Decorations

You will need

• Space toys (plastic rockets and astronauts)
• White and silver balloons
• Paper or foam planets
• Glow-in-the-dark decorations
• Glow sticks etc.
• Stars hung from ceiling
• Star charts
• Science fiction posters
• Space rocks (paint rocks in neon colours)
• Silver foil

Space ship consoles_

First cut an ordinary cardboard box in half, but cut it diagonally on the sides and straight at the front and back, this way you get two sloping consoles for the price on one.

Then print out our console screen and get your space captains to cut out and stick onto the console in the required places.

You can choose from Earth based ship (on black or ink saving white) or Alien based ship (on black or ink saving white) – or make one of each for a space dog fight!

It's a great idea to designate a SPACE ROOM!

First you need to cover the windows with either black material or black bin-liners. You can move the furniture away from the walls and cover them with white sheets for "moon rocks". You will need a Black Light Bulb to create the Space effect and you can also use green bulbs for an eerie green glow throughout the house.

Paint foam balls (using Glow-in-the-Dark paint) and hang them from the ceiling with fishing wire so it looks like the planets are hanging in mid air. You can also paint rocks with the same glow-in-the-dark paint and disperse them throughout the space theme birthday party areas.

Glowsticks_

Glow sticks work by a chemical reaction called “chemiluminescence”. Luminescence is emission of light not caused by a rise in temperature. The light is released by atoms returning from "excited" (charged) state to normal "ground" state.  Glow sticks must first absorb energy to get into an excited state and then release energy as light to return to the ground state of energy.

The energy can be supplied in many ways but in this case the energy is supplied by a chemical reaction. This consists of a hydrogen peroxide solution (which is called the "activator"), a solution of phenyl oxalate ester and a fluorescent dye (which makes the colour). The activator is stored in a thin glass capsule. When the glass capsule is broken by flexing a glow stick the activator is released, and mixing the components (shaking the glow stick) initiates the reaction. Depending on components used, the chemical reaction can last (glow sticks can glow) from a few minutes to many hours.

Glow-in-the-dark stars_

The eerie green glow of luminous glow stars is due to phosphorescence. Substances called phosphors absorb energy from light and then slowly release it again over a period of time.

There are many different types of phosphors but zinc sulphide and strontium aluminate are the ones most commonly used for glow-in-the-dark toys and stickers.

Electrons surround the nucleus of an atom in a series of separate energy levels. An electron has to have a particular amount of energy to be in a particular energy level.

When a phosphor absorbs some radiant energy such as visible light or UV rays, the energy makes some of the electrons jump up to a higher energy level. While the electrons are in this higher energy level, the phosphor is storing the energy.

The electrons cannot hold onto their extra energy for ever and eventually fall back down to their original energy levels, releasing the stored energy as visible light. However, it is only when the energy source is removed, eg you turn off your bedroom light, that you can see the light that is being emitted.

This release of visible light can continue for minutes, hours or even days depending on the chemical structure of the phosophor.

Cut out planets, moons and stars from fluorescent poster boards. Punch holes in the planets and hang them from the ceiling. You can make alien heads by blowing up green balloons and drawing black ovular circles for the eyes and two dots for the nose. Then attach these to tables and chairs.

For a tablecloth, use scrunched-up silver foil to create a cool look. Make flying saucers by stapling two plastic plates turned upside down and hang them from the ceiling as well.

The floors can be covered with an assortment of balloons. Silver and white balloons would probably fit best into the space theme birthday party. Put glow in the dark items inside the balloons for an awesome effect!

Paint a child-sized astronaut on cardboard and cut out the face. The kids can stand behind the picture drop and have their picture taken.

Prepare astronaut costumes_

Start off by preparing the air packs. Take two empty 2-litre bottles and tape them together with sticky tape. Spray them with quick-drying silver spray. Attach straps so the children can wear it like a backpack.

Use white or orange clothes (overalls, or just white or orange trousers and a long-sleeved T-shirt) and add some NASA badges.

Have your child decorate the air packs and the space suite with glow in the dark stickers.

Take a pair of old wellies and paint them orange. You can also make an orange belt to fit the astronaut costume.

Download & print off our Planet Science Space Crew Emblems!

For more information on space clothing see this site.