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Summer Learning Activities: Star Light, Star Bright

When NASA released images from outer space captured by the James Webb Space Telescope, my family was star struck! Vivid and thrilling, the photos conjured up unknown worlds waiting to be discovered. It’s mind-boggling to know that the sparkling dots in the pictures reveal galaxies that are more than 13 billion light years away, and represent a mere speck of all that is out there in the universe. The news had us pondering the vast and mysterious universe, while also taking stock of what we know about the stars above.
Every summer, my family makes a point of focusing our gaze upward to contemplate the night sky. In late May, we were fortunate to witness a full lunar eclipse in an area with very little light pollution. We stayed up late, and my daughters figured out a way to take mobile phone photos through the lens of a monoscope that we use for birdwatching. Our pictures may not rival the NASA images, but we were pretty pleased with the results. More importantly, it got us thinking about the science behind the phenomenon, and wanting to know more about our solar system and beyond. If your family is up for some stargazing, these activities are a great place to start.
Enjoy the Night Sky
Late summer is a great time to spot shooting stars, but anytime is a good time to stare out into space with your kids. Start by adding stargazing to your family calendar. You’ll be more likely to make the time and find those clear weather nights if it’s on your radar. It may also take some planning to find a location away from city or neighborhood lights. Darkness will make the celestial bodies truly shine. Need some inspiration? Keep this Sky at a Glance resource handy, and mark your calendar for these 2024 celestial events.
Before you head out, consider downloading a stargazing app to scan the night sky and help you highlight and label the visible constellations. Prepare for the outing with background knowledge from the many BrainPOP and BrainPOP Jr. movies on the topic, including Constellations, Galaxies, Asteroids, Life Cycle of Stars, Solar System, and more. If you don’t have a BrainPOP subscription, you can sign up for a free trial. There is also a TimeZone X: Solar System fact-sorting game!
What you’ll need:
- A dark, clear night
- Notebook and pen or pencil
- Free stargazing app
- Binoculars (optional)
- Blanket or folding chairs (optional)
What you’ll do:
- Head out to your stargazing spot together, and look up!
- Ask your kids what they see. Wait 10 minutes and look up again once everyone’s eyes adjust to the dark. How many stars can you see? If the moon is out, what phase is it in? Is the Milky Way Galaxy visible?
- Try to identify known constellations, planets, or stars using a stargazing app on your phone. Locating Polaris (the North Star), which is part of Ursa Minor (the Little Dipper) is a good first step. Those are visible all year round.
- Record the celestial bodies that you see in a notebook, mapping the stars within sight. Be sure to add a date and time stamp to the page, so you can track changes in the night sky during different times of the year.
- Sit back and imagine what else is out there to behold.
Constellation Creations
When the weather or daylight make outdoor stargazing impossible, kids can construct their own recreation of the night sky with these two activities:
The Sky’s the Limit: Ceiling Constellations
What you’ll need:
- Black or dark blue construction paper
- Glow-in-the-dark pens, glitter pens, or sequins
- Double-sided tape or poster putty
- A star map or constellation notes from your own stargazing
What you’ll do:
- Pick a constellation, and sketch the star points on a piece of construction paper.
- Use glitter, glow in the dark pens, or sequins to make star points shine.
- Place the constellations on your kids’ bedroom “sky.” They’ll love having a star-studded ceiling or wall to gaze upon when the lights are dimmed. There are 88 different constellations, so the sky’s the limit!
Connect the Dots: Marshmallow Constellations
Here’s another hands-on activity to bring outer space down to Earth.
What you’ll need:
- Mini marshmallows
- Toothpicks or bamboo skewers
- Glue and construction paper (optional)
What you’ll do:
- Kids will get a kick out of pretending the marshmallows are stars, and connecting them with toothpicks to construct their favorite constellations. Start with the Little Dipper or another constellation with a familiar shape.
- If they don’t eat the marshmallows first, kids can glue their constellation creations to a piece of construction paper and label them.
- Get creative! Construct original constellations, and give them a name. Curl up with your kids and a cup of hot cocoa, and invite them to tell a story or myth about their group of stars. Get them talking by asking if their new constellation exists in the real night sky. Does it include a planet that may harbor alien life?
Space Games: Launch a Lifelong Passion
A recent survey of 11,495 students conducted by the National Society of High School Scholars revealed that members of Gen Z are adventurers: 55% expressed an interest in living and working on Mars or the Moon! If anyone in your family is keen on a future in space exploration, support their mission by playing the BrainPOP Time Zone X: International Space Station game to learn more about life as a space traveler. Any future astroscientist (or astrotourist) in training will also enjoy fact sorting in the Sortify: Space Exploration game and in this lineup of Time Zone X space topics.

Karen Kane is an editorial, marketing, and communications professional focused on creating meaningful print, digital, and real-world experiences for kids, parents, caregivers, and educators. She serves as executive director of the National Society of High School Scholars Foundation.