Discovering the Wonders of Our Solar System: A Fun Learning Guide for Children
- Genesis Childcare 1989 - Tampines
- Oct 11, 2023
- 8 min read
Updated: Oct 21
Brought to you by Genesis Childcare 1989 – Nurturing Bright Minds at Tampines Infant Care, Tampines Child Care, and Tampines Preschool
Children are naturally curious about the world around them—and that curiosity often extends to the skies above. At Genesis Childcare 1989, we believe that early exposure to science, nature, and astronomy inspires creativity and builds a lifelong love for learning. Whether your little one is enrolled in our Tampines infant care, Tampines child care, or Tampines preschool, learning about planets and the solar system is a magical way to spark imagination and develop critical thinking skills.
Let’s embark on a child-friendly journey through space, discovering planets, stars, and everything that makes our solar system so fascinating!
What Is a Planet?
A planet is a large celestial body that orbits around the Sun. But not every object in space qualifies as a planet. Scientists classify a planet based on three specific criteria:
It must orbit the Sun.
It must have enough mass for gravity to shape it into a nearly round form.
It must clear its orbit of other debris and smaller objects.
If a celestial body meets these three conditions, it earns the title of a planet. This definition helps astronomers distinguish planets from other types of objects floating in space, such as asteroids or comets.
At Genesis Childcare 1989, teachers at our Tampines preschool often introduce this concept through hands-on play and visual storytelling. Children love crafting planets out of colorful clay and arranging them around a bright “Sun” in the classroom—a simple yet effective way to bring science to life.
What Is a Dwarf Planet?
A dwarf planet, like Pluto, shares some similarities with planets but has one major difference—it hasn’t cleared its orbit of other objects. This means it shares its space with other celestial bodies. A dwarf planet still orbits the Sun and is roughly spherical in shape, but it’s smaller and less dominant in its region of space.
For example, Pluto, once known as the ninth planet, is now classified as a dwarf planet because it doesn’t meet the third condition of the planet definition. At our Tampines nursery, teachers use this as an opportunity to teach children about scientific discovery and how definitions change as humans learn more about the universe.
Understanding Satellites
The word satellite refers to any object that orbits around a planet or star. The Moon is Earth’s natural satellite, while human-made satellites are machines launched into space to collect information or assist with communication and navigation.
Explaining satellites to children helps them connect space concepts to everyday life—like how GPS works or how we can watch live news from across the world. At Genesis Childcare 1989, our Tampines child care educators love engaging little learners with simple experiments and stories that make these big ideas relatable.
What Is the Solar System?
Our solar system is a vast space neighborhood that includes the Sun, eight planets, their moons, dwarf planets, asteroids, comets, and interplanetary dust. All these bodies orbit around the Sun, held in place by its powerful gravitational pull.
There are currently eight recognized planets in our solar system:
Mercury
Venus
Earth
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Beyond Neptune lies the Kuiper Belt, home to icy dwarf planets like Pluto.
At our Tampines preschool, children love singing the “Eight Planets Song” to remember their order while learning about each planet’s unique traits. Music and rhythm help young minds retain information in a fun and joyful way.
The Sun: The Heart of the Solar System
The Sun is the largest and most important celestial body in our solar system. It’s a massive star made mostly of hydrogen and helium gases. Its gravity keeps planets, moons, and other objects in orbit.
The Sun is about 4.5 billion years old, and it’s so large that 1.3 million Earths could fit inside it! Its core reaches temperatures of over 15 million degrees Celsius, producing the heat and light that make life possible on Earth.
At Genesis Childcare 1989, teachers in Tampines nursery classes introduce the concept of the Sun as “our life-giver.” Through stories and art, children learn how the Sun helps plants grow, provides warmth, and marks the rhythm of day and night.
The Inner Planets: Our Rocky Neighbors
Mercury
Mercury is the smallest and closest planet to the Sun. It orbits the Sun in just 88 days, making it the fastest-moving planet. Although it’s nearest to the Sun, it’s not the hottest—because it lacks an atmosphere to trap heat.
At Tampines child care, children love comparing Mercury’s quick orbit to a race around a playground—an engaging analogy
that makes science fun.
Venus
Venus, often called Earth’s twin, is similar in size and structure to our planet but is covered with thick clouds of carbon dioxide. These trap heat and make Venus the hottest planet, with surface temperatures reaching 475°C. The Sun rises in the west and sets in the east on Venus due to its unique backward rotation.
At Genesis Childcare 1989, this becomes a wonderful storytelling opportunity. Educators often describe Venus as a “spinning twin with a fiery personality,” turning complex facts into exciting tales.
Earth
Earth is our home—the only known planet where life exists. About 71% of its surface is covered in water, and its breathable atmosphere supports plants, animals, and humans. The name “Earth” comes from the German word meaning “the ground.”
At our Tampines preschool, children learn to appreciate Earth by exploring nature, planting seeds, and understanding why caring for our planet matters. This environmental awareness starts early at Genesis Childcare 1989.
Mars
Known as the “Red Planet,” Mars has a dusty, rocky surface and a thin atmosphere. Evidence suggests it once had rivers and volcanoes, and it remains a key focus for space exploration. Robots like Curiosity and Perseverance are currently studying its surface.
Children in Tampines nursery programs love Mars-themed crafts—creating red, crater-filled planets using clay and paint to visualize what they learn.
The Outer Planets: Giants of the Solar System
Jupiter
Jupiter is the largest planet, known for its colorful bands and the Great Red Spot—a massive storm raging for centuries. Made mostly of hydrogen and helium, Jupiter has dozens of moons and immense gravitational strength.
Saturn
Saturn is famous for its dazzling rings made of ice and rock. Though it’s the second-largest planet, it’s so light it could float in water (if such a thing were possible!).
Uranus
Uranus is unique because it spins on its side! This ice giant’s tilted axis gives it extreme seasons. It was the first planet discovered with a telescope, in 1781.
Neptune
Neptune, the farthest planet from the Sun, is known for its deep blue color and supersonic winds. Discovered in 1846, it remains a mysterious, windy world at the edge of our solar system.
At Tampines child care and Tampines preschool, educators use storytelling and interactive visuals to help children compare these giant planets—turning science lessons into a journey through imagination.
Pluto and Beyond
Once considered the ninth planet, Pluto now belongs to a category called dwarf planets. Found in the icy Kuiper Belt, Pluto is smaller than Earth’s Moon and has mountains, glaciers, and even a thin atmosphere. Its landscape is as fascinating as it is cold and distant.
Teachers at Genesis Childcare 1989 often include Pluto in lessons to teach adaptability—explaining how science evolves and how curiosity drives discovery.
Discovering the Wonders of the Solar System : Learning About Space at Genesis Childcare 1989
At Genesis Childcare 1989, children are encouraged to look beyond the world around them and explore the mysteries of the universe. Through engaging lessons and fun, hands-on activities, little learners discover the wonders of our Solar System — from the glowing Sun to the distant planets and shimmering stars.
This early exposure to astronomy helps spark curiosity and a love for science. By learning about planets, space travel, and celestial patterns, children begin to understand how vast and fascinating the universe truly is. The experience inspires imagination, critical thinking, and an appreciation for the world beyond Earth — nurturing young minds to dream big and reach for the stars.
Final Thoughts
Teaching children about planets and the solar system isn’t just about memorizing names or facts—it’s about inspiring awe and curiosity. Every star, planet, and moon has a story, and when told in the right way, these stories can ignite a lifelong passion for discovery.
At Genesis Childcare 1989, we are dedicated to nurturing that spark. Our holistic learning programs in Tampines infant care, Tampines child care, Tampines nursery, and Tampines preschool are designed to help every child explore, imagine, and grow in a caring environment.
Because when a child looks up at the stars with wonder, that’s where true learning begins.ar system. As this article may serve as an aid to help you introduce different planets for your child to learn about it.
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Genesis Tampines Childcare 1989 is one of the best preschool and childcare in Tampines. Our Preschool Tampines have over 30 years of experience in nurturing thousands of infants, toddlers and preschoolers. At our Tampines Childcare, we advocate that every child is unique and precious who needs to be loved and cherished.
As a leading early childhood center in Singapore since 1989, we are committed to nurturing our early learners holistically through various learning areas and positive learning dispositions. We place a strong emphasis on the way our teachers facilitate and interact with the children.
Our Childcare Tampines believe that every child is unique and precious who needs to be loved and cherished. Hence, our holistic curriculum aims to create meaningful learning experiences for each and every one of them!
Our Playgroup Tampines provides parents with the confidence that their children are in the good hands of our trained and caring teachers.
Our professional team of preschool teachers has a good understanding of child development and learning principles. We apply them efficiently and set the stage to create a meaningful learning experience that supports your child's discovery.
We consistently create a positive and cozy environment that will give your child a sense of security which builds their self-confidence to explore the world around them.
If you are looking for a good Tampines infant care or Tampines preschool or Tampines childcare near Tampines Central, do consider Nurture Infant House or Genesis Childcare 1989.
Located alongside our childcare in Tampines is our Nurture Infant House. If you are looking for Tampines infant care or infant care in Tampines, do visit Nurture Infant House. It is for infants aged 2 months to 18 months old. You can learn more about our infant care Tampines here.
Lastly, would you like to visit our Genesis Childcare 1989 to find out more about our environment and setup as well as understand our operations by talking to our teachers and supervisor?
Genesis Childcare 1989 (Playgroup to Kindergarten 2)
Blk 433 Tampines Street 43 #01-63/65 S(520433)
Nurture Infant House (2 to 18 months Infants)
Blk 433 Tampines Street 43 #01-61 S(520433)
Opening hours: Monday to Friday (7am to 7pm) & Saturday (7am to 2pm)
Public Bus services: 8 / 21 / 28 / 29 / 293
Tel: 96664141
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