An out-of-this-world project with a DIY galaxy in a jar! If your kids love the beauty of space, you will want to make this one-of-a-kind galaxy in a jar with your kiddos. Super easy and fun for kids of all ages, including teens and tweens, a galaxy jar is a great art or craft project any time of the year. Add this to a space activity theme as well. Grab the cotton balls and glitter, and let’s get started!
How A Galaxy Jar Represents A Galaxy
Get creative with this DIY galaxy in a jar project the kids will love to mix up with you. All you need are cotton balls, paint, glitter and a mason jar to make your own galaxy jar. Make one or two or more with your kiddos. We have tons of fun science-in-a-jar ideas for you to explore.
Creating a galaxy jar is certainly a fun and creative way to represent the appearance of a galaxy. Here’s what each material represents:
Cotton Balls: Cotton balls can represent the stars in a galaxy. In a galaxy, there are billions of stars, and they are scattered throughout the vast space. By placing cotton balls inside the jar, you are simulating the distribution of stars within a galaxy.
Colored Paint: Colored paint can represent the colorful gases and dust that fill the space between stars in a galaxy. These gases and dust clouds are often illuminated by the light of nearby stars, creating vibrant colors. You can use different colors of paint to represent the various gases and dust clouds found within a galaxy.
Glitter: Glitter can represent the bright, sparkling stars that are visible in a galaxy. Just like real stars twinkle in the night sky, glitter adds a touch of sparkle and brightness to your galaxy jar. You can sprinkle glitter throughout the jar to simulate the appearance of stars scattered across the galaxy.
By combining these elements in a jar, you can create a visually stunning representation of a galaxy. Find out how to make a galaxy in a jar below with our easy instructions and a few simple supplies. Let’s get started!
How To Make A Galaxy Jar
Supplies:
- Cotton balls (a good bag full)
- Silver glitter (a lot)
- Acrylic paint in purples, blues, pinks, and orange (choose your own colors too!)
- Mason jar -16 ounces ( or plastic jar)
Instructions:
STEP 1. Start by mixing a cup of water with a squeeze or two of each color paint.
STEP 2. Then add a good handful of cotton balls to the jar. Next add a teaspoon or two of glitter to the jar.
STEP 3. Now pour in a layer of the water and paint the mixture over the cotton balls. It should be enough for the cotton balls to absorb but not so much that it looks watery.
STEP 4. Add more glitter! Repeat the same process but with different colors so that you make layers of the galaxy in the jar until it’s full.
TIP: Don’t forget to keep adding lots of glitter! The key is to ensure the cotton balls absorb the paint, so it doesn’t look like a liquid mess. Pack the cotton balls in there!
STEP 5. Fill your galaxy jar to the very top and add a lid!
What Is A Galaxy?
Use this this galaxy jar activity to start a conversation with your students about galaxies!
A galaxy is a huge group of stars, planets, dust, and gases that are held together by gravity. Galaxies come in different shapes and sizes, and they can contain millions or even billions of stars!
Some examples of galaxies:
- Milky Way: Our own galaxy is called the Milky Way. It’s shaped like a big spiral with long arms swirling out from the center. Earth is located in one of the spiral arms of the Milky Way.
- Andromeda: The Andromeda Galaxy is another big galaxy, and it’s actually the closest galaxy to our Milky Way. Like the Milky Way, it’s also a spiral galaxy.
- Elliptical Galaxies: Some galaxies are shaped like big footballs or eggs, and we call them elliptical galaxies. They don’t have the same spiral arms as the Milky Way, but they still contain lots of stars.
- Irregular Galaxies: Irregular galaxies don’t have a regular shape like spirals or ellipses. They can look like blobs or clouds, and they come in all sorts of different shapes and sizes.
FREE Printable Space Activity Pack
Grab a free printable space activity pack to plan a space theme, including our reader’s favorite STEM challenge cards, a list of ideas, and I Spy!
Printable Space Activities Pack
With 250+ pages of hands-on fun space themed fun, you can easily explore classic space themes with your kiddos including moon phases, constellations, the solar system, and of course the 1969 Apollo 11 lunar landing with Neil Armstrong.
⭐️ Activities include supply lists, instructions, and step-by-step pictures. Also Includes FULL Space Camp Week. ⭐️
Celebrate the 1969 lunar landing with easy-to-do activities at home, with groups, at camp, or in the classroom. Read up on this famous event and learn more about Neil Armstrong as well.
- Moon STEAM activities combine science, technology, engineering, art, and math with supply lists, set up and process photos, and science information. Craters, fizzy moon rocks, edible moon phases, watercolor galaxies, a DIY planetarium, bottle rocket, and so MUCH MORE!
- Printable Moon STEM challenges that are simple but engaging for home or classroom. Also included, is a Moon theme STEM Story with challenges perfect for going on a STEM adventure inside or outside!
- Moon phases & Constellation activities include charting moon phases, oreo moon phases, moon phases mini book, and more!
- Solar System activities include a solar system lapbook template and plenty of information to learn about the solar system and beyond!
- Moon extras include I-Spy, algorithm game, binary code project, 3D rocket building, thaumatropes, and MORE!
