A Comet, a Question, and a Cardboard Solar System
This week, my kids asked about “that space thing everyone is talking about.”
I didn’t know what they meant at first — until I realized they were talking about 3I/ATLAS, the comet flying through the sky right now. It’s been in the news, and apparently in second-grade hallway whispers too.
So we did what we usually do in our house when curiosity hits: we turned it into a project night.
We printed out our Solar System template, grabbed scissors and crayons, and cleared space on the table. We cut planets, labeled orbits, layered background circles for depth, and added a little rocket just because. One of them asked, “Do you think this comet has seen other solar systems before ours?”
I mean… probably?
It took under an hour. But it turned into a whole night of questions, storytelling, and a cardboard window into space.
What we used:
• Cardboard (we reused a cereal box)
• The printable solar system pack (planets, circles, step-by-step guide)
• Crayons, scissors, glue
• One very enthusiastic 8-year-old
• One skeptical 11-year-old who secretly loved it
How we did it:
1. Printed the planet sheet and circle templates
2. Cut 3 background circles (small–medium–large) and glued them to layer the sky
3. Cut and colored the planets
4. Glued them from center out (Sun first, then Mercury, etc.)
5. Added labels and a tiny rocket
6. Made a sturdy cardboard base with side slits — and slid the layered sheets into place, front to back, to create a freestanding 3D Solar System.
This is one of my favorite kinds of crafts:
✔️ low-prep
✔️ good for mixed ages
✔️ sneaks in STEM (planet order, scale, orbit)
✔️ opens space for conversation — not just activity
Want to try it at home or in class?
You can download the full Solar System Project Pack here:
No need for special supplies or even a color printer — just simple outlines, scissors, and a little curiosity. And who knows — it might just turn tonight into a memory.
P.S.
If your kids ask about the comet — or anything else flying through space — here’s your answer: “Let’s build our own Solar System and talk while we glue.”
