Learn about moon phases in a simple and engaging way for young children. Discover how the moon changes shape throughout the month!
Moon phases are how we see the moon change shape in the sky over time. Sometimes it looks like a full circle, and other times, it looks like a slice of a pie! There are four main shapes we’ll talk about: New Moon, First Quarter, Full Moon, and Last Quarter.
When the moon is a new moon, it’s really hard to see because it’s all dark! It’s like turning off a light. It’s the start of a new month for the moon!
After a few days, the moon starts to grow and becomes a first quarter moon. This is when we can see half of the moon shining brightly in the sky. Imagine cutting a cookie in half and eating one part!
The full moon is when we can see the whole moon shining brightly in the sky. It’s like the moon is showing off all of its light! It happens about two weeks after the new moon.
Finally, the moon changes again and becomes a last quarter moon. Now we can see the other half of the moon! It’s like eating the last piece of a chocolate bar, leaving half for later!
The moon goes around the Earth, and as it moves, the sunlight shines on different parts of it. That’s why we see the moon change shape! It takes about 29 days for the moon to go through all these phases.
Let’s play a game! Look at the moon each night and see if you can recognize which phase it’s in. Draw a picture of the moon you see and its different shapes!