Learning Play & Learn Solar System Quiz

Play & Learn · ages 3–8

Solar System Quiz for Kids: Name the Planets

Can your child tell Mars from Jupiter, or spot Saturn by its rings? Tap Play for a picture quiz with real NASA photos of the Sun, the planets, the Moon and more, or tap Learn first to flip through 14 space flashcards with fun facts.

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Meet the Sun, the planets and friends

  • The Sun glowing orange and yellow

    Sun

    The Sun is a star, a giant ball of hot glowing gas. It gives us light and warmth.

  • Grey, rocky planet Mercury covered in craters

    Mercury

    Mercury is the smallest planet and the closest one to the Sun.

  • Pale yellow-white planet Venus covered in clouds

    Venus

    Venus is the hottest planet. Thick clouds trap the heat like a blanket.

  • Planet Earth from space, with blue oceans and white clouds

    Earth

    Earth is our home! It is the only planet we know that has life and liquid water.

  • A bright full Moon in a dark sky

    Moon

    The Moon goes round the Earth. Astronauts have walked on it!

  • Reddish-brown planet Mars

    Mars

    Mars is called the red planet because its rocks and dust are rusty red. India’s Mangalyaan visited it.

  • Striped planet Jupiter with its Great Red Spot

    Jupiter

    Jupiter is the biggest planet. Its Great Red Spot is a storm bigger than Earth.

  • Planet Saturn with its wide rings

    Saturn

    Saturn has beautiful rings made of ice and rock.

  • Pale blue-green planet Uranus

    Uranus

    Uranus is an icy blue-green planet that spins on its side.

  • Deep blue planet Neptune

    Neptune

    Neptune is the farthest planet from the Sun, and very windy and cold.

  • Dwarf planet Pluto with a pale heart-shaped patch

    Pluto

    Pluto is a dwarf planet. It has a big heart-shaped patch of ice.

  • A comet with a long bright tail among the stars

    Comet

    A comet is a ball of ice and dust. Near the Sun it grows a long, glowing tail.

  • An astronaut in a white spacesuit floating above the Earth

    Astronaut

    An astronaut is a person who travels into space, wearing a spacesuit to stay safe.

  • A rocket launching with a cloud of white smoke

    Rocket

    A rocket blasts off with a big push of fire and smoke to carry things into space.

Learn-first solar system chart: photos of the Sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth, the Moon, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn with their names

Free printable PDF

Print the solar system worksheets

Starts with a learn-first picture chart of all 14 planets and space objects, then match, circle and trace: a 5-page PDF that uses the same planets and space objects as the quiz.

Tips for little space explorers

  • Ages 3–4: start with the Sun, the Moon and Earth. Look for the Moon in the sky tonight.
  • Ages 5–6: learn the planets in order with a rhyme: “My Very Easy Method Just Speeds Up Naming” (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune).
  • Ages 7–8: talk about which planets are rocky (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars) and which are giant balls of gas and ice.
  • Wrong answers are fine. The quiz waits for the right one, and only first tries count towards the stars.

Questions from parents

What age is this solar system quiz for?

Children aged about 3 to 8. Younger children enjoy the pictures with a grown-up; older children can read the names and play alone.

How many planets are there?

Eight: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Pluto used to be called the ninth planet; since 2006 it is called a dwarf planet.

Are these real photos?

Yes. Most are real space photos from NASA missions and telescopes (public domain). A few, like the comet and the astronaut, come from free-to-use (CC0) photos on Wikimedia Commons.

Is it free, and do we need an account?

Yes, it is free and there is nothing to sign up for. It works in the browser on phones, tablets and computers.

Photo credits (Wikimedia Commons, CC0 / Public domain)

Most space photos are by NASA (public domain). Photos cropped and resized by Parent Oven. Quiz sounds are made in your browser. Worksheet layout © Parent Oven.