Solar system craft

Half term we took the boys to a space centre.  They loved it and have been space mad since they got home. Our eldest decided as soon as he got home that he wanted to make the planets. 

We started with the sun and paper machied a balloon.  This was painted orangey red.  Then decided to make the other balls from rolled up news paper.  Really wish we hadn't as they were really heavy and have made the hanging really difficult.  I would recommend using balloons and just blowing up to different sizes.

Each planet was made with crumpled up paper, 2 layers of kitchen towel pasted on with a mix of glue and water and a final layer of coloured tissue.  This was done to save time as you can put the tissue on the wet paper towel.  Sometimes I find that by the time the paper machie has dried the excitement to paint it has gone and a different project has been started.  Which sometimes is great as it gives a bit of inspiration and a base for new project - but other times its nice to see a finished project and gives the kids a sense of completion and achievement.

P spent ages looking at books to find the colours of each planet and creating it as accurately as possible. Not all necessarily accurate but he was very proud of what he achieved.
Next, the impossible task of hanging the really heavy planets with out getting to technical as i wanted P to do as much as possible.

We taped lots of kebab sticks together - his choice as they are kept in the craft box.  The planets were hung on thread from the end of each stick.  Next, P created circles of card (should have been a much heavier card and I might have to change this) which he inserted the sticks into.  These were held between two pieces of wood from the outside resource box. .  All held together with a long screw. It isn't the strongest looking but the planets spin and rotate around the sun.  Success! It will hopefully hang from his ceiling.