It’s a fun way to learn about the Milky Way
When kids learn about the solar system for the first time, it’s pretty sure that they’re going to want to find out more. Astronomy is all about the thrill of exploring the unknown—so getting to see what faraway planets look like up close is sure to be appealing. In a series of Instagram stories, actress and mom-of-three Cheska Kramer showed exactly how they did it.
You will need:
— a package of multi-colored balloons
— a pair of scissors
— balloon pump
— long string or ribbon
— a black pentel pen
— glitter tape for the rings of Saturn
Once you have all your materials together, it’s time to make your solar system model. Blow up each balloon to the required size for the sun or planet. As a general rule, the sun should be the biggest followed by Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Earth, Venus, Mars, and Mercury.
Work on one planet at a time and use pictures to guide you. Cheska and her kids followed the circumference sizes written in a science textbook, which helped them picture them better. Then, label each planet with a marker.
The planets of our solar system aren’t just different sizes—they also have unique features. To make your solar system stand out, you need to decorate your planets. Kendra placed a glitter tape around the Saturn model to replicate the planet’s rings, which are made of ice and shiny rock fragments.
Once you’re done decorating, arrange them in order and tie each planet to a long string. Hang it on a wall afterward. Enjoy!
