Free Printable Planet Lacing Cards: Sun, Moon & 8 Planets
These free printable planet lacing cards give children a hands-on way to explore the solar system. Kids can thread yarn around the Sun, Moon, and eight planets while practicing guiding a lace through each marked hole.
The download includes five pages with ten colorful pictures, two per page. Use one or two cards for a quick preschool fine motor activity, or prepare the whole set for a homeschool space lesson or classroom center.
Check out our collection of hundreds of Free Printables for Kids.
What’s included in the Planet Lacing Cards Printable?
The set includes the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Small circles around each picture show where an adult can punch holes for lacing.
Children can choose the picture that interests them most. Earth makes a familiar starting point, while Saturn’s rings give you an easy detail to talk about as they work. The pictures are playful illustrations, so use them to introduce names and recognizable features rather than to teach planet size or distance to scale.
Supplies Needed:
- The free five-page planet lacing cards PDF
- Cardstock
- Scissors
- A single hole punch
- Yarn or child-sized shoelaces
- Tape, if using yarn
- A laminator, optional
Cardstock gives the cards more support as children pull the lace through. If you want a reusable set for a preschool center, laminate the pages before cutting out the pictures and punching the holes.
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How to make Planet Lacing Cards
- Print the PDF on cardstock. Select actual size in your printer settings so the marked holes stay at their intended spacing.
- Cut out the pictures. Keep the small hole marks inside the cut edge.
- Laminate if desired. This is helpful when several children will use the same set.
- Punch the marked circles. An adult should prepare the holes before the activity.
- Prepare the lace. A shoelace has a firm tip. If you use yarn, wrap tape snugly around one end to make it easier to thread.
- Demonstrate a few stitches. Show your child how to push the lace through a hole, turn the card over, and find the next one.
Tip for beginners: Punch only a few holes on one card at first. This gives a child a shorter task and leaves room to add more holes when they are ready.
A simple solar system lacing activity
Start by laying out the Sun and planet cards. Ask your child to choose one to lace. As they work, name the picture and notice a feature together: Earth’s blue and green colors, Saturn’s rings, or the Moon’s craters.
When the cards are finished, invite an older preschooler or elementary student to arrange the eight planets in order from the Sun:
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune.
Place the Sun at the beginning. Set the Moon beside Earth and explain that it is Earth’s moon, not another planet. Younger children can simply find Earth or match the planet names you say to the pictures. You don’t need to turn the lacing activity into a memorization exercise.
For another hands-on lesson, pair the cards with our solar system diorama printable. Children can lace a planet, then find it again in their diorama.
Why use lacing cards with kids?
As children thread a card, one hand steadies the picture while the other guides and pulls the lace. They practice finding the next hole and controlling how much yarn to pull through. The planet theme gives that fine motor practice a purpose that fits naturally into a space unit.
If your child has trouble getting started, try a shoelace instead of soft yarn. If the card tears, use cardstock and make sure the holes aren’t too close to the edge. A child does not have to complete the whole card for the activity to be worthwhile.
More space activities for kids
Build a longer space unit with these related activities:
- Space worksheets for preschool include more ways to explore a space theme at home or in class.
- The Earth and rocket spinning craft is a hands-on follow-up after children lace Earth.
- Outer space finger puppets add storytelling and pretend play to your space activities.
- Browse our free kids printables for more activities beyond your space lesson.
- Printable Thanksgiving Lacing Cards (Free to Print) – One of the best ways to keep little hands busy while developing essential fine motor skills.
- Outer Space Astronaut and Rocket Lacing Cards
- Free Printable Space Playdough Mats (8 Pages) – These mats are ideal for preschoolers and kindergarteners to help develop fine motor skills through hands-on activities.
Download the free planet lacing cards
Print the five-page planet lacing cards PDF to make your own solar system threading activity. Choose a few pictures to start, or prepare all ten for a classroom or homeschool space unit.
What comes in the free planet lacing cards printable?
The five-page PDF contains ten pictures: the Sun, Moon, and eight planets. Each picture has marks showing where to punch the lacing holes.
What are lacing cards for?
Children thread yarn or a lace through holes around a card. The activity gives them practice using both hands, guiding the lace, and following the next hole.
Do I need to laminate the cards?
No. Cardstock works for a simple activity. Lamination can help if you plan to reuse the cards with multiple children.
What can I use if yarn is too difficult to thread?
Try a child-sized shoelace with a firm tip. You can also wrap tape tightly around the end of the yarn to make a tip.
Are the Sun and Moon planets?
No. The Sun is a star, and the Moon is Earth’s natural satellite. They are included alongside the eight planet pictures so children can use the cards for a broader solar system activity.
Are these cards suitable for toddlers?
A younger child may enjoy looking at and naming the pictures, but threading with yarn requires close adult supervision. If your child is new to lacing, start with a few punched holes and help them guide the lace
