Total Solar Eclipse Painting

A solar eclipse is coming and I know that loads of people are looking for activities.

And I wanted to share this super simple solar eclipse painting that you can do with kids.

It is a great way to make a total solar eclipse craft with just a few things. And kids of different ages can do this solar eclipse craft.

This is also a great way to work into talking more about solar eclipses in a science theme as well.

Total Solar Eclipse Painting - a simple q-tip painting you can make for the solar eclipse. It has very simple steps to make it. - 3Dinosaurs.com

The Total Solar Eclipse Painting is an excellent addition to the solar eclipse activities on the site.

What is a Solar Eclipse?

A solar eclipse happens when, at just the right moment, the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth. There are three types of solar eclipse: total solar eclipse, annular solar eclipse and partial solar eclipse.

Total Solar Eclipse Painting Craft

This is a simple craft made with black paper and white paint to make a picture of a total solar eclipse.

Solar Eclipse Books to Read with this Total Solar Eclipse Craft

A few books to read with this solar eclipse craft.

Total Solar Eclipse: A Stellar Friendship Story is a great one for solar eclipses. And love that it is a fun story and well as facts.

Eclipse by Andy Rash is a fun look at the total solar eclipse and how fun they are. This shows the plans they took to go see a solar eclipse.

Totality!: An Eclipse Guide in Rhyme and Science is full of facts and information about solar eclipse. This a great great science book for kids to learn more about eclipses.

Eclipse: Our Sky’s Most Dazzling Phenomenon is a book coming in 2024 in time for the next Total solar eclipse that has information about solar eclipse and lunar eclipse!

What we used to make the Total Solar Eclipse Painting

We have included links to some of the products and resources we have used with this activity. If you purchase via the links we may earn a small commission.

How We Made the Total Solar Eclipse Painting

You will see all the steps we used to make our total solar eclipse painting.

Cut out a White Circle

We used white cardstock to make our circle for part of the craft. We used a bowl to make a size that would work great for the craft.

We traced the bowl on white cardstock and then cut out the circle.

Lightly Glue the Circle on the Black Paper

We put only a light amount of glue on the back on the while circle. We used a glue stick to help with this. Then we placed the while circle on the black paper.

If you are doing this craft with older elementary kids you can have them hold the circle in place rather than using the glue.

Paint Around Circle

We put white paint on a paint tray. We use paint trays and use them over and over. And the small circles on the also help make sure that we don’t use a lot of excess paint.

Then you are going to use the q-tip or cotton swab to do the painting.

You start on the white part of the circle and then paint out to the black paper. Doing this creates the look of the light behind the moon.

You keep going around the circle with those fun painting strokes. Not line that you paint with the q-tip will be the same. And it creates a great effect as you paint. And kids can make big lines or small lines for this.

How they paint around the circle will make each picture different.

Lift the Circle off the Paper

After you have the whole circle painting. You slowly lift off the white circle from the center of the painting.

And as you lift it off you see an amazing circle come to shape.

A simple painting activity that different ages of kids can do for the total solar eclipse.

Final look at our Total Solar Eclipse Painting

More Solar Eclipse Printables & Crafts

Torn Paper Total Solar Eclipse Craft is a simple solar eclipse craft you can make with torn paper.

Solar Eclipse Weekly Packs has 6 grade level of packs with prek, kindergarten, first grade, second grade, third grade and fourth grade. You have fun three types of solar eclipse sequencing and activities.

Solar Eclipse Wreath Craft has a fun wreath that kids can make that show the different parts of a Solar Eclipse.

Lunar Eclipse Watercolor Moon is a fun painting craft that kids can do.

Eclipse Mini Book by Royal Baloo is great to learn about solar eclipse and how fun they are for kids.

Solar Eclipse craft for kids with paper plates by JDaniel4’s Mom

Check out all the fun Solar Eclipse Printables & Activities on 3 Dinosaurs.