One of the activities most synonymous with overnight camp is stargazing. Even now, one of my favorite things to do with my daughter is look at the beautiful night sky and try to find the different constellations that are in season. And, come on, let’s be real here… it’s SPACE camp! How can we not fall in love with all things space, which includes the exciting search for constellations. I wanted to bring the sky into our camp space with this simple and very camp-esque activity: Flashlight Constellations. With a little ingenuity and some household items, you can bring outer space into your inner space!
Supplies:
- 1 Toilet Paper Roll (2-3 if you want backups or multiples ready)
- Printer (No Printer? access to paper and a pencil for hand drawn from provided image)
- Scissors
- Tape (clear tape is best)
- Flashlight (phone flashlight or strong white light, ex: LED)
Instructions:
Step 1 – Download and print out the graphic (click to view). If printing, use full page, but do not size to fit or else parts of the image will be cut off. Check your preview image before printing. May print a little “blurry” or “fuzzy” but it doesn’t affect the project.
Step 2 – See the constellations here (click to view) so you can hold them and project them properly.
Step 3 – Cut out the constellation you want to start with. Cut along the dotted line.
Step 4 – Use the tip of the scissors or a pencil/pen tip to punch the holes carefully.
Step 5 – Take your Toilet Paper Roll and set the stencil on top.
Step 6 – Use 3-4 pieces of tape to secure the stencil to the top of the TP Roll. Try to make it as flat as possible, with no bowing or bunching.
Step 7 – Take your flashlight/phone light and shine it through the tube.
Step 8 – Hold the tube closer to the solid surface and adjust until you get a clear constellation. (Use a dark room to project a more authentic star pattern on the ceiling.) I recommend playing around with it until you find the right projection.
Step 9 – To make another constellation stencil, remove the previous one from the tube and replace it with the new one. Or you can use multiple tubes.
Note: The best light is a white light or LED light. A phone light worked really well, but my smaller LED flashlight worked the best.
I know nothing is perfect and you will have to use your own ingenuity when it comes to making your own night sky a success for you with the tools you have at hand. I do hope you find the more fun aspects of what this activity has to offer and allow it to take you to infinity and beyond… or just um… to the stars above.
Hosted by: Camper JoD20 (Sarah “AdventGeekGirl” Bonilla)
Sarah, AKA AdventGeekGirl, lives for the next unique paranormal adventure, while traveling around with her family. A foodie at heart, she’s always looking for the next great bite. Sarah’s primary geek addiction is tabletop gaming and losers her cool over all things nuns, mysteries, Lord of the Rings, and Star Wars. Sarah hails from House Organa (for now!) and is a child of the 80s. Find more about Sarah on her social media accounts. @adventgeekgirl
