Sundial project: make a sundial with your kids
Sundials for kids
Making a simple sundial is a good way to keep the kids away from the playstation for several hours if you help them. And if you complete the project, children do seem to remain interested.Making a sundial is surprisingly easy and will teach your children a lot about how the solar system works. And creating a real working sundial is very satisfying for kids.To make an horizontal sundial, all you will need are scissors, tape, heavy card and a compass. Oh and the sun of course!There are loads of instructions for how to make a simple sundial on the web. Most of them have print-outs with the hour lines ready drawn to make things easy. There are also a few books suitable for kids. I have listed some of the best of both here.How to make a sundial - websites:
BBC make a sundialEasy, aimed at kids, with photo instructions for how to make a sundial
NASA telling the time with the sunSimilar to the BBC, also for children, but not as good instructions. Has print-outs for Northern and Southern hemispheres
Make your own sundial from the National Maritime Museum, LondonAnother horizontal sundial to build, with print out instructions and template for the sundial base and gnomon. Nicely designed.
Make a sundial necklace/keychainThe website isn't so pretty but the end result is good. Has three levels of difficulty so older kids can make a sundial base themselves with a protractor.
How to make a sundial for your ceilingA really fun idea - a long term project to turn the ceiling into a sundial by marking the position of the sun's reflection from a mirror. If you are artistic, the markings could then be painted for a really unusual and interesting room decoration. Spot dials like this are not uncommon in history, though typically they marked noon on the floor of churches.
Sundial fryerAnother major build a sundial project: PDF instructions to make a sundial out of a frying pan! Not for the fainthearted, requires metalworking experience.
Make your own vertical sundialAlso tricky: to make a vertical sundial - aka wall sundial - requires more maths than horizontal or equatorial dials. You need to know exactly where the dial is facing. The instructions are straightforward.How to make a sundial - books:
Sunclocks: Paper Sundials to Make and Use
For kids, this book is one of the best options. It is nice and simple, and does a lot of the work for you, with sundial templates on heavy card ready to cut out. Has templates for horizontal, vertical and equatorial sundials.
Avg. Customer Rating:
Amazon Price: (as of 03/16/2008)List Price: $12.95
Easy-to-Make Wooden Sundials
by Milton Stoneman
For a bigger project, how about a simple wooden sundial? Instructions for making several different types of sundials. Requires basic woodworking.
Avg. Customer Rating:
Amazon Price: $6.95 (as of 03/16/2008)List Price: $6.95
BBC make a sundialEasy, aimed at kids, with photo instructions for how to make a sundial
NASA telling the time with the sunSimilar to the BBC, also for children, but not as good instructions. Has print-outs for Northern and Southern hemispheres
Make your own sundial from the National Maritime Museum, LondonAnother horizontal sundial to build, with print out instructions and template for the sundial base and gnomon. Nicely designed.
Make a sundial necklace/keychainThe website isn't so pretty but the end result is good. Has three levels of difficulty so older kids can make a sundial base themselves with a protractor.
How to make a sundial for your ceilingA really fun idea - a long term project to turn the ceiling into a sundial by marking the position of the sun's reflection from a mirror. If you are artistic, the markings could then be painted for a really unusual and interesting room decoration. Spot dials like this are not uncommon in history, though typically they marked noon on the floor of churches.
Sundial fryerAnother major build a sundial project: PDF instructions to make a sundial out of a frying pan! Not for the fainthearted, requires metalworking experience.
Make your own vertical sundialAlso tricky: to make a vertical sundial - aka wall sundial - requires more maths than horizontal or equatorial dials. You need to know exactly where the dial is facing. The instructions are straightforward.How to make a sundial - books:
Sunclocks: Paper Sundials to Make and Use
For kids, this book is one of the best options. It is nice and simple, and does a lot of the work for you, with sundial templates on heavy card ready to cut out. Has templates for horizontal, vertical and equatorial sundials.
Avg. Customer Rating:
Amazon Price: (as of 03/16/2008)List Price: $12.95
Easy-to-Make Wooden Sundials
by Milton Stoneman
For a bigger project, how about a simple wooden sundial? Instructions for making several different types of sundials. Requires basic woodworking.
Avg. Customer Rating:
Amazon Price: $6.95 (as of 03/16/2008)List Price: $6.95
