Space

Planets and the solar system are fascinating to children. Using papier-mâché to create models of the planets is a fun and exciting hands on experience to allow young children to explore the universe.

The children gather the balloons and apply the mache mixture which acts as glue (mixture of flour and water) to create the papier mache planets. 

They apply three layers of strips of paper to each balloon, allowing each layer to dry in between. Once dry, they paint each planet with a coat of white primer before applying the respective colour. They let them dry again. They paint Mercury – grey, Venus – brown and grey, Earth –blue, brown green and white, Mars – red, brown, Jupiter – brown, orange and pale brown, with white cloud stripes, Saturn – golden, brown, and blue-grey, Uranus – blue-green and Neptune – blue. 

The children could not wait to display their planets in the solar system mobile.