Space Splash Mission Inspires STEM Learning for Children at Little Reflections at Center Valley

August 25, 2026 – Children in the Kindergarten Prep classroom and Summer Camp program at Little Reflections at Center Valley in Center Valley, PA recently embarked on an out-of-this-world STEM challenge, putting their creativity, problem-solving, and engineering skills to the test during the center's inaugural Space Splash Mission.

Inspired by the excitement of space exploration, the children were challenged to design and build a spacecraft capable of safely transporting a water balloon "astronaut" back to Earth. Using a variety of materials gathered from home and the center, each child created a unique protective vessel designed to withstand a rooftop launch and landing.

The mission objective was simple: when dropped from the roof, could the spacecraft protect its astronaut through re-entry without the water balloon popping? 

After weeks of planning and designing, the moment of truth arrived. With the help of their teachers, the spacecrafts were launched from the roof as the children eagerly watched below. The result? Every astronaut survived the journey. 

"The Space Splash Mission gave children a fun and memorable opportunity to apply STEM concepts through hands-on learning," said Stacey Zappacosta, Center Director at Little Reflections at Center Valley. "They used creativity and critical thinking to design their spacecrafts, and they were so excited to see their ideas put to the test. Watching every astronaut make it safely back to Earth was a wonderful celebration of their hard work."

To learn more about Little Reflections at Center Valley, visit here.