Are you looking for an incredibly easy way for kids to learn the shape of constellations? Check out this simple way to create constellations with natural loose parts and make sure to add this to your list of outdoor activities!
During a recent visit to the beach, I watched my boys play with treasures they found on the shore. They stacked rocks, arranged other nature finds in different ways, and with a little help from their imaginations, a stack of rocks became a home for bugs and a stick became a sword.
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These beautiful loose parts provided hours of entertainment for the whole family. I played alongside my children and got hit with inspiration!
My boys are currently very interested in the night sky. We have been talking all about the moon, stars, and planets. As I moved around the sticks and stones, I noticed the formations resembled constellations. I showed my four year old this discovery and he thought it was so fun!
Want to Give it a Try?! Here’s what you’ll need…
Supplies
•Sticks
•Stones
Related: Check out a more structured version of this activity at our Nature Constellation Matching Game post!
The Activity
The next day, we searched for sticks and stones in our backyard. My boys helped me add star stickers to the stones. I think stones are beautiful on their own, but the addition of the gold stickers made them fun and inviting to play with for this activity!
Next, we looked at different constellations in our Night Watch book. We checked out the constellations that are viewable in the wintertime and tried to make a couple of them. My boys had the most fun making up their own constellations and giving them interesting names.
The best thing about loose parts play, is one activity will often lead into another and this equals more play! My boys spent the rest of the afternoon organizing, counting, and creating different pictures with the sticks and stones.
This incredibly simple invitation to create was a huge hit with my kids and the sticks and stones made a great addition to our loose parts collection!
Save It For Later And Pin It!
