Toilet Paper Roll Hubble Space Telescope

I have one last space themed craft to share in honor of last week's Space Day.  This Hubble Space Telescope craft was one of the easiest projects we've done so far.  It required very little adult assistance and Cole's favorite, very little drying time before he could play with the satellite.

 Hubble Telescope Supply List: 1 toilet paper roll, popsicle stick, scissors, glue, construction paper, tin foil

 Cut slits on opposite sides of your toilet paper roll.  They should go a little more than half way up the side of the tube.  Slide your popsicle stick to the center of the tube.

 Cover your toilet paper roll in tin foil.

 Cut your paper into two 4"x4" squares.  Fold them in half and glue them to the ends of the popsicle sticks.

Book Suggestion: We checked out the book Space, Stars, and the Beginning of Time: What the Hubble Telescope Saw from the library and wow, the pictures were amazing.  Cole loved looking at all of the images and reading about how the Hubble Telescope works.  It's a great read for kids of all ages.

Cardboard Tube Space Shuttle

I mentioned yesterday that it was Space Day and in addition to our rocket, we also made a space shuttle. I don't have very good pictures of the shuttle because Cole was very cranky during the crafting process.  I should also mention that no sooner were we done with it and he puked all over our creation.  Needless to say, the shuttle got tossed in the garbage can in record time.

Space Shuttle Supply List: 1 paper towel roll, glue, construction paper, tissue paper, scissors

 Cut or tear your tissue paper into little pieces.  Cover your paper towel roll in glue and adhere the little pieces of tissue paper. While you're allowing the paper towel roll to dry cut out your shuttle wings and top triangle piece.  You're going to want to cut out 2 large triangles and 1 smaller one.  In addition, you'll need a piece shaped like an eye.

 Cut slits in the paper towel roll to slide your wings into.  Create a triangular cone (I used a stapler to keep it closed).

Glue your wings and rocket top on to the paper towel tube and allow to dry.

Book Suggestion: I Want to Be an Astronaut is a great book to introduce kids to the job demands of life in space.  If you're looking for a book to introduce the concept of an astronaut, or as a launching point for a discussion about what astronauts do, this is it.

Paper Towel Roll Rocket {Space Day}

Did you know that the first Friday in May is Space Day?  You can learn more about Space Day at their official website.  In honor of the day we made a rocket and a space shuttle.  I'll share the shuttle project with you tomorrow.

Rocket Supply List: 1 paper towel roll, paint, construction paper, scissors, glue

 Start by painting your paper towel roll.  As you can see, Cole chose to make a red rocket.

 Cut out the construction paper wings and rocket cap.  You'll need 4 right triangles and 1 piece shaped like an eye.  I had to experiment to get the sizing just right on the piece for the top of the rocket.

 Cut 4 slits on the bottom of your paper towel roll.  Insert your right triangle pieces and bend them.  Use your glue to adhere the construction paper to the inside of your tube.

 Repeat until all 4 triangles are adhered to the bottom of the rocket.

 Bend your eye shaped piece of construction paper to form a triangular tube.  I used a stapler to keep it's shape.  Glue your construction paper to the top of the paper towel roll.

Fly your rocket around the house!

Book Suggestion:  We found the book Roaring Rockets at the library this week and Cole has loved it.  It rhymes, it has great rocket facts and the characters are cute, funny animals.  Pretty much all the ingredients needed for a delightful story.