Construct the Solar System

• 1). Inflate 10 latex balloons to the following diameters: one 6 inches; one 1 inch; two 1 1/4 inches; two 1 1/2 inches; one 2 inches; one 2 1/2 inches; one 3 inches; and one 4 inches. Tie a knot in the mouthpieces and set the balloons aside.
  
  
• 2). Mix 3 cups of all-purpose flour with 1 cup of water in a large bowl. Stir the mixture until it is thoroughly combined and contains no clumps of flour. Set aside the paste.
  
  
• 3). Tear newspaper into strips of various sizes, including 1-by-1-inch squares and 3-by-2-inch pieces. Rip up a sizable pile of newspaper; you need enough newspaper to cover all of the balloons at least four times.
  
  
• 4). Begin covering the largest balloons first with strips of newspaper dipped in the paste mixture. Layer the newspaper over the surface of each balloon in a single layer. Set the balloons aside to dry for at least 12 hours.
  
  
• 5). Cover all of the balloons with a second layer of papier-mâché and let them dry for another 12 hours. Repeat this process two more times.
  
  

Paint the Solar System

• 1). Paint the largest ball -- the Sun -- lemon yellow and turn the 4-inch ball of Jupiter red-orange. Give Saturn, the 3-inch ball, a light orange coat of paint with distinct dark circles around it. Paint Uranus, which is 2 1/2 inches, light blue and 2-inch Neptune a darker shade of blue.
  
  
• 2). Paint 1 1/2-inch Venus dark blue and give Earth -- also 1 1/2 inches -- a combination of green and blue paint to symbolize grass and water. Turn 1 1/4-inch Mars bright red and paint Pluto, also 1 1/4 inches, purple. Paint Mercury, the smallest ball at 1 inch, orange. Let the painted planets dry.
  
  
• 3). Cut a hole that is 3 inches in diameter out of a paper plate and discard the center. Paint the ring shape light orange on both sides and let dry.
  
  

Assembly

• 1). Slide Saturn inside the ring shape and apply a string of hot glue around the seams between the planet and ring.
  
  
• 2). Cut nine wooden skewers in the following lengths with a sharp knife: 2 1/2 inches, 4 inches, 5 inches, 6 inches, 7 inches, 8 inches, 10 inches, 11 1/2 inches and 14 inches.
  
  
• 3). Hot-glue the cut skewers in a ring around the middle of the Sun starting with the shortest length and ending with the longest piece.
  
  
• 4). Attach the planets to the ends of the skewers with hot glue in the following order starting with the shortest skewer: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto.