Super Fun Goodnight Moon Activities for Preschoolers

Goodnight stars. Goodnight air.

Goodnight noises everywhere.

Feeling warm and snuggly just reading those lines?

Then you’ll love these Goodnight Moon book activities!

In the children’s book Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown, children are taken through a sleepy walk through the house where they say goodnight to the moon and their surroundings. This is the perfect bedtime book, with its soothing text and gorgeous illustrations that children are sure to enjoy. Read Goodnight Moon with your child, then give these book based activities a try!

Book based activities are a great way to keep the learning going after the book is done!

Goodnight Moon Fingerprint Moon Craft

Have you ever noticed all of the different shades of the moon? Take a moment to look at the moon with your child and then create this easy fingerprint moon craft.

Supplies needed:

wood craft stick
craft glue
blue construction paper
white craft glue
scissors

Directions:

Begin by cutting a round circle out of the blue construction paper. You can use a drinking glass as a stencil if you wish.
Cut out the circle and let it lay flat.
Place a small amount of white craft glue on a paper plate.
Dip your fingertips into the white paint. Press them to the blue circle. Press firmly and release, leaving a thumbprint behind.
Repeat, continuing to apply fingerprints on the moon as you wish.
When the paint is dry, you can glue the moon to a wood craft stick and use it either as a puppet or a bookmark!

This goodnight moon activity is great for your child to play with while you read the book at bedtime. And a fun way to use a book to work on fine motor skills and make memories together.

But wait! There’s more!

Book based activities are such a great way to keep the learning going after the book is done so we have two more fun activities you can do after reading Goodnight Moon.

Sequencing: What is Your Bedtime Routine?

It is important for children to understand sequence in stories and tell their own stories in order. This activity will give them a chance to think about sequences in their own lives and discuss them.

Supplies needed:

craft paper
markers or crayons

Directions:

Talk about night time routines. What are some of the things you do? Read a book? Brush your teeth? Say prayers? Think about the order you do these activities in. This is called sequence.
Let children draw a timeline that shows the sequence of their bedtime routine. These don’t have to be super detailed, just simple sketches of them getting ready for bed, brushing hair, teeth, etc.
Allow for 20 minutes to create this timeline. Allow children to share their drawings with you and each other. Allow them to tell about their nightly routine and show how it works/looks.
Be sure to share your own routine when done! Compare and contrast routines.

Take a Goodnight Moon Book Walk

When you take a book walk, you are taking the time to look more in depth at the illustrations and text of the book. This also gives the reader a chance to ask questions and share opinions. Goodnight Moon is the perfect book for young readers to use to learn how to do a book walk.

Supplies needed:

sticky notes
pencil

Directions:

Go through the book page by page. You will use the sticky notes to mark pages of interest. Use the following code to mark the pages: Use a ! if you found something surprising on the page, use a ? if the page brings up a question you want to ask, and use a * on your very favorite page.
Take a few minutes to use the sticky notes and mark the pages accordingly.
When you are done, go through the text again and examine the sticky notes. This is a great time for children to address the questions they have, show off their favorite page, and discuss their overall feelings/questions about the book.

Grab your copy of Goodnight Moon and give these easy and fun book based activities a try today!