How to Teach Your Kids About Astronomy: 6 Steps

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Summer is just around the corner and we cannot wait for it to finally arrive. What does it mean then? It means that we’ll be able to witness those breathtaking summer nights, where you can eat the ice cream on the porch and watch the stars.

That is the perfect moment to teach them all about them. Grab some nice, comfy blankets go to the backyard, and star gazing at the sky. If you do it right, you will be able to get your children interested in the universe and everything within.

Namely, astronomy is perceived as the science which deals with space, celestial objects, and the physical universe. For hundreds of years, people have always loved to look at the sky and try to understand what is going on around them. Want your kid to do the same? Let’s see how!

Perfect Ways To Make Astronomy Fun For Your Child

Follow The Moon

One of the easiest things you can spot instantly is the moon. It can practically be seen at almost any time. The only exception is when it is a New Moon and when it is too close to the sun. Both you and your kid can chart this progress together.

Namely, if kids have daily observations of the moon, it is going to inspire them to draw diagrams of what they are able to see on a huge calendar. Furthermore, they are going to uncover patterns of change as this satellite approaches its full phase, with a bigger portion, lit every single night. After the full moon, your kids can see that a tinier portion of it is lit every time.

Grab A Telescope

This is one of the best ways to turn any star-gazing event into a hobby. Your kid is going to love this device. Now, if you do not already have one, you can always purchase it. Although there are some telescopes that are a bit pricey, you can always come across those that are more affordable.

Generally speaking, it doesn’t matter whether you are young or older, astronomy is an amazing hobby. You can always opt for mid-range telescopes if you’re looking for something that’s not expensive, yet high-quality. With this outstanding gadget, your child will get the opportunity to look at Saturn, Jupiter, and Moon.

You won’t believe the number of objects that exist in the night sky. With a proper telescope, you will be able to see a relatively small portion of them. Now, if you do not know where these objects are located, you can always obtain great astronomy-related books.

More Astronomy Tips Coming Your Way

Don’t Be Afraid To Dig Deeper

As your child gets a little bit older he or she will better comprehend the basics of the night sky and will probably want to dig deeper to learn more. You can start by introducing your kid to the constellation.

How are you going to achieve that? You can do it by stargazing when the sky is clear and choosing some of the most popular constellations in the world. If you want your baby to get creative and start using his/her imagination then feel free to bring a sketchbook and crayons so that your child can draw the constellations and later compare them to the real ones.

Additionally, you can always utilize black construction paper, as well as a foil star sticker to make constellations, and also draw the lines between these stars by employing a white crayon. It would be even better if you obtained a book on constellations so you can tell your kid stories behind every star formation.

Pick A Moonless Night

A full, bright moon is really wonderful, however, it can make it a bit more difficult to see the stars at night. Therefore, it would be recommendable to pick a clear, lovely night during the new moon when it is simply silver and it’s not going to affect your view. This is the perfect time to tell your child all about the phases of the moon.

Hands-On Ways To Teach Your Kid Astronomy

There are so many excellent ways and activities you can include when it comes to astronomy. We are about to list the most interesting ones:

  • Go to Planetarium – This is something you can enjoy practically at any moment of the year. It’s because it doesn’t depend on the weather. Just bear in mind that a lot of planetariums are going to showcase their programs from a secular point of view.
  • Go to Local Observatory  – A plethora of communities have observatories with huge telescopes which are open to anyone at various times. Namely, these observatories have times when families can get together and view numerous interesting objects in the sky.
  • Attend A Start Party – See if there is any community nearby that has local astronomy clubs which host different, entertaining start parties where you can use a personal telescope to look at the night sky.
  • Model Rocket Launch – Spring is the perfect time to host a rocket launch. Your kid can invite his or her buddies to participate and each kid can blast off his/her rocket a couple of times just to see how high it can go.
  • Craft a Comet – If you are trying to create an enticing and fun experiment, you can always do it by creating a comet. It is an entertaining activity that is going to help your child understand what comets represent.

Explore The Solar System

For sure, one of the most spectacular concepts when it comes to astronomy for children is the story about the Solar System and how it involves other planets. Therefore, you should discuss the names, facts, and various characteristics and topics, such as the distance from the Sun of every planet and many other similar things.

Kids can be extremely curious, especially when they are very young. That’s why you should use their curiosity to teach them all about the stars and the planets. To make everything much more interesting, follow these super useful tips.

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