Stargazing with your grandkids can be a lot of fun—especially if you make it simple and exciting. If you want to help your grandchild become curious about science and the world around them, just look up!
Space is full of beautiful sights, amazing mysteries, and cool discoveries that inspire people to build things like the space station and even characters like Wall-E.
These days, kids have so many screens to look at—video games, social media, and YouTube can keep them busy for hours. So yes, it might feel hard to get them outside and into nature. I get it. I have grandkids too.
In this article, I’ll show you fun ways to get your kids excited about looking at something other than screens—like stars!
And not just stars, but all the cool things you can see in the night sky. I hope these simple tips help you spark a love for stargazing and inspire your kids to keep learning about our awesome universe!
Find a dark place to look at the stars
Stargazing is best when the sky is really dark. If you want your kids to enjoy it, take them to a place where they can see lots of stars. Look for a spot that’s rated Bortle 5 or lower—the lower the number, the darker the sky. Dark skies help you see more stars, and you might even catch a glimpse of the Milky Way!
At this level of darkness, kids can also see things like faraway galaxies. Use our stargazing campground map to find a good spot near you.
If the season is right and the sky is dark enough, they might even see the center of the Milky Way. That kind of view can really spark a love for space!
Look at the moon
Stargazing also includes something closer to home—moon gazing! You don’t need to go anywhere dark to enjoy the Moon. It’s bright, easy to see, and can spark your child’s interest in space even from a city with lots of lights. You don’t need a telescope or binoculars, though they can make it even more fun.
Learn about cool things in the sky
The Moon isn’t the only thing kids can enjoy in the night sky. There are also bright planets, big stars, and fun constellations to find! It’s exciting for kids to learn that some of the “stars” they see are actually planets like Venus, Mars, or Jupiter. Watching them discover this for the first time is a lot of fun.
This is a great way to start teaching kids how space works. You can help them understand how these objects move and how everything fits together in the Milky Way and the universe.
Watch meteor showers and comets
Special events like meteor showers and comets are exciting ways to get kids more interested in stargazing. Every year, we plan trips around these events, and our kids love it. Seeing a shooting star or a glowing comet gives them a rare and magical view of the sky—something they’ll always remember.
Use a stargazing app
If you don’t know a lot about stars or constellations, that’s okay—just use an app!
For beginners interested in stargazing, Star Walk 2 and Sky Guide are excellent choices. These apps are user-friendly, provide extended information on celestial objects, and offer AR overlays to help identify stars, constellations, and planets.
Stellarium Mobile is another popular free option, especially for those who prefer a more robust and feature-rich experience.
Most kids love using technology. So when they get to use a phone to find a star, planet, or constellation, they usually get really excited. Our kids used to love borrowing our phones to see what they were looking at in the sky. Now they use their own phones—wow, how times have changed!
The darker the sky, the more you’ll be able to see. If what you see in the app looks better than the real sky, don’t worry. That just means you might want to try a darker spot next time. The app is just a fun tool to help your child get excited about stargazing.
Keep your grandkids comfortable
Anyone who has kids knows that if they aren’t comfortable, they won’t want to stick around for long. That’s true for stargazing too—so it helps to plan ahead.
Bring comfy chairs to sit in, especially if you’re at a campsite. Blankets are great too! Laying one out on the grass can make stargazing feel like a fun little picnic. We personally like sitting by the fire in our chairs while we look at the stars.
Also, don’t forget the snacks! Bring food your grandkids actually like. We know how picky kids can be, so we always pack sweet treats, chips, or a special dessert—something they don’t get all the time. It makes the night feel extra fun!
Why stargaze with your grandkids?
Kids naturally look up at the stars and wonder what’s out there. Don’t let that curiosity fade away because of busy schedules or screen time like video games. Bright auroras, shining stars, constellations with cool stories, comets, shooting stars, planets, and moons have amazed people for hundreds of years.
With just a little bit of learning on your own, you can help spark your grandchild’s love for space. All you need is a star chart or a simple app—and your eyes—to explore the Milky Way and beyond together.
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