Space Fun for Everyone!
Community Review for NASA's Space Place
My Take
This is a great site for getting kids interested in astronomy and space topics, due to engaging games and fun activities. I would not recommend it for low literacy or very young learners, due to the reading content on the site (including lengthy directions for somewhat complex games). The games are high quality and work well for independent exploration. There are a large number of suggested experiments and activities that would work well in a whole-class or parent-led situation. The site is a bit complicated to navigate, sometimes mixing all types of content together, which confuses students who are looking for just games or just images and information.
How I Use It
I use this site when introducing a space research unit. The variety of games and activities get my kids thinking about all the possibilities for research. They enjoy exploring the games, which are mostly focused on strategy and thinking skills, rather than gaming skills. The games are all accompanied by a lengthy background introduction that most kids skip over, but would be great for focusing on topics for classroom learning. The image galleries and information pages are top-notch, appealing to learners of all ages with eye-catching visuals.