The Solar System: explanation for children

One of the elements that must be taken into account to explain to children what the Solar System is and how it works is that they know how to locate it in their reality, which implies that they know how to mark the path from their immediate reality to something so great. In other words, this means that, before we get involved in the task of explaining the Solar System to children, we will have to make sure that they know the “smaller” realities and that they are halfway between humans and the heavenly bodies.

In this way, it will be necessary to go from less to more. A good example would be starting from something everyday such as the house, then the building, the city, the region, the country, the continents, the planet Earth, the Earth and the Moon, other planets and the Sun and, only when the If the child understands that these realities exist , it can be explained to him that all of this together forms the so-called Solar System.

Another very effective way of explaining to children what the Solar System is and how it works is using models or dioramas , as well as any other teaching material that allows them to visualize the structure of the Solar System at scale. In this case, we are facing one of those examples in which, as the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words, and the truth is that a child will be able to understand the Solar System in a much easier way by seeing it than by imagining it. .

In this sense, models that include the orbits of the planets around the Sun are especially useful , since they allow children to interact with each of the elements that make it up. In addition, it is a relatively simple craft exercise that can be done at home over the weekend with fairly simple materials to acquire or recycle , so it will be a great opportunity to spend more time with the children while they learn by playing. .

This is the question that naturally arises in the curious mind of any child once they have understood what the Solar System is and the place it occupies as a human being within one of the planets that make it up. At this point, you will be in a position to explain that the star systems are many and that each star seen in the sky at night is the same as our Sun, but located at a great distance.

Also, at this point, the child can be explained what a “light year” is, which will be a measure of distance easier for a child’s mind to understand than it may seem at first. Finally, it will be possible to reach the largest scales of known structures in the Universe , which include galaxies and galaxy clusters. To do this, it will be essential to use didactic material again, which may include models, photographs or animations.

It will be the next question that the child will ask naturally and, at this point, it will be necessary to explain that we simply do not know for sure , at least for the moment. Children tend to believe that we adults have the answers to all their questions. However, this is clearly not the case, so it is also important for children to understand that there are things that simply do not yet know.

In this sense, and at this point in the explanation, it will also be a good time to explain to them that the things that we know we have achieved from studying the Universe through the use of different disciplines and thanks to experimentation, so It will be a very good opportunity to sow in the little ones an interest (and a taste) for science , as well as for the great possibilities that this method implies for the advancement of human society in all aspects.