The universe - as if you a kid Again



Sometimes as a parent, nostalgia takes over, and the dreams of our youth that may not have been fully realized can come back with a vengence over our tykes's activities. Particularly with analyzing the stars, as an entry point to science and discovering, something always good to give our kids for their futures.


With that in mind, let it not be a flat text book approach, where it looks like a two hundred level college track, unless your 'child' is in said two hundred level course of study at college.  So once your down there, in your dim backyard, or possibly that far off distant viewing point, we can now show them the wonders of the cosmos through the scope or binoculars in all it's majestic wonder. This is where we are going with this article on the universe and we hope you can reach that level of astonishment as your youngsters might.


Starting from play at star staring, ro learning about the creation is not all together a major leap for the child's mind.  They are of course probing creatures who seem to soak up nature, science and their world (or creation!) around them like the proverbial sponge. Taking that as a jumping off point, if we can instill or focus that natural mental energy towards something as wonderful, and perhaps essential to our future's as astronomy, we have done a tremendous thing for our kids.


So with a few elementary family activities, we can impress that love of astronomy in our young.  Here are some ideas :


*              Create a household star gazing night. Better than pizza nighttime, since it gets you outdoors and spending time with your family. Plus everyone will get to take something new hopefully.

*             Bring In back the good old days- recount your personal experiences from your personal childhood. Lay down in the grass and simply look out upon the nighttime sky, show your young ones a configuration or two. possibly even try to get them to count the stars, then they can pass that one on to their individual kids.



*              Do not get caught in needing a telescope. Binoculars make a great tool when trying to view some simpler objects in the dark sky. This is a essential first step.


*              If you keep up with going out, your youngsters will become hooked and be learning without even knowing it. They will go forward with their finding, while it still a game or just simple fun for them. As they progress from picking up the Moon and it's location, to other familiar constellations they will want to find more and more they can identify.


*              Keeping up with all this exhilaration will be rewarding on it's own merit. Think about the first time your child tells you that reddish star is not a star at all but Mars. Or when they can tell you the phases of the Moon or the position of Orion on a dark dark in November.

*    Now you will get caught up in the excitement of finding new matters to reveal to your excited crew of fledgling astronomers.  When you reveal that you are going on a safari to see an eclipse, a meteor shower or the once in a lifetime appearance of a comet, that gift will as big as anything you might spring on them for Christmas.

The creation, as is seen by your children will bring you all together like no other family events. This joy will go with you all for the rest of your days, and for the children this may be the foot in the door to new discoveries and a life long adventure in astronomy.