Sun Activities
Explore the Sun with these hands-on activities!
The Sun (also called Sol) is the star at the center of our Solar System. Its gravity holds the solar system together. The Sun's warmth and light make life possible on Earth. Discover more about the shadows, eclipses, and how scientists explore the Sun from far away!
Learn more about the Sun from NASA Science.
Activities
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Observing the Dynamic Sun
- Build A Model Solar Probe
- Marbled Sun Prints
- Solar Plasma Collage
- Solar Viewer
- Sunspotter
- Straw Painting The Sun
Sunlight:
- Colors of Sunlight Experiments For younger learners
- Create a Sun Print
- Construction Paper Sun Prints
- Snow Goggles
- UV Bracelets
- Sunlight is Older Than You Think (video & lesson from TED-Ed)
Seasons & Time
- Arctic Seasons Model
- Create a Sundial
- Kinesthetic Astronomy
- Winter and Summer Sun For younger learners
Shadows & Eclipses:
- Bear's Shadow For younger learners
- Big Sun/Small Moon
- Eclipse Chalk Art
- Solar Eclipse
Solar Energy & Climate:
- Explore Albedo
- Design a Shoebox Solar Home
- Make a Sun Out Of Leaves
- Warm-Up Experiment For younger learners
Additional Links:
- Heliophysics Resource Database: searchable collection from NASA HEAT.
- The Heliophysics Big Year was a global celebration of solar science and the Sun’s influence on Earth and the entire solar system. Learn more: NASA Helio Big Year.
- Find even more Sun activities at the Solar Week website.
- Explore teacher-created lessons about Heliophysics.
- Discover Sun Science online with NASA's SUN STEM Toolkit!
- Explore the Lawrence Hall of Science DIY Sun Science activities online or through an app.
- Hear about solar activity & the most intense geomagnetic storm on a Short Wave podcast episode.
Video: Exploring the Sun
Discover fun facts about the Sun, and create a suncatcher!
Activity Sheet:
- Exploring the Sun: Create A Suncatcher: Make a suncatcher, inspired by images of the Sun!
Return to Space Science Activities homepage.
This project was funded under NASA cooperative agreement NNX16AL65A and cooperative agreement number NNH15ZDA004C. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.