Starky Star Soars Through the Solar System: Fun Activity Ideas

Create a mesmerizing, swirling galaxy in a jar using simple household items. This sensory craft mimics the beautiful cosmos Starky traveled through.

Instructions:

1. Fill the jar about 1/3 full with water.

2. Add a few drops of your first color of food coloring and a sprinkle of glitter, then stir.

3. Gently stretch out some cotton balls and push them down into the colored water until the bottom is covered.

4. Add another 1/3 of water to the jar, add a different color of food coloring and more glitter.

5. Add another layer of stretched cotton balls.

6. Repeat the layers until the jar is full. Screw the lid on tightly (you can add glue for a permanent seal).

7. Tip the jar back and forth to watch your personal galaxy swirl!

You will need:

• Clear plastic or glass jar with a lid

• Cotton balls

• Food coloring (blue, purple, black)

• Glitter

Mix up some simple DIY puffy paint to create textured, three-dimensional planets just like the ones Starky visited on his journey.

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, mix equal parts shaving cream and white glue.

2. Add a few drops of food coloring to create your desired planet color (e.g., red for Mars, blue for Earth).

3. Gently mix until the color is incorporated. Try not to overmix and deflate the 'puff.'

4. Use a spoon or paintbrush to glob the puffy paint onto the black paper in a circle shape.

5. Create different planets like Jupiter with a red spot or Saturn with rings.

6. Let the paintings dry for 24-48 hours. They will dry puffy and textured!

You will need:

• Shaving cream

• White school glue

• Food coloring

• Black cardstock

Project your own constellations onto the ceiling, just like the stars Starky saw from the North Pole, using a flashlight and a simple paper cutout.

Instructions:

1. Cut a circle from the black construction paper that is large enough to cover the front of the flashlight.

2. With a parent's help, use a push pin to poke holes in the paper circle to create a star pattern (like the Big Dipper or a random design).

3. Secure the paper circle over the flashlight's lens using a rubber band.

4. Go into a dark room, turn on the flashlight, and point it at a wall or ceiling.

5. Watch your constellation appear! Create different patterns to project different star shapes.

You will need:

• Flashlight

• Black construction paper

• Push pin or sharp pencil

• Rubber band

A fun science experiment where kids rescue small toy planets from 'space ice' using a safe chemical reaction, similar to how Starky escaped the black hole.

Instructions:

1. Make a thick paste with baking soda and a little bit of water.

2. Press the paste into a spherical mold, hiding a small space toy inside each one.

3. Freeze for at least 4 hours or until solid.

4. Pop the frozen 'planets' out into a large bin or tray to contain the mess.

5. Give your child a small bowl of vinegar and a dropper.

6. Let them squirt vinegar onto the frozen shapes and watch them fizz and bubble to rescue the hidden toy!

You will need:

• Baking soda

• Vinegar

• Spherical ice cube mold

• Small plastic space toys

• Kids' droppers or squirt bottle

Recreate the solar system using delicious and healthy snacks. It's a fun way to learn the order and relative size of the planets Starky visited.

Instructions:

1. Use the dark plate as your backdrop for outer space.

2. Place the largest fruit (like an orange slice for the Sun) at one side.

3. Talk about each planet as you place the different sized fruits in order from the sun.

4. Use different sizes to represent the planets (e.g., a large grape for Jupiter, a blueberry for Mercury).

5. Get creative! Add a fruit leather ring around a plum for Saturn or a red berry for Jupiter's Great Red Spot.

6. Sprinkle tiny star sprinkles around your planets.

7. Once your solar system is complete, enjoy your cosmic snack!

You will need:

• Large dark plate or platter

• Various round fruits (grapes, berries, melon balls, orange slices)

• Star sprinkles

• Fruit leather