A great way to teach kindergartners about the solar system is to let them see it and build it through craft making. Kindergartners usually already enjoy drawing the sun and that enthusiasm can be extended to learning about and drawing the planets. Crafts that represent the solar system can be created with Play-Doh, by drawing and painting, tissue paper or balloons. Children can recreate each planet while learning about its properties and location in the solar system.
Storybooks that illustrate and talk about the planets and sun are another good way to introduce the solar system to kindergartners. There are many books written for children that discuss astronomy in a fun way like "I Want to Be an Astronaut" and "The Big Dipper." Stories that involve the protagonist going into space like "Dora to the Moon" or "Curious George and the Rocket" that discuss the sun and earth are fun for children and at the same time introduce them to solar system concepts.
Learning time is often mixed with play time through educational songs. There are many nursery rhymes and children's songs that explain solar system concepts. "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" is one of the more popular songs that even preschoolers are familiar with. Other children's songs about the moon, rockets and the planets can help introduce kindergartners to astronomy concepts. Playing games can also be a fun way to introduce the solar systems. Using materials like marbles and balls to make a play area with proportional representations of the planets, kids can navigate through the solar system and get an idea of the distances between the planets. Kindergartners can even dress up like the planets and simulate the movement of the planets around the sun.
The alphabet is something that kindergartners are already used to practicing and learning and modifying it to talk about space can help them learn two things at once. The children can make alphabet cards using astronomy terms like "A for astronaut," "S for Space Shuttle," "P for Planet," and "M for Mars." Children can color in the figures and have fun while learning new words.