Create Your Own Constellation
By: Highlights Editorial
It's a wonderful thing to teach kids from a young age to look up and feel awestruck. With this DIY "create your own constellation" craft, parents can do just that!
What You'll Need
What to Do
-
Wash and dry your rocks.
-
Paint white stars on the top of your rocks. Let dry.
-
Paint the stars with glow-in-the-dark paint. Let dry. Then paint the area around the stars black. Let dry.
-
Place your rocks in a sunny spot, such as a windowsill or backyard. Arrange the rocks to make your constellation. The stars will soak up the light during the day and glow at night.
Extend the Fun
For younger kids: Be a constellation detective. Look out your window late at night and find the Big Dipper; the Little Dipper; Cassiopeia (a queen sitting in a chair); Leo (the crouching lion); and Pegasus (a horse with wings). Arrange your indoor constellation to mimic their arrangement. Fun fact: The sun is a star.
For older kids: Visit a planetarium or peek through a telescope to bring the stars up close. Invent your own constellation and give it a fancy name based on your name or nickname. Fun fact: The movie Beetlejuice derives its title from a star named Betelgeuse, which is part of the constellation Orion the Hunter (look for three bright stars in a row).
