How To Build a Solar System Model For Kids Using Quilling Paper

My kids are obsessed with space! All day long all I hear about are the conditions in space, the latest news from The International Space Station (ISS), obscure details on distance galaxies and planets, it’s never ending! They simply love everything to do with learning about space. This space mold created entirely from paper is perfect for space loving kids! It is also an incredible fine motor building exercise.

Paper Quilled Solar System Model

Quilled Solar System Model

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I haven’t done quilling since I was a small child, in fact I barely remember doing it, but recently I rediscovered it and I am obsessed! It is soooo cool! I love the way you can create these amazingly colourful and intricate designs, all with little strips of paper.

The History of Quilling

Originally quilling was for the upper class, monks and nuns. It was used to decorate the covers of books, frames, cabinets and more and was considered a refined art form for aristocratic women.

Today quilling is becoming popular all over the world. As a child I learned it in school, but people of all ages are learning this calming art form.

Benefits of Quilling

Quilling has some amazing benefits for kids and adults.

It is very inexpensive, making it a fantastic hobby for people on a limited budget, classrooms, after school clubs, camp programs and more.

The art of quilling works on fine motor skills including coordination and strength. It is a great way to build hand-eye coordination.

Quilling is incredibly relaxing and calming. Wonderful for helping build mindfulness and reduce anxiety.

Quilling can be used to decorate frames, books, invitations and cards and more.

QUILLING AND STEAM EDUCATION

Best of all, you can be incredibly innovative and use quilling as a STEAM project. Like we have here with this gorgeous solar system model created through quilling! Your young STEAM lovers are going to go crazy over this project.

This particular quilled solar system can also be done as a team project with different team members creating different parts of the solar system, then putting them all together into a group made model. Can you imagine if you had each student create their own planet and made a quilled classroom universe with all their planets? What an amazing wall feature that would be!

QUILLED SOLAR SYSTEM MODEL SUPPLIES

Colorful paper quilling strips
Slotted quilling tool
Scissors
Black cardstock paper
Pencil
Craft glue

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How To Make A Quilled Solar System

The process of quilling is quite simple. Slip the end of the strip of paper into the tool, and wrap the paper around the tool to form the coiled circle of paper that forms your planet. Then simply shape additional coils as needed for things like stars or the rings of Saturn.

Looking for some video tutorials to help you get started quilling? I found this video to be quite helpful.

Quilled Planets

DETAILED STEPS FOR QUILLING THE Planets

Here are the step by step instructions for making the solar system model with quilling. Feel free to encourage your kids to innovate as well with their own designs. Quilling provides an opportunity for incredible creativity and innovation.

  1. Make the Stars

    To make the quilled stars select yellow or white paper quilling strips. You need your piece to be about a 6 inch long strip. For the star make a marquise shape (diamond) by pinching or pressing in 2 sides of a loose coil. Now press on 2 opposite points between the first 2 points to make a star shape. Repeat the process to make more quilled stars.

  2. Make Earth

    Use a 12 inch long blue colored strip to make a loose coil. Next use green strips to make 3 loose coils of 3 different sizes. These will be our land masses in our blue oceans. The green coils should be at least half the size of the blue coil. Press the green coils into random shapes and place them in between the coiled pattern of the blue coil. The quilled Earth is ready!

  3. Make Saturn

    Select two differently coloured strips of the same size ( approximately 10 inches will do). Hold them together. Coil both strips together to make a tight coil and then allow it to loosen up a little. Apply glue on the open end to secure the mixed colored coil. Use 6 inch strips to make two closed marquise shapes, like we did with the first step when making stars. Attach the two closed marquise shapes on both sides of the mixed colored loose coil with a dab of glue. This is the quilled Saturn.

  4. Continue Making Other Planets

    Encourage your kids to do some research and pick which colours they want to use for the remaining planets – Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, and Neptune. Quill each of the planets.

  5. Glue your planets onto black craft paper

    The final step is to arrange your planets on black craft paper and glue them into place. Let the glue set and proudly display your quilled model of the solar system!

How to quill a Solar System Model

MORE STEAM PROJECT FOR KIDS

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How to make hard, clear plastic science experiments for kids
Friendship Tags - A new twist on an old BFF tradition has kids hammering their friendship into metal. Metal stamping for kids, great for tweens and teens. Get hammering!