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How to Make a Mini Artificial Planet

Making a model of the solar system is a project that is assigned to many grade-school kids. Making miniature planets can be easy, educational and fun. It's a good opportunity for kids to learn the differences between the planets, the color of each, and the distance each planet is from the sun. You can create a miniature planet from Styrofoam, and learn all about our solar system in the process.

Things You'll Need

Styrofoam ball
Acrylic craft paint
Sponge
Paint brush
Small dowel rod
Newspaper

Instructions

- 1
  Put the Styrofoam ball onto the end of a wooden dowel rod. This will make it easier, and less messy, to paint your planet.
- 2
  Decide which planet you want to make so you know which paint colors to choose. Mars is a red- orange, Earth will be blue and green, and Venus is a yellow-red.
- 3
  First, paint the planet the main color. Sponge the paint over the entire planet. Allow the planet to dry.
- 4
  Accentuate the planet with a second or third paint color to make it look more realistic. Use a paintbrush to carefully paint green continents onto a blue Earth, or white bands across an orange Jupiter. Allow the paint to dry by lying the dowel with the planet on a piece of newspaper so your work surface stays paint-free.

Astronomy