Space with Ollie

Poor Little Pluto!

What happened to Pluto? Fly with Ollie's rocket to find out why Pluto is now called a dwarf planet, and why it is still special.

⏱️ 3½ minutes🧒 Ages 4 to 7🔇 No ads🎵 Sing-along chant
In 2006

The 3 planet rules

Scientists said a planet must do all three things.

  1. ☀️

    Goes around the Sun

    Pluto does. Check!

  2. ⚽

    Is round like a ball

    Pluto is. Check!

  3. 🧹

    Clears its path

    Pluto shares its path with lots of icy rocks. Not this one!

  4. 💛

    So Pluto is a dwarf planet

    Small, round and icy, and still special.

Pluto facts

Say hello to Pluto

  • Fact 1Found in 1930Clyde Tombaugh spotted a tiny dot that moved in photos of the night sky.
  • Fact 2Lives in the Kuiper BeltA big ring of icy rocks, way past Neptune.
  • Fact 3Smaller than our MoonPluto is about 2,377 km wide. Our Moon is about 3,474 km wide.
  • Fact 45 moonsCharon, Nix, Hydra, Kerberos and Styx. Charon is the biggest.
  • Fact 5A big icy heartIn 2015 the New Horizons probe flew past and found a heart-shaped icy plain.
  • Fact 6A very long yearOne trip around the Sun takes about 248 Earth years. Brrr, it is very cold!

🪐 Our solar system has 8 planets, plus dwarf planets like Pluto, Ceres, Eris, Haumea and Makemake. Sing the 8 planets song.

Free printable

The Pluto workbook

Eight low-ink pages for ages 4 to 7. Print on Letter paper.

  • Pluto facts: circle yes or no
  • Check the 3 planet rules for Earth and Pluto
  • Count Pluto's 5 moons
  • Bigger or smaller?
  • Space sums: 8 + 5 = 13
  • Colour Pluto's heart, plus a certificate
Download the free workbook PDF, 8 pages. Free for home and classroom use.
Quiz time

What do you remember?

Say your answer out loud, then tap the card to check.

Question 1

How many moons does Pluto have?

👆 Tap to see the answer
Five!Charon is the biggest one.
Question 2

Is Pluto bigger or smaller than our Moon?

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Smaller!Our Moon is bigger than Pluto.
Question 3

What shape did New Horizons find on Pluto?

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A heart!It is a huge, icy plain.
Question 4

Which planet rule can Pluto not follow?

👆 Tap to see the answer
Rule 3: clear its path.Pluto shares its path with lots of icy rocks in the Kuiper Belt.
Question 5

How many planets and dwarf planets?

👆 Tap to see the answer
8 + 5 = 138 planets, plus 5 dwarf planets: Pluto, Ceres, Eris, Haumea and Makemake.

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