We have been enjoying our space unit over here! I have to share this fun and easy way to create 3D planets for your kiddos without putting a dent in your wallet for a solar system model.
Materials:
ping pong balls (dollar store)
paper plates
toothpicks
acrylic paint
shaving cream (dollar store)
styrofoam
Squirt some shaving cream on the paper plate and add your choice of paint. Swirl it around with the toothpick to mix the paint in. Then, stick the toothpick in the ball (another reason you should get the cheap/thin ones at the dollar store), and roll it around in the shaving cream paint mixture. You may need to use a second toothpick to “paint” any uncovered areas and smooth it out.
Stick them in some styrofoam to let them dry over night.
Here is how they look finished. I love the way they turned out!
A couple of them have some pretty awesome texture. I think this was due to a larger shaving cream to paint ratio. Unfortunately, the paint peels off fairly easy to the touch on these ones, which isn’t ideal for a sensory bin or hands on activity, but if your using for display, it will look great.
Here are all of our planets in our solar system sensory bin! The girls loved them!
Want more ideas for your space unit? Check out:
Space ship mission control board
