What are galaxies? Did you know they are made up of gas, millions of stars, dark matter and dust held together by gravity? It’s interesting to think about all those stars together in a system, which is called a galaxy. Learning about space is sometimes difficult because children can’t experience it so creating and holding a galaxy jar makes galaxies easier to understand. Make your own DIY kids glittery ombre galaxy jars.
This post will give list the necessary supplies and directions to make galaxy sensory jars. Kids love to make these jars and observe them. They look adorable on play room shelves or on display in bedrooms too.
How to Make DIY Kids Glittery Ombre Galaxy Jars
Gather these simple supplies for your galaxy jars – cups, jars, paint, glitter, stars, craft sticks, and cotton balls. The list of supplies includes links to the specific products on Amazon so you can select the supplies shown in the pictures. Or feel free to create your own color combinations.
Collect Your Supplies
- 3-8-ounce cups
- 3 ombre colors of acrylic paint (You can get a set from Amazon or separately from Walmart or the craft store)
- 3 Mason jars (You can get them from Walmart or Amazon)
- Large cotton balls
- Regular glitter (You can get a set from Amazon or separately from Walmart or the craft store)
- Chunky glitter (You can get a set from Amazon or separately from Walmart or the craft store)
- Glitter stars (You can get them from Walmart or Amazon)
- Wooden craft sticks (You can get them from Walmart or Amazon)
Below are some photos of the process of layering the cotton, colored water, and glitter. It’s easy to follow – just create layers of cotton, paint and glitter.
Follow the directions listed below to create these awesome glittery galaxy jars!
Assemble Your Glittery Galaxy Jars
Instructions
Step 1: Fill each cup about ¾ full of water. Add 4-5 drops of paint into each cup and stir with a craft stick: one for the dark, one for the medium and one for the light. Add 1-2 drops if needed to darken any of the cups.
Steps 2-3: Stretch the cotton balls a little and put them in the mason jars. Fill each mason jar 1/4 of the way with cotton balls.
Step 4: Pour just enough of the dark paint water into each mason jar to soak the cotton balls.
Steps 5-6: Add the glitter and stars. Use the craft stick to lightly spread the glitter and stars around the sides of the jar.
Steps 7-10: Repeat Steps 2-6 in each jar with the medium color paint water. Make sure to put enough cotton on the sides to avoid the colors from bleeding into each other, filling the jars a little over ½ way full of the cotton. When using the craft stick to lightly spread the glitter and stars around sides of the jar, be mindful not to muddy the ombre effect.
Steps 11-13: Repeat Steps 2-6 in each jar with the light color paint water. Make sure to put enough cotton on the sides to avoid the colors from bleeding into each other, filling the jars almost completely full of the cotton. When using the craft stick to lightly spread the glitter and stars around sides of the jar, be mindful not to muddy the ombre effect.
Screw on the lid and enjoy!
Yay for glitter and glitter stars! I especially like this beautiful color combination which invokes the colors of a galaxy and sparkling stars.
Kids of all ages will enjoy this fun craft and it will keep for a long time sealed in the jar. Find more space-themed activities listed below.
