How to make a space mobile

Blast off on a space adventure with this out-of-this-world craft!

Are you a budding young space cadet? Love learning about our amazing galaxy? Well, here’s how you can bring the wonders of the universe right into your home!

How to make a space mobile

Art supplies to make a space mobile: four bottles of colored paint, scissors, a pen, a pencil, glue stick, ruler, tape, paintbrush, push pin, and two sheets of paper—one black and one white.

What you’ll need…

A large piece of white card
A large piece of black card
A compass
A pencil
Scissors
Coloured paints
Cotton thread
Sticky tape
Paint brushes
A pin

Step 1

A person uses a compass to draw a circle on white paper in the first image and cuts along the outline with scissors in the second, taking the first steps to make a space mobile.

First, use the compass to draw the planets and the sun onto the white card. For our space mobile, we’ve made the eight major planets plus the ‘dwarf planets’ Ceres, Pluto and Eris.

Step 2

A child in a red polka-dot shirt uses a paintbrush to apply yellow paint to an oval-shaped piece of paper, blending it with orange paint—perfect for making a space mobile. Bottles of paint and a newspaper are also visible on the table.

Now, paint the planets different colours. You can use your paintbrush to create different effects like swirls and splodges.

Step 3

A child wearing a red, polka-dotted shirt cuts black paper with scissors and uses a red pushpin to poke a hole, getting ready to make a space mobile.

Next, cut a large circle out of the black card. Mark the centre with a pencil and then make small holes with a pin where you want each of the planets to hang.

Step 4

A child wearing a red polka dot shirt cuts an orange paper plate with scissors in one image and folds it along a crease in the other as they prepare to make a space mobile.

Now, to make the sun, cut a slit from one edge to the centre of each of the two circles. Then, slot them together so that it looks 3D.

Step 4

A close-up of a person sewing, carefully stitching fabric pieces that will be used to make a space mobile.

Next, make a small hole in the top of each planet and the sun, thread the cotton through and secure with a knot. Finally, push the other end of the thread through the black card and, again, secure with a knot. Where will you hang your super solar system?!

Colorful, hand-crafted paper models of the solar system planets hang from strings attached to a circular black base, showing how you can make a space mobile that brings the wonders of astronomy into your room.

Top Tip: The order of the planets and dwarf planets is Mercury – Venus – Earth – Mars – Ceres – Jupiter – Saturn – Uranus – Neptune – Pluto – Eris. Here’s a phrase to help you remember it!

MY VERY EDUCATED MOTHER CLEARLY JUST SHOWED US NEW PLANETS – EXCELLENT!