Northern Lights Activity for Kids!
Contributed by Brandy Nelson
When I think of winter, I think of Alaska. Long winters, cold temperatures, snow and a beauty that is truly found nowhere else in the United States. While Alaska is part of the United States, it is truly set apart by location and culture.
Alaska is also known for its beautiful northern lights! The lights appear in the sky when conditions are just right, these beautiful displays are called auroras. They are caused by activity that starts on the surface of the Sun. First, solar storms shoot masses of charged particles into space. Those particles then blast toward the Earth in streams of high-energy radiation called solar wind.
Each of the auroras’ bright colors is created based on how the particles strike with the Earth’s atmosphere and the altitude of these collisions. When hit by the charged particles of the solar wind, different gases create different colors.
They are truly magical to encounter. We decided to combine some of the wonders of Alaska into a fun craft for kids to make!
Northern Lights Watercolor Silhouette
Supplies:
- card stock
- watercolor paints
- paint brush
- Animal silhouettes
- scissors
- craft glue
- black construction paper or card stock
Step 1: Have the kids paint the construction paper with watercolors in beautiful hues and designs. Cover the entire page!
Step 2: Choose your favorite Alaska silhouette and glue it to the painting once it has dried.
Step 3: Glue to a black frame made out of card stock and hang!
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