Space Activities For Kids
Build A Space Probe

Our homeschool space activities for kids will show you how to make a Voyager space probe, get a free Planets printable and discover the Universe!

Before you start worrying, the basic design is really simple.

If you look at our homeschool model, you can see it's really just a series of cardboard tubes and loo rolls all covered in shiny foil.

You'll also see how to

• build a model solar system
  

and find some brilliant space pictures. 

How To Make A Model Space Probe

As you can see, we had great fun learning how to make a space probe in our homeschool activities.

To really get the idea, you need to have a look at the real Voyager Space Probe design.

The thing that really makes it all hang together is the dish (or 'high gain antenna' to give it the proper name!) and that's just aluminum foil sprayed onto a cone of homeschool cardstock.

What You Need To Make A Probe

• Cardstock
• Toilet paper rolls
• Two drinking straws
• Aluminum foil
• Assorted homeschool cardboard boxes
• Holographic paper

How To Make A Voyager Space Probe

1. Start by cutting out a large circle of cardstock. Spray mount some aluminum foil on top of the card stock so it gives a metallic feel to your antenna dish.
2. Make a slit half way from the edge to the centre so you can fold it into a cone shape.
3. Start making the rest of the probe. The magnetometer boom can come from any long, narrow cardboard box - a homeschool plastic food wrap box is fine.
4. Cover with holographic paper - ours is yellow and shiny.
5. Get going with the toilet paper rolls! Cover with different colored holographic paper. Turn them into parts of your homeschool probe.
   
6. You'll find two homeschool drinking straws stuck one after the other will make a great planetary radio astronomy and plasma wave antenna.
   

You can see some videos and images of the Voyager space probe in flight at NASA.

You'll know from our how to build a robot page that we really rate Stephen Munzer's books, and he's got this one on making spacecraft from trash.

If you want to be inspired, you can go to NASA and get an image of the day taken from space.

Free Planets Printable

Get your free Planets download here.

Build A Solar System Model

Come and see how to build a solar system model for more homeschool space activities for kids.

This isn't just for space fanatics, as we show you in this page where Catherine has great fun splattering red paint to make homeschool sun spots and making balls out of modeling clay.

Make An Astronomy Cave

Fabulous space lesson for preschoolers and kindergarten, see how to learn the constellations by stepping inside your own astronomy cave made from cardboard boxes and dollar store lights.

You can see how to do it lower down on the page here.

Space Games For Kids

Games have to be one of the best space activities for kids!

Come to our kids space page for:

• the best websites
  
• space party food
• free solar system trading cards:

• You'll also find activities for older kids, including a space experiment with astronaut Chris Hadfield.
  

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