There are many complicated processes happening outside of the ‘safe haven’ of the Earth’s orbit. Many adults sometimes have a hard time wrapping their heads around them. It’s no wonder it might be an even more difficult task for children. Teaching kids about space using science fiction movies, however, can help them make their first step at understanding physics, astrophysics, and biology. Not to mention, it’s lots of fun compared to textbook learning!

The Iron Giant (1999): A Great Sci-Fi Kid’s Movie for a Historical Perspective

The heartwarming children’s film The Iron Giant, children are introduced to several wonderful themes, such as family, trust, doing what’s right. This movie also gives a fascinating look at an era in time called “The Space Race,” which started the year this film took place: 1957. This was an ultra competitive time between the Soviet Union and the United States, when both countries raced to produce more advanced space travel in an attempt to see which side was more scientifically advanced.

An overall fun film with a great message, you and your children can experience the complex emotions people had right after the launch of the world’s first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, by the Soviet Union. Laugh, explore, and experience the space craze that swept the nation during the late 1950s!

Zathura: A Space Adventure (2005): Finding the Gravity of This Amazing Space Movie

Zathura: A Space Adventure is an epic action movie about two brothers pulled into a space escapade with the help of a magic board game. Although this fun romp through the galaxy takes plenty of scientific liberties, some of the scenes are great platforms for space lessons – such as gravitational forces!

For instance, in several scenes, the brothers (and other characters) aren’t constrained by earth’s gravitational forces. As the boys float around and solve various puzzles, they use inertia, momentum, and Newton’s laws of motion for gaming success.

Interstellar (2014): Teaching Teens About Space Science Theories

In addition to extreme time dilation depicted in the movie Interstellar due to gravitational pull, Matthew McConaughey’s character experiences a lot of other hypothetical scenarios of exploring and living in space for extended periods of time. For instance, one of the movie’s intriguing concepts involves extreme time dilation caused by gravitational forces, offering a glimpse into the fascinating interplay between time and gravity.

Although written for a teenage audience, the out-of-this-world effects and wonderful performances really do complement the science-based story – especially one that is agreed by experts to be a relatively realistic depiction of complex science theories and their potential impact on everyday life.

To conclude: science fiction space movies can be a gateway to teaching kids about space

Whereas there’s a lot of fiction in space movies, there’s also a great deal of science to be learned (both with the true and the false!). Teaching kids about space with movies such as The Iron Giant, Zathura: A Space Adventure, Interstellar, and others can be a fascinating introduction to the amazing world of physics, astrophysics, and biology.

See more helpful teacher resources on our blog!

We’ve written about educational YouTube resources, some of which explain the science of space (including living on Mars). See our articles below for more resources you can use when teaching the subject of space:

Educational YouTube resources for better learning

More educational YouTube resources for expanded learning

Educational YouTube resources for older learners – Part 1

More educational YouTube resources for older learners – Part 2

Plus, see how these open education resources can help you with lesson planning surrounding space science topics:

Ways to use open education resources (OERs) when teaching