Have you heard all the buzz about the solar eclipse happening on Monday, August 21, 2017? If you haven’t, let me fill you in! This will be the first total solar eclipse seen in the continental U.S. in almost forty years. (So, depending on how old you are, you may have never experienced this in your lifetime!) And, your kids definitely haven’t experienced it.
A solar eclipse will occur across the continental United States, with a diagonal path of totality running Northwest-to-Southeast (click here to view an Eclipse map). We can expect about 90% in Southern Colorado, and I want to help you experience it to the fullest!
At around 11:50 AM (Mountain Daylight Time), the Moon will be passing in front of the Sun and blocking most sunlight from reaching the Earth. The sky will become much darker as if it were twilight.
Here are some tips to get the best view of the eclipse with your family:
Teach your kids about this once in a lifetime event.
I have two boys, ages 7 and 5, and they love any project related to science or nature. We recently got this Eclipse Kit from Space Racers, and the minute it arrived, they unpacked it! Honestly, I wanted to learn about what happens during the eclipse too! This kit has everything you need to teach your kids the science of a solar eclipse, as well as 5 pairs of viewing glasses to safely view the eclipse. Here is what comes in the Eclipse Kit:
- Safety-certified eclipse viewing glasses (5)
- An 11” x 17” eclipse map
- A 12-page booklet with viewing tips
- Safety guidelines and activities
- A limited-edition, embroidered Space Racers mission patch
SPECIAL OFFER **Our friends at Space Racers have extended a 10% discount through August 14, 2017, on the Eclipse Kit. Get yours by going HERE and entering the discount code Mom3**
Watch Space Racers explain a Total Eclipse.
Have your kids seen Space Racers? This preschool show is not only entertaining, but it’s STEM-focused themes make it perfect for education too. Kids love to know what to expect before a big event. Watching the episode, “Total Eclipse,” which airs Sunday, August 20 and Monday, August 21 will help your kids become even more excited for the eclipse. Space Racers® airs on Sprout (check local listings here), NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment’s 24-hour preschool network, and streams on Netflix. For more information visit: http://spaceracers.org.
Have an Eclipse Viewing Party!
Gather up your mama friends and their kiddos, pack a picnic lunch, gear up with your Eclipse Kit including the viewing glasses and head out to a local park. I would suggest going around 11 am. Let the kids play and run off some energy. Pull out lunch to grab everyone’s attention, and settle in on a blanket to experience the eclipse. The Eclipse Kit also comes with a limited-edition, embroidered Space Racers mission patch. This patch would be so fun to sew on a blanket or a backpack to remember this experience!