Pipe Cleaner Constellations – a Hands-on Constellation Activity

August 30, 2021
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Calling all space lovers!  Whether you enjoy star-gazing on a clear summer night or are in planning mode for an upcoming solar system unit or astronomy study, this hands-on STEM activity will help your kids learn about constellations, stars, and the patterns stars form in the night sky!  Using a few simple manipulatives, your child will enjoy this fun, constellation activities where they will make Pipe Cleaner Constellations with preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, and 4th grade science students. This makes a great summer science activity or a fun constellation activity for all year long! Calling all space lovers!  Whether you enjoy star-gazing on a clear summer night or are in planning mode for an upcoming solar system unit or astronomy study, this hands-on STEM activity will help your kids learn about constellations, stars, and the patterns stars form in the night sky!  Using a few simple manipulatives, your child will enjoy this fun, constellation activities where they will make Pipe Cleaner Constellations with preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, and 4th grade science students. This makes a great summer science activity or a fun constellation activity for all year long!

Pipe Cleaner Constellations

A constellation is a fancy term for a grouping of stars that make up some sort of picture.  They are often named after mythological characters, people, or objects.  Just think of constellations as a giant game of connect the dots! Long before maps and GPS systems, people used the groupings of stars in the sky to help them navigate to where they wanted to go and keep track of the different seasons. Pretty neat, huh?! Your children will have fun exploring the patterns stars make with this hands-on constellation activity for kids! After exploring about constellations for kids through books and websites, allow your kiddos to build a few popular constellations with pipe cleaners and beads!  This pipe cleaner constellations is a simple STEM activity and fun engineering and science activity the kids will love.  And because it is hands-on and involves critical thinking and many other skills, I am hoping it’ll help your child remember the constellations in the sky for when they are out star-gazing at night. This is a fun, hands on science activity for preschoolers, kindergarteners, grade 1, grade 2, grade 3, grade 4, grade 5, and grade 6 students.
  We have lots more ideas for your solar system lesson plan. Plus don’t miss free constellation printables pdf,  constellations space cootie catcher,  lesson on stars for kids, and constellation cards, and free constellation worksheets.

Constellation stem activity

Start out by grabbing the constellation flashcards (click link) and scroll to the bottom of the post, under the terms of use, and click on the text link that says >> _____ <<. The pdf file will open in a new window for you to save the freebie and print the constellations flashcards.
fun, hands on Constellation Activity for preschool, pre k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, and 6th grade students

Constellation activity

Whether you are a parent, teacher, or homeschooler this is such a cute, clever science project that makes a perfect addition to your astronomy for kids or solar system for kids unit. Hands on learning activities are always a great way to keep kids engaged and help them retain what they’ve learned. This educational activity is great for science centers, summer learning, school at home, summer camps, and more. use pipe cleaners and star beads for this fun Constellation Activities for Kids

Constellation activities

To try this fun, hands on constellation activities you only need a few simple supplies:
Provide your child with several pipe cleaners and beads.  We used some star beads found at the Dollar Store, however, regular pony beads would work, too!
STEM activity for students learning about constellations with a creative Stars Activity

Constellations activity

With the supplies and flashcards ready, it’s time to build away and try this constellation activities for kids! We found it easiest for this stars activity to string the correct number of stars onto the pipe cleaner first and then used the flashcard to help guide us in where to bend and how to shape the pipe cleaner.
Of the three, the Ursa Minor was probably the most difficult to put together because we had to add the beads and then bend and twist the pipe cleaner to create the dipper part the correct way. If you choose more difficult constellations to create as a constellation crafts, provide more pipe cleaners and possibly some scissors to help make the correct shapes.
fun, hands on activity for teaching kids about constellations as part of a Solar System for Kids

Constellation activities for kids

This fun constellations activity is a great for kids to begin learning about all the different constellations in our night sky. Hopefully it will spur their natural curiosity to want to look for these constellations the next time your are camping or sitting around the campfire.  And maybe they will be able to tell you what you are looking at!

solar-system-unit-about-the-sun-for-kids clever paint stick solar system project  Make learning about the solar system for kids FUN my making your own solar system project! This fun, inespensive solar system for kids is made of YARN! Children of all ages from preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, and 6th graders will enjoy making. This 3d solar system project is easy to make and an inexpensive way to make a solar system model that will leave an impression on kids! Use this as you study planets for kids, a solar system unit, a school project, or science fair projects kids will love! Don't forget to grab the free solar system printables to help students working on the solar system for kids project.   Hands-on activity to learn about constellations using pipe cleaners, beads, and constellation flashcards for an engaging STEM activity! Use to teach preschool, pre k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade and more about stars, solar system, astronomy or as a fun, educational science activity

Solar System Activities for Kids

Looking for more fun, hands on science activities to teach kids about astronomy or to round out your solar system for kids unit. You will love these hands on solar system activities and lessons:
  • The Sun Activities for Kindergarten – learn about the sun and how the planets orbit around it including a fun planets game for kids!
  • Moon Activities for Kids & Astronauts Too – make oreo moon phases, DIY telescope, learn about the astronauts who landed on the moon, and more!
  • Inner Planets for Kids (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars) – Use our free planet worksheets and fun hands-on activities like Mercury craters, Venus’ melting rocks, layers of the earth, and Erupting Mars Volcano
  • Outer Planets for Kids (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune) – combination of hands-on solar system projects and solar system printables; gaseous Jupiter, Saturn Rocket, plus cloudy Uranus and Neptune.
  • Pluto, Asteroid Belt, Comets, and Stars for Kids – make a FUN constellation projector, cold Pluto ice cream project, and grape constellation project
  • Yarn Solar System Project – fun, unique, and easy solar system model that is cheap and so pretty!
  • Paint Stick Solar System Project – easy-to-make solar system model for kids that doubles as an activity for learning the names and order of the planets
  • Pipe Cleaner Constellations – fun hands on pipe cleaner constellations activity for kids
  • Simple Galaxy Science Experiments
  • Looking for more fun, engaging, creative, and memorable moon projects for kids? You will love this 50 Moon Activities for Kids & Crafts collection with the best ideas from the whole internet!
  • TONS of really cool Solar System Project Ideas for kids of all ages

Kids will have fun learning about our solar system with these free printable Solar System Worksheets for kids.  You’ll find solar system vocabulary, planets, sun, stars, moon phases, and so much more! These free worksheets are great for Kindergarteners, grade 1, grade 2, grade 3, grade 4, grade 5, and grade 6 students. Learn about the solar system for kids with these super cute, free printable solar system coloring pages. Simply print pdf file and print the solar system colouring pages to help teach toddler, preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, and 6th grade students about the planets in our solar system! There are over 15 different pages in this solar system coloring page pack to learn about Sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth, the Moon, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Asteroid Belt, Pluto, and the Milky Way Galaxy. Constellations Wheel Kids will have loads of fun learning about different star formations and their names with this easy-to-make Constellations Cootie Catcher. This is the perfect addition to your solar system for kids unit with preschool, pre k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, and 6th grade students

Free Solar System Printables

Plus, don’t forget to add these free solar system worksheets and printables to your lesson plan:

100 Amazing Food Experiments for Kids - so many clever edible science projects for kids of all ages to explore chemistry, biology, physics, and earth science! #scienceexperiment #scienceproject #kidsactivities capillary-action-science-experiment-for-kids DIY Lava Lamp - super easy way to make your own lava lamp with simple things you have around your house. This homemade lava lamp is such a fun science project for kids of all ages to sneak in some summer learning. This science experiment is for toddlers, preschoolers, pre k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, and kids of all ages at home, homeschool, summer camps, classroom, etc. Take building a classic volcano experiment for kids to whole new level with this volcano project for kids where your kids can actually see what happens INSIDE the volcano during an erruption!  This volcano science project is perfect for preschool, pre-k,  kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, and 6th grade students. Plus this homemade volcano is super EASY to make!

Science for Kids

Looking for lots more fun, science experiments for kids? You’ve GOT to try some of these outrageously fun science experiments for kids! We have so many fun, creative and easy science experiments for elementary age children:

This amazing color changing slime is going to blow your mind! This heat sensitive slime will actually change color as your kids touch it because it is heat sensitive! This is a super cool project for kids you MUST TRY! Must try summer activity for kids to add to their summer bucket list  Help kids learn about what is under their skin with this fun, interactive, and hands on human body project for kids from toddler, preschool, pre k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, and 6th grade students. This can be a simple life size human body project or use our free printable templates to add bones of the body, organ templates, and more. This engaging science project is EASY and LOW PREP too.  dying flowers science experiment Teach students about electricity for kids with this simple and amazing light bulb experiment! This light bulb science project only requires a couple simple materials and you can make an incandescent light bulb just like Thomas Edison did! This electricity experiments for kids is fun for kids of all ages from kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, 6th grade, 7th grade, and 8th graders too.

Pipe Cleaner Constellations - learn about stars with this STEM activity. This fun, hands on space activity for kids is perfect for preschool, pre k, kindergarten, grade 1, grade 2, grade 3, and grade 4 solar system or astronomy unit in your homeschool or summer learning activity

Kristina once thought of going into education, but changed her mind a few years in to her degree. Ironically, she now has her hands full as a homeschooling mother of four. With children of various ages from infant to 7, she shares a variety of educational and play activities for babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and early elementary aged children on her blog,

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One Comment

  1. Linda Moyer says:

    Thank you for these wonderful units. So grateful!

    Reply