Although some scientists believe there is life on other planets, we don't know if aliens exist. Children are interested in aliens because they can be anything they want them to be - creepy, strange, exciting, powerful.
Children who like extraterrestrial beings may also like space, UFOs, spacecraft and mythical creatures.
A child's interest in aliens can be connected to the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF). This topic fosters curiosity, imagination and creativity (4.1).
Learning experiences
Play musical aliens
Encourage children to dress up as aliens. Play ambient space music so children can dance like aliens. When an educator calls freeze, children turn into statues. How do aliens move their bodies?
Draw your own alien
Drawing is an excellent way to explore, understand and communicate unusual ideas. At first, limit the equipment to lead pencils and black pens. Encourage children to draw aliens and think about the shapes of their bodies.
Later, provide coloured pens and pencils. Encourage children to think about the colours of their alien's body parts.
Make your own alien
Make aliens from recycled materials. You can use anything you have available, but you will need a LOT of lime green paint and googly eyes in a variety of sizes. To be more sustainable, children can make their own eyes. Use a hole punch to make circles and draw on black dots.
Eat avocado aliens
Make a healthy, alien snack. Use a person-shaped cookie cutter on a slice of bread. Spread avocado over the person and decorate it with small pieces of vegetables and herbs.
Resources
Picture books
- Aliens Love Underpants! by Claire Freedman and Ben Cort
- The Way Back Home by Oliver Jeffers
Music
Five little men in a flying saucer
Websites
- Curious Kids: What would aliens be like?
- Curious Kids: Do aliens want to contact us?
- Britannica Kids: Aliens