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Age Groups > Kids > Learning / Education

Making the Solar System interesting for Kids

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By GreatDad Writers

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Note: To receive great ideas for activities with kids subscribe now to the free GreatDad newsletter for dads of 4-8 year olds.

Killing aliens with the x-box may not be the only way for your kids to step outside the planet. Dads and kids can still share the thrill of a darkened planetarium or the awe of a star-bright night sky. Such experiences can make the universe seem within our reach, help dads bond with their children.

The solar system with its colorful planets and exotic names is always a good place to start. Here are some things dads can do to make the universe a more interesting place for kids:

Take a trip to the local planetarium—look out for special shows and exhibits.
Science parks are fun too. Let your kids travel through simulators and get their hands dirty in space. Make sure they get to crank-up those miniature models of the solar systems that go round and round.
Buy your kids a small telescope (‘that's awesome dad!’). Teach them how to set it up in their room and take care of it.
Ask your children about their favorite planet and help them locate photos and information about it on the Internet.
Purchase a top-of-the-line start-up kit that can help your kids build their very own planetarium right at home. Make sure you get the glow-in-the-dark model that lights up at night.
If you think your kids are born astro-nuts, take them to the nearest library to browse through some huge space encyclopedias. That should give them some big, colorful, and serious stuff to handle.
Sign them up for the summer space camp. It’s a bit expensive but the experience is worth it.

Younger kids are often inquisitive about the nature of the universe, how things work, will they break, will we all disappear etc. While dads may not have all the answers at hand, they can certainly help explain the solar system with a simple model using colorful balls of varying size in the backyard and take the young ones for an imaginary space walk. Make sure they learn (say ‘hello Pluto’) all the names of the planets on the way back home.

Also See

NASA info for Dads and Kids
Astronomy for kids 4-10

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	Comments
	By Laurel, From Highland Park Kudos to you for making sure kids are taught about Pluto (which many astronomers still consider a planet)!

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