Easy and Educational Solar System Crafts and Projects
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I love to include hands-on activities in lessons whenever possible. These solar system crafts and projects are an easy and fun addition to an elementary astronomy unit study. Solar system art and fun solar system projects are a creative way to get kids interested in all things space.
When we include crafts in our lessons:
- Kids can work on improving fine motor skills
- It is an easy way to keep kids interested
- Kids notice details that they might not otherwise
- We can weave in other subjects
Add a few of these themed crafts to your elementary astronomy science lessons.
Easy and Educational Solar System Crafts and Projects
Planet Booklet
A planet booklet is a great way to introduce research projects for elementary-age kids. If we ask young kids to research something they generally don’t know where to start. It can be really overwhelming!
Having a few specific things to research can help kids begin to learn how to find important educational information.
This free printable planet booklet asks students to find the following information about a specific planet:
- Diameter
- Number of moons
- If there are rings
- Temperature
- Atmosphere
- Gravity
- Number of planets from the Sun
- Distance from both Earth and the Sun
- How long it takes to orbit on its axis
- How long it takes to orbit the Sun
If you would like your student to research all of the planets in our solar system, just print out more booklets.
Marbled Planet
Making marbled planets is a fun art activity that ties in a bit of science. First, read about the appearance of planets. Students will want to take notice of each planet’s size and dominant colors.
Then they will use acrylic paint and shaving cream to create marbled artwork for each planet.
Solar system sponge art is another great planetary craft.
Solar System Cookies
My kids were always happy to do schoolwork if it included cookies. Sometimes it seemed like they learned through their stomachs! They really enjoyed this edible solar system project as a review activity.
To make solar system cookies, bake sugar cookies in different sizes. The cookies will be planets, and some planets are big while others are small. After the cookies are cool, decorate each one to look like a specific planet. You will want icing in a variety of colors. We enjoyed adding sprinkles too.
This fun project was so much fun! Review is always better with cookies.
Solar System Order Bracelets
Many kids use mnemonic devices to remember the order of the planets, but another fun way is to create solar system order bracelets. You will need bracelet string and pony beads in a variety of colors. Ideally, the beads will be different colors to represent the different planets, but some of the planets look similar, so work with the beads you have.
One yellow or orange bead will represent the Sun. Then the beads will go in the order of the planets. You can also add a letter to the beads to represent the names of the planets.
The order of the planets is:
- Mercury
- Venus
- Earth
- Mars
- Jupiter
- Saturn
- Uranus
- Neptune
Solar Eclipse Paper Plate Craft
This cute solar eclipse paper plate craft can help kids understand what is happening during a solar eclipse.
It can be a hard concept for kids to understand because it isn’t something they see often. A hands-on fun craft can help.
Related Post: Easy and Fun Solar Eclipse Activities for Kids
Space Shuttle Craft
This space shuttle craft uses common household materials like cardstock, toilet paper cardboard rolls, scissors, and markers.
Many young kids dream of one day being an astronaut, so they might really enjoy creating their very own space shuttle. They can even draw little astronauts in the space shuttles.
This solar system craft would pair well with watching a space shuttle launch on YouTube or reading Spaceships and Rockets.
Printable Solar System Mobile
A solar system mobile is a great solar system craft for kids who love space. While completing the craft, they will learn about the appearance of each planet and the order of the planets from the Sun.
Once the mobile is finished, they now have a solar system decoration to hang in their room. A mobile can also function as a child’s own model of the solar system.
Kidsactivitiesblog.com offers a free printable template for a planet mobile.
Coffee Filter Planet Sun Catchers
This is another solar system craft that will teach kids about the appearance of the planets. All you need are coffee filters, scissors, markers, and a spray bottle filled with water.
First, your child will cut out each planet from circular coffee filters. Then use the markers to color the coffee filter planet. After it is colored in, spray it with water. This will blend the colors together. Now you can hang the coffee filter colorful planets in a window as sun catchers.
This easy solar system project might seem like a simple craft, but it is helping kids learn about the physical characteristics of different planets.
Constellation Art
Constellation art is a fun addition to any astronomy unit study. Kids will love this marshmallow constellation art craft. It is like a craft that you can eat! It is an adorable science snack idea that is sure to keep kids excited to learn.
Kids will use marshmallows and toothpicks to recreate constellations. They might enjoy reading the constellation myths that accompany their favorite constellations.
Rabbit Trails Through Homeschool is currently offering a free constellation lesson!
If you are teaching an astronomy unit study, or have kids who are fascinated by outer space, take these solar system crafts one step further by checking out the Kennedy Space Center Educator Resources. The site is FULL of amazing resources for teaching kids of all ages, including older kids, about space. The activities would be an excellent addition to your science lesson plans.
I hope your kids enjoy these solar system crafts and projects!
Keep reading . . .
- Educational Solar System Activities and Resources
- Fun Astronomy Games for Kids
- Easy and Fun Solar Eclipse Activities for Kids
- DIY Solar System Cookies
- What to Teach in an Elementary Science Curriculum
- October Homeschool Activities
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