Children’s Activities

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Mars Helicopter colouring sheet

Credit: NASA

Mars_helicopter-colouring-sheet

Faces in objects

Human brains are designed to recognise shapes. The shape of a tree can tell us where there are fruits to eat. The shape of a crocodile tells us to stay away! We are SO good at finding shapes that we sometimes see them when they aren’t there!

That’s called pareidolia (para-doll-ea). It’s why we can sometimes see the shapes of animals in the clouds, or sticks shaped like animals, or trees that look like monsters! We’re also very good at spotting faces. A person’s face can tell us a lot. Are they cross? Happy? Do they look dangerous? Or kind?

Face pareidolia is when we see faces in objects. Can you find five faces somewhere in your house or classroom? Here are some that Tanno and Iguda found.

The Rubber Universe

You are going to make a model of the Universe with the help of your partner. Use metal washers as galaxies, and rubber bands for the spacetime that holds the Universe together. Make a long line of galaxies of different sizes, and with different distances between them. Download the instructions by clicking below:

SPACE-Rubber-Universe-work-sheet

Art Colours

Did you know that there’s no such thing as green?   Well, that’s a bit of a trick question. What we mean is that there are LOTS of different shades of the colour green. Or red, or blue, or yellow or any other colour. So just saying ‘green’ doesn’t really describe a particular colour does it?   That’s why people started to name the different shades: emerald, grass, mint, lime, olive, sage, apple … oh dear, we feel quite hungry now!  

Is this green?
Image credit: iconcom on Pexels

Next time you’re out for a walk – going to school or going to the shops or walking the dog (Iguda LOVES a walk!) collect as many different coloured green leaves as you can.   Can you find 10 different greens?   Or, if it’s autumn, see how many different reds, oranges, yellows and browns there are too.  

Image credit: Stevyn Colgan

Oh, and don’t pick them from people’s gardens and places where you don’t have permission!

Exoplanets colouring book The spacedog Iguda in his spacesuit

Iguda’s friend Tessie is on the hunt for exoplanets, in the hope we may find alien life on them. Check out this awesome colouring book by NASA and the TESS mission. How many times is Tessie pictured? Click below to download your own copy of the book.

Exoplanets_Coloring_Book_07-22-2016