Solar System Puzzle
Completing planet puzzles can help young children to recognize the different planets that make up our solar system, and making the puzzles can be an interesting activity in itself. Begin by collecting pictures of the different planets, from the internet or books. Once the pictures have been printed or photocopied, they can be cut out and stuck to a piece of cardboard backing, to give the puzzle extra strength. Cut the picture into separate puzzle pieces and it is ready to be used.
Solar System Mobile
Place a hole in the center of a circular piece of cardboard, this is where the sun will hang. Draw circles around the center hole with a compass to represent the orbit of each planet. Mercury is closest to the Sun, then Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and--furthest from the Sun--Pluto (the dwarf planet). Place a hole on each circle to hang the appropriate planet from. Research what each planet looks like and what size it is in relation to the Sun, then draw the planets and the Sun on a piece of cardboard, cut them out and color them. Place a hole in the top of each planet and use string to hang it from the cardboard disc.
3D Solar System
A 3D solar system model can be made using a range of different size foam balls, available from craft shops. Because of the great size of the Sun, it is impossible to make this model to scale, but you can research the size order of the planets to ensure smaller planets don't end up bigger than the large planets. Once the planets have been decorated with the appropriate colors, pierce each one with a wooden dowel rod and stick the other end of the rod into the Sun. Cut the dowel rods to different lengths to represent the orbit of each planet, with Mercury closest to the Sun and Pluto furthest away.
Glow in the Dark
Take an old, large bed sheet and lay it flat on the ground. A black sheet is ideal. After researching the planets of the solar system, draw each one and the Sun onto the sheet. As with the other activities, ensure each planet is the correct size in relation to the Sun and other planets. Paint your solar system using lots of glow in the dark paint. Flick dots of paint on the sheet as stars. Turn off the lights and observe your glowing solar system.