Space and the Planets
Your child meets the Sun and the eight planets, puts them in order, compares their sizes, flies a rocket to the Moon and Mars, and packs for a trip to space. Every word is read aloud, so no reading is needed.
PlayInside the game
Planets
Tap the Sun and each planet to hear about it, then put the planets in order.
How big?
Compare the Moon, Mars, Jupiter and the Sun with Earth, as big as a tennis ball.
Rocket trip
Fly a rocket to the Moon, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn or Neptune and hear how long it takes.
Astronaut
Pack a helmet, suit and air tank for space. Leave the umbrella and kite at home.
Fun facts
Short space facts, read aloud, with a picture each.
Memory
Find the matching pairs: 4, 6 or 8 pairs.
Quiz
Ten questions. Every right answer gives the rocket more fuel to fly farther.
Facts for kids
Word for word as the game reads them aloud.
Stars are suns
Every star in the night sky is a sun, very, very far away. Our Sun is a star too!
Footprints
Astronauts have walked on the Moon. Their footprints are still there, because there is no wind on the Moon to blow them away.
Very quiet
Space is totally silent. Sound needs air to travel, and there is no air in space.
Floating
In a space station, astronauts float! They sleep in sleeping bags tied to the wall, so they don't drift away.
A very long day
One day on Venus is longer than a whole year on Venus! Venus spins very, very slowly.
A giant Sun
The Sun is so big that more than a million Earths could fit inside it!
Sunlight
Light from the Sun takes about 8 minutes to reach us here on Earth.
A giant volcano
Mars has the biggest volcano we know. It is more than twice as tall as the highest mountain on Earth!
Saturn could float
Saturn is very light for its size. In a giant, giant bathtub, Saturn would float!
Moonlight
The Moon does not make its own light. It shines because the Sun lights it up.
16 sunrises
The space station flies around Earth about 16 times every day. So the astronauts see about 16 sunrises a day!
A giant storm
The red spot on Jupiter is a storm that has been blowing for hundreds of years. It is bigger than the whole Earth!
Comets
Comets are big balls of ice and dust. When they come close to the Sun, they grow a long, shiny tail.
Questions kids ask
How many planets are there?
Eight planets go around our Sun: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Mercury is closest to the Sun and Neptune is farthest away.
Is the Sun a star?
Yes. The Sun is a star, a giant ball of hot, glowing gas. The other stars are suns too, but they are so far away that they look like tiny dots.
How big is the Sun?
Huge. About 109 Earths would fit side by side across the Sun, and more than a million Earths would fit inside it.
Which planet is the biggest?
Jupiter. It is so big that 11 Earths would fit side by side across it. It is made of gas, so there is no ground to stand on.
Which planet is the hottest?
Venus, even though Mercury is closer to the Sun. Venus has thick clouds that trap the heat like a blanket, so it is hot enough to melt lead.
Why is Mars red?
Mars is covered in rusty dust. Rust is reddish, so the whole planet looks red.
What are Saturn's rings made of?
Lots and lots of pieces of ice and rock. Some are as small as grains of sand and some are much bigger than a house.
Which planet rolls on its side?
Uranus. It is tipped over, so it goes around the Sun on its side, like a rolling ball.
Is the Moon a planet?
No. The Moon goes around the Earth, not around the Sun on its own. It is much smaller than Earth: almost 4 Moons fit side by side across Earth.
Why does the Moon shine at night?
The Moon makes no light of its own. It shines because the Sun lights it up, and we see that light bouncing off it.
Can you breathe in space?
No. There is no air in space, so astronauts wear a helmet and a space suit and carry their own air.
Why do astronauts float?
In a space station that is falling around the Earth, everything floats, people too. That is why astronauts sleep in sleeping bags tied to the wall.
Talk about it
- If you could fly a rocket to one planet, which one would you pick, and why?
- What would you pack for a trip to space? What would you leave at home?
- Why do you think we can't hear anything in space?
Walk the planets
Stand in a hallway or garden as the Sun. Take one step for Mercury, two for Venus, three for Earth and so on, saying each planet's name as you go. At step eight you reach Neptune, the farthest planet. Then walk back home to Earth.
Facts checked against NASA Science: Planets, NASA Science: Sun facts, NASA Science: Venus facts. Last checked October 13, 2026. Who makes Play & Learn