The Hiddles (my little family of woodland sprites) and their full moon celebration. It would be lovely to incorporate the story into your storytelling night. Perhaps you could set the figures and props up tell the story to your family. 

You could also set up a puppet theatre, shadow puppet theatre, or dressing up and props, for the stories you choose to tell. This would add an wonderful element of excitement and theatre to the evening, and give everyone an opportunity to be involved.