It’s been six years since the last solar eclipse visible here in Florida, and I am excited to see another one on October 14, 2023. While we aren’t in the path of the ring of fire, it’s still a cool experience and this will be our youngest’s first solar eclipse. To commemorate the fun, I created a free printable 2023 Solar Eclipse worksheet. Whether you are having a solar eclipse viewing party or just watching the event with family, I have some ideas to help make it even more fun.
UPDATE – Grab the 2024 Solar Eclipse free printable here and be ready for the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024.
(Download the Free Printable solar eclipse worksheet below.)
2023 Solar Eclipse Facts
The October 14, 2023 solar eclipse will not be a total solar eclipse, instead, it will be an annular eclipse with 90% of the sun will be covered. Eight states from Oregon to Texas will be along the path to see the ring of fire (this Floridian is very jealous). If you want to figure out how much of the solar eclipse you will be able to see from where you live, check out this great website with pictures that show how much of the eclipse you will see in your area. Just put your city in the search bar and check out the results. Looks like we will be able to see about half of the sun covered in Florida.
By the way, we won’t have to wait long for the next eclipse. The next solar eclipse will be a TOTAL solar eclipse and take place April 8, 2024. How exciting!!!
Don’t forget, it is NOT safe to look directly at the solar eclipse (at any point during this eclipse). Make sure you purchase NASA-approved solar eclipse glasses or make an old-school pinhole viewer to watch the eclipse. I found a bunch of options on Amazon.
Solar Eclipse Activities
The whole solar eclipse event will last about three hours from start to finish with the peak only lasting a couple of minutes in the middle. It’s definitely a lot to check it out, go back instead, check it out, go back inside event for those of us who are not in the path. To give kids something to do while they wait for the sun to be covered by the moon, check out these educational workbooks I found that will teach kids all about the eclipse.
Solar eclipse snack ideas include:
- Oreos with the icing cut to look like phases of the solar eclipse
- Eclipse Trailmix
- Moon Pies
- Sun Chips
- Eclipse Gum
- Milky Way candy bars
- Starbursts
- Sunny Delight
- Sun Drop
- Blue Moon Beer (for the adults, of course)
- CapriSun
- Sun-Maid Raisins
- SunKist
Make a playlist with fun space-themed songs.
- Total Eclipse of the Heart by Bonnie Tyler
- Here Comes the Sun by The Beatles
- Man on the Moon by R.E.M.
- Lucky Star by Madonna
- Dark Side of the Moon by Chris Staples
- Blinded by the Light by Bruce Springsteen
- Walking on the Moon by The Police
- Fly Me to the Moon by Frank Sinatra
- Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me) by Train
- Steal My Sunshine by Len
- The Final Countdown by Europe
- Eclipse by Pink Floyd
- Ain’t No Sunshine by Bill Withers
- Talking to the Moon by Bruno Mars
- Space Oddity by David Bowie
The video below from NASA is a great resource to teach kids about how and why solar eclipses happen. I highly recommend watching it on the day of or leading up to the big day.
Free Printable 2023 Solar Eclipse Worksheet
Be sure to get lots of silly photos of the whole family in your special solar eclipse glasses to save with the Solar Eclipse worksheet in your family’s memory box. Here’s hoping for great weather to watch the solar eclipse.
If you do not want to join my mailing list for the free printable solar eclipse worksheet, you can also find the solar eclipse printable in my Etsy Shop with all four checklists. Use the coupon code SAVE10 to save 10% off all orders from my Etsy Shop just for reading my blog.
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