Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Space Name Practice
- StageEarly Years
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Space Name Practice is a free printable activity for children who want to learn the names of the planets and the order they come in. It needs only a pencil. Page 2 gives the grown up notes on how to use the sheet, help for children who find it hard, and a stretch idea.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children practise two things on this sheet: the names of the planets and the order they come in. The aim is to know both, so that a child can say the planets in sequence with confidence. It is a memory and recall activity, so it works best when children say the names aloud as they go. Read the sheet before you print so you can explain the task in your own words.
Ways to remember the order
Make a memory sentence
Invent a silly sentence where each word starts with the same letter as a planet, in the right order. The funnier the sentence, the easier it is to remember. Let your child write it, not you.
Chant it with a beat
Say the names in order to a steady rhythm, like a clap or a stomp. Speed up each time. Rhythm helps the order stick.
Build a pretend solar system
Use scrunched paper, playdough or pom poms for the planets and a bigger ball for the Sun. Line them up on the floor in order and say each name as you place it.
Cover and recall
Say the list while looking at it. Then cover it and say it again. Check, fix any slips and repeat. Short, regular tries work better than one long go.
What is a planet?
A planet is a large, round object that travels around a star. In our solar system, that star is the Sun. The solar system is the Sun and everything that travels around it, including the planets. The path a planet follows around the Sun is called its orbit. Knowing these simple ideas helps children see that the names on the sheet belong to real places in space.
The planets are usually listed in order of how far they are from the Sun. That gives the list a clear logic, which is easier to remember than a random set of names. When children understand that the order has a reason, they tend to hold on to it for longer. Pictures, models and songs can all help the names feel familiar.
Space facts to share
- The Sun is a star, and it is the centre of our solar system.
- Planets travel around the Sun. The path they follow is called an orbit.
- Planets do not make their own light. They shine because they reflect light from the Sun.
- Day and night happen because Earth spins.
- The Moon is not a planet. It orbits Earth.
Skills and curriculum link
- Memory and recall
- Putting things in order
- Science vocabulary
- Spelling new words
- Early space knowledge
How to help without giving the answers
- Ask about the orderAsk your child, "What do you think comes next?" Let them guess first, then check with a book or poster.
- Use a pictureLook at a poster or book about the solar system together. Point to each planet as your child says its name.
- Break it into chunksLearn a few names at a time. Once those feel secure, join them to the next few.
- Talk about spellingSay a name slowly in syllables, clap it, then write it. Say the name before each attempt to spell it.
Key words
- PlanetA large, round object that travels around a star.
- StarA huge ball of glowing gas. The Sun is our nearest star.
- Solar systemThe Sun and everything that travels around it.
- OrbitThe path an object takes as it travels around another object.
- OrderThe way things are arranged one after another.
- Memory trickA short phrase or rhyme that helps you remember a list.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has notes for you.
- Ask your child what they already know about space and the planets. Let them say any names they remember.
- Let them complete page 1 at their own pace. Encourage them to say each planet name aloud.
- Look at page 2 together. Praise the names and the order they got right, and talk about any that slipped.
- Come back to the sheet another day. Repeating it a little at a time helps the names stick.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Start small. Look at just the first few planets and say them aloud until they feel easy. Then add the next few. Use a book or poster of the solar system to check the order, and say each name slowly, clapping the beats.
To stretch confident children
Make a fact card for each planet using a library book, or a trusted website with an adult. Then say the planets in order from memory, and say them backwards. Add one thing you have learned about each planet.
Make it a game
Write each planet name on a separate piece of paper and mix them up. Race a timer or a friend to put them in the right order. Then take one away and ask the other player which one is missing.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forA child swaps two planets that sit next to each other.
Try thisUse a pretend solar system on the floor. Ask them to walk from the Sun along the line, saying each name as they pass it.
Watch forA child remembers the names but not the order.
Try thisTry a memory sentence or a chant. Practise the order in small chunks, then join the chunks together.
Watch forA child spells a planet name in a way that sounds right but looks wrong.
Try thisSay the name slowly in syllables, look at it on the sheet, cover it and write it again. Repeat on another day.
Talk about it
- Which planet name do you like the most, and why?
- How could you remember the order if you had no sheet?
- What do you think it would be like to travel past all the planets?
- Why do you think the planets are listed in a fixed order?
- What is the difference between a star and a planet?
- What would you like to find out about space next?
Take it off the page
Planet playground line
Use chalk or string outside to make a line from a pretend Sun. Stand on a spot for each planet and say its name as you step along.
Space song
Write a short song or rap that lists the planets in order. Perform it for the family.
Solar system mobile
Paint paper circles for the planets. Hang them from a coat hanger in order, with a yellow circle for the Sun.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child for the first few names, then let them lead. Short bursts work well. Say the names aloud together and keep it light. Praise effort and remembering, not speed.
Teachers
Use it as a starter or plenary in a space topic, as a quick recall check, or as a settled task for cover. It pairs well with a classroom display of the solar system, so children can see the names in context.
Home educators
Place it beside books, videos or a night sky walk. Let your child use pictures and models to help them remember. Return to the sheet over several days, as repetition suits a memory task like this.
Where this fits in learning
Before this, children usually meet space in everyday ways. They see the Sun in the sky, notice day and night, and hear about the Moon and stars. Learning the planet names builds the vocabulary they need for later science.
In Year 5, the Earth and space strand of the National Curriculum for England asks children to describe the movement of Earth and other planets relative to the Sun in the solar system, and the Moon relative to Earth. It also covers day and night, which are explained by Earth spinning. Knowing the names and order first makes that work easier to follow.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What is Space Name Practice?
It is a free printable activity that helps children learn the names of the planets and the order they come in. It is part of the Mini Minds Hub from Jaques of London and needs only a pencil.
- What age is it for?
It suits primary school children who are starting to learn about space. Younger children can work in small chunks with a grown up. Older children can use it as quick recall practice or add the stretch idea.
- Do I need anything except a printer?
No. A pencil is all your child needs. A book or poster about the solar system is helpful for checking the order, and craft items are useful if you try the offline ideas.
- What is on page 2?
Page 2 is for the grown up. It has notes on how to use the sheet, help for children who find it hard, a stretch idea, and answers where the sheet has them.
- How can I help a child who keeps forgetting the order?
Break the list into small chunks and say it aloud with a beat. A memory sentence also works well. Practise a little each day rather than for a long time in one go.
- Why does the order of the planets matter?
The planets are usually listed by how far they are from the Sun. Knowing the order shows children that the solar system has a pattern, and it gives them a base for later science work.
- Can I use it in a classroom?
Yes. It works as a starter, plenary or recall check during a space topic, and as a calm cover task. Pair it with a display of the solar system so children can link the names to pictures.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.