Planet Mobile

Materials:
A used-mobile
8 stereofoam balls in different sizes
1 ball for the star
Poster colours
String
Toothpicks
Wire

Steps:
1. Insert the toothpicks through the diameter of the stereofoam balls.
2. Paint the balls based on the colour of each planet. The toothpick functions as the handle when painting.
3. Dry the planets.
4. Take off the toothpicks.
5. Insert the wire through the diameter of the planets and the sun.
6. Bend the wire on each end.
7. Tie a piece of string on each planet and sun.
8. Replace the hanging ornaments on the mobile with the planets.
9. Hang the sun on the mobile center.
10. Hang the mobile on the bedside.

My son (26 months old) helped me painting the stereofoam balls. He did it only for 5 minutes but enjoyed an activity he created himself. He mixed some watercolours in the bucket in the bathroom. He ran back and forth to pinch the watercolour in the living room and dipped it in the water to see the colour changing. He reported what colour he was having at that time.
I let him do it while I painted the rest. I finished making the planet mobile myself for two weeks. If you have older children, they will be great help and this activity can be their art project.

Extension activities
1. Ask the child to point out the planet based on our questions: Which is Mars? Which is Earth?
2. Ask them to touch each planet while saying its name.
3. Sing planet song.
4. Give additional information: Mars is the red planet. Jupiter is the biggest planet. Saturn has a ring. We life on Earth. The first planet is Mercury, etc.
5. Asking some information: what is the biggest planet? Why is Mars red? What planet do we live in?

The older your children are, the more complex information you can give.

Photo will be uploaded soon.