Swirling Galaxy Science Project

Bring the wonder of outer space into your home with this fun swirling galaxy science project that shows kids how spiral galaxies get their shape. This galaxy science experiments is perfect for preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, and 6th grade students. You will love simple this easy science experiment is to try along with your solar system for kids science lesson. Use this galaxy science project ideas at home or school to make science fun for kids of all ages!

Galaxy science project

I have always been fascinated by outer space. I love stargazing on a clear night, getting up in the wee hours to get a glimpse of meteor showers, and visiting the local observatory to see through their powerful telescope. These are things I have enjoyed since I was young. Now, I drag my own kids out to try and foster a love and appreciation of the vastness of space in them, as well. This galaxy science project is a great way to help kids visualize how our Milky Way galaxy gets its shape! This galaxy science experiments is perfect for preschoolers, kindergartners, grade 1, grade 2, grade 3, grade 4, grade 5, and grade 6 students.

Milky way galaxy for kids

One of my favorite websites to visit and browse is the NASA image gallery. This is a searchable database of official NASA photographs of everything from NASA spacecraft to deep space images from the Hubble Telescope. I gravitate toward the images of far away galaxies. This is one of my favorites.

This is an image taken by the Hubble Telescope of distant, interacting galaxies called Arp 273. These spiral galaxies are so close together that the gravitational pull of the smaller galaxy, UGC 1813, has distorted the shape of the larger one, UGC 1810, so that it looks like a sort of rose.

To recreate the spinning of these spiral galaxies, grab a few simple supplies: colored paper, a hole punch, a quart jar filled about 2/3 with water, and a wooden spoon.

Galaxy science project ideas

Punch 20-25 holes in various colors of paper. The resulting paper circles are your stars, planets, and space dust in your galaxy science fair projects. Then, drop your celestial bodies into the water.

Carefully, stir the water and the paper circles in a swirling motion with the handle of the wooden spoon. Try to not push the paper under the water. You want the your space objects to float. When the paper starts swirling, stop stirring and quickly remove the spoon. Now, be amazed by your own swirling, spiral galaxy!

You should see some expansion of the paper circles as they move away from the center point. Keep trying this until you see a spiral form.

Spiral Galaxy Explained

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

Free Solar System Printables

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

• HUGE pack of FREE Solar System Worksheets  for elementary age kids
• Planet worksheets for kindergarten with solar system themed math and literacy activities for preschoolers, kindergartners, and grade 1 students
• Simple Astronaut Coloring Pages
• Space Worksheets Preschool
• Free Constellation Worksheets
• Solar System Coloring Pages to read, learn, and color the solar system
• Printable Free Constellations Printable pdf for children to learn about stars and the patterns they make in the night sky
• Cootie Catcher Constellation Activities for Kids
• Free Constellation Cards
• Moon Phases Kindergarten Worksheets – HUGE pack!
• Planets Solar System for Kids pdf Book for students to learn about all the planets in our solar system
• Moon Phases Printable Mini Book for kids to learn about the phases of the moon

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:

• 100 Amazing Food science experiments for kids – arranged by type of science
• Colorful Capillary action science experiment (also known as walking water)
• Simple Radiation Experiments at Home your kids use in everyday life!
• Amaze kids with these 12 Hands on Science experiments with batteries
• 24 Epic Solar system science projects to try this week
• Fun Water balloon science experiment that explores density
• Easy Ping Pong Ball Bernoulli’s experiment
• Water Displacement Candy Science Experiment
• 50 Fun Preschool science experiments the whole family will want to try
• Simple Galaxy science project
• Easy and Fun Dancing Raisins Experiment
• Learn about weather as you find how to make a weather vane
• Eye opening Eye science experiments
• Easy-to- make Air pressure science project
• Amazing POP rocks science experiment is one of our all-time favorite science experiments we like to do during the summer are
• Stunning Chromatography Flowers are so pretty you’ll forget it was as science project!
• How to Make a Lava Lamp – super easy and SO cool!
• 30 Simple machines science projects kids will want to try
• Easy, fascinating, and colorful project answering Why do Leaves Change Color Experiment

• Free Printable Animal Classifications for Kids Cootie Catchers
• 19 Edible science experiments – which delicious project will you try first?
• HUGE Free Solar System Unit (coloring pages, hands on science projects, worksheets, and more!)
• Pipe Cleaner Constellation Activity (As seen on Good Housekeeping!)
• Teach kids about conductivity with this fun squishy circuits projects
• Amazing, Heat Sensitive,  Color Changing Slime
• Life Cycles for Kids (from penguin to sunflower and spider to turkey we have LOTS of life cycles to explore and learn about)
• EASY, Colorful Oil and Water Science Experiment
• Kids will be amazed as you change colors of white flowers with this Dying Flowers Science Experiment
• This super cool Lego Zipline is fun and simple to make
• Human Body Project
• Check out this super cool look INSIDE a Volcano Project
• Exploding Watermelon – science experiment that explores potential and kinetic energy with a big WOW moment!
• Memorable Life Size Skeletal system science project – includes free printable template
• Lego Electricity Science Experiments
• Find LOTS more Easy Science Experiments for kids of all ages!