Stargazing night
Find the Big Dipper, then invent your own
Lie outside on a blanket after dark and find the Big Dipper. Then invent your own constellation and give it a name.
You’ll need
- A blanket
- Warm clothes
- A clear night (the darker the spot, the more stars)
How to do it together
- 1
Pick a clear night and lie down on a blanket in the darkest spot of your yard, or a park you know.
- 2
Give your eyes a few minutes to get used to the dark. Talk while you wait.
- 3
Find the Big Dipper together: seven bright stars shaped like a big spoon.
- 4
Now invent your own: connect stars into a shape (a dog, a pizza, your family) and name it.
- 5
Tell the story of your constellation, like the ancient storytellers did.
Make it easier
For a 5-year-old, just count stars together and spot the moon.
Make it harder
For older kids, find the North Star using the two stars at the end of the Big Dipper.
Why it’s worth it
Lying side by side in the dark makes it easy to talk. Some of the best conversations with kids happen looking up, not face to face.
With Weekadoo
One idea like this every day, made for your kids
Every Sunday, a plan with a 10-minute idea for each child on weeknights and a family one for the weekend, picked for their ages and what they love.
