| There is nothing like sitting outside in the dark with your | | | | "isn't" a star, the idea is a little upside-down, but the kids |
| kids and staring up at the night sky. Time stands still as | | | | get the idea. A CD comes with the set, and in dulcet |
| you both ponder the enormity of the universe and your | | | | tones, the narrators explain the heavens. I found the |
| place within it. Poetry springs to mind as you try to | | | | CD narration to be both basic and interesting at the |
| explain to your child how people 100 years ago didn't | | | | same time - clear enough for my six-year-old, but |
| have television and 500 years ago could really imagine | | | | clearly a snore for my two-year-old. The globe itself, |
| a "man in the moon." Talking about the constellations | | | | can be taken outside, and with its glow-in-the-dark |
| brings more talk about ancient people seeing stories in | | | | printing, can be used as a star map (read on for other |
| stars and constructing their world-view out of the few | | | | tools for this). Additionally, the Theatre comes with a |
| reproducible phenomena in their lives. Even a | | | | "meteor-maker" the kids can play with to project |
| three-year-old can fall under the spell of the heavens. | | | | asteroids on the ceiling while you fight for control so |
| Every child should be able to look into the sky, | | | | that you can show them the Big Dipper. I can't imagine |
| understand that our earth revolves at a speed of | | | | using this device thousands of times, but my daughter |
| some 800 miles and hour, and see the stars for what | | | | is still enthralled with the idea of stars and planets on |
| they are: dying suns millions of light years away. Better | | | | the walls and regularly begs for a star show. |
| yet though, is for a child (or adult) to be able to | | | | 3. A basic tool is a Constellation map for finding stars in |
| recognize the constellations and the planets. That's a | | | | the night sky. I recommend the Star Finder . There are |
| basic skill like knowing how to juggle, play the | | | | plenty to choose from on Amazon. We have |
| harmonica or how to score a baseball game. None are | | | | something similar to the Orion Planisphere . It's very |
| necessary for survival in the world, but are part of a | | | | simple and easy to use. At $1.99 though, try the |
| basic set of skills that make life fuller, more nuanced, | | | | Glow-In-The-Dark Star Finder and let me know what |
| and more interesting. | | | | you think. At this price, you can't go wrong. As the |
| However, if you're like me, this is not information you | | | | Amazon review says: "When you're out under the |
| ever learned in school. Amateur astronomy, the | | | | summer sky attempting to discern Leo on the western |
| inspirational kind for non-astrophysicists, is not taught in | | | | horizon, less is more. Try to juggle an astronomy tome |
| school. It's like the non-existent course on "how to | | | | and a flashlight and you'll end up with more mosquito |
| invest in the stock market" that would have saved you | | | | bites than star sightings. A star dial is what's needed, a |
| a bundle if only they had had a course like that in | | | | lightweight paper contraption that can be manipulated |
| college. Luckily, like a lot of things on the big list of | | | | to show the sky as you see it, whatever the month |
| "Things I wish I had learned in school," there are ways | | | | and time of night. Accurate for the middle latitudes of |
| to fill in the gap of your knowledge and that of your | | | | the Northern Hemisphere, there is also a chart showing |
| children. | | | | where to expect Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn, |
| First, obviously, is a trip to local museum and | | | | month by month, through the year 2000. The stars are |
| planetarium. Not surprisingly, I have not done that with | | | | rated by magnitude; there's a zodiac dial identifying |
| my kids. Instead, I jumped for accessible tools we | | | | each zodiac constellation, showing how it appears in |
| could look at home and take with us on trips | | | | the sky; and most helpful of all, the stars are coated |
| anywhere I think there will be a big black sky we can | | | | with a luminous treatment that causes them to glow in |
| peer into together. By all means, go to the local | | | | the dark, so you can see what you're looking for |
| planetarium. Better yet, if there is an observatory, | | | | without ruining your night vision with bright lights. It's a |
| check that out on a clear, warm summer night. | | | | superbly simple yet elegantly constructed stargazer |
| However, if you have little kids who would not sit | | | | aid." |
| through a planetarium show or stay up late enough to | | | | These star maps are simple cardboard items, about |
| take the Observatory route, here are a few other | | | | the size of a magazine and as thick as a few pieces |
| ideas: | | | | of cardboard. The non-glow-in-the-dark ones require |
| 1. Buy or use a good set of binoculars to look at the | | | | that you put a piece of red plastic over your flashlight |
| moon. A telescope at the early stage is overkill and | | | | for reading them in the dark, or your eyes will never be |
| kids have trouble delaying gratification while you set it | | | | able to go back and forth from the map and the sky. |
| up. A good pair of binoculars , perhaps small enough to | | | | If your budget allows, take a look at the Celestron |
| travel with you easily, can bring the moon in close | | | | SkyScout Personal Planetarium . I have not seen this |
| enough to stimulate great conversation on stars, | | | | gadget perform, but it sounds magical. |
| planets, moons, and space travel. I have a pair of small | | | | Another take on the same theme is the stellar scope , |
| Nikon Travelite binoculars with 9x25 resolutions. Prices | | | | which allows you to look up through a telescope-style |
| are below $100 for what used to be a luxury item. | | | | device to see the stars as they would appear in the |
| They are small enough to carry easily in a jacket | | | | sky. At close to $40, it's more expensive and bulky, |
| pocket and I take them with us on all family trips, for | | | | and probably over-kills for most. |
| moon-watching, but also because the kids love to look | | | | 4. Attach glow in the dark stars to your ceiling . This is |
| at everything: birds, animals, neighbors, with them. And, | | | | a very low-cost idea that adds a magical element to |
| as I always say, "it's for the kids," is always a good | | | | both your child's bedroom and to bedtime. The stars |
| gambit to satisfy your middle-age desire for that pinball | | | | are barely visible on a white ceiling but are very bright |
| machine, slot-car set, or model train you've wanted | | | | after lights out. It's easy to put up the simplest |
| since you were nine years old. | | | | constellations (think Big and Little Dipper) and the stars |
| 2. Try an in-house planetarium. Don't laugh. Especially if | | | | are easy to remove from painted surfaces. |
| you are miles away from a science museum, or have | | | | 5. And lastly, take a look at telescopes at some point. |
| young kids like I do, this might be a good option to | | | | Not having any real experience (yet!) on this, I can only |
| familiarize the kids with concept of the solar system. | | | | suggest taking a look at the selections below. Both |
| At $29.95, don't expect the Star Theater 2 to serve | | | | National Geographic and the Discovery Store have |
| up popcorn for the show, but the price is right for the | | | | good selections and provide good instruction materials |
| semi-sophisticated tool that it is. The Star Theatre is a | | | | for most science projects. Shop for Telescopes & |
| clear globe with the stars and constellations printed on | | | | Science Tools at National Geographic! |
| it. Inside is a halogen bulb, and when you turn it on, you | | | | Find free online guide to the best Kid Activity web |
| get a projection on the walls and ceiling of the night | | | | sites. Keep your kids entertained. |
| sky. So, okay, with the lights illuminating everything that | | | | |