Model solar system for 4 year old

[AllBuggiedOut]

Wondering about getting DS1 something to explain/show how the solar system works. (He's asking questions like "does the sun make a hole in the earth when it goes down"). Can anybody recommend a simple, robust moving model? Thanks!

Orrery model here - batteries not included, LOL!

(Possibly too complicated for 4-yr-old - looks too complicated for me, frankly )

Humm, looks a bit fragile...

Ds1 has this which is ceiling mounted (so you wouldn't have to worry about your 4 year old dismantling it!) It has a remote control to start it rotating, and the sun lights up. It comes with a CD which explains how it all works.

There's this on Amazon too but it says 6+ - may be too breakable for a 4 year old?

I saw a mobile on john lewis website, it was £14.95 solar system, it looked okay, but wouldn't be robust for handling...

martha that ceiling one is fab... just checked the lights in our odd house, they are by the window, not in the centre of the room, grrrr.... how much space does it need?

(sorry to hi-jack, my dd is quite interested in solar system just now and that would be great, esp as it is out of her wee brother's reach)

How old was your DS when he got it, Marthaboo? Would the CD be beyond a 4 year old? I like the look of the science museum one, and like the fact that he can get close enough to it to examine it properly, whereas something on the ceiling might be more difficult see... Anybody got the Science Museum one? Do the planets spin (he's also very concerned about why it is daytime in Australia while he's in bed...)?

this did something wrong there!

Can't get the link to work, ChasingSquirrels, but £7 is very appealing! Is it a moving model?

Not as much fun as a model, but there are a few good websites: one here, and there's also a Nasa for Kids site that has games and so on.

Sorry, cross posts!

He's 10 - so a lot older than your ds (got it for his birthday this year). No the planets don't spin - they just rotate round the sun. I...er...don't know how complicated the CD is because when ds1 got me to come and lie on the bed, turned the light out and put the CD on so I could see how it all worked I fell asleep

there is an early learnng/fired up kids (for slightly older age than elc) projector thing with cd that is 'like having your own planetarium'. have ordered one for my DSs room they are 7 &4. again, as someone else said, little bro won't be able to reach and damage it!

umm, the planets are on little metal rods, you can rotate them round, as well as the arms rotating round the sun (just tried it - apart from the one that ds painted to the rod!)

DS (now 5) got a great one from TK Maxx last year - orary type thingy. Sun lights up and Tom Baker-ish voice booms out at you yelling at you that JUPITER IS NAMED AFTER THE KING OF THE ROMAN GODS!!

Fraky stuff, but a year on, ds loves it and knows all the answers to the dreadful true/false quiz.

Saw it in a catalogue recently - planets on metal poles on a black base with buttons.

Quite robust. But would have to search for it. Hang on.

Thanks - sounds good ChasingSquirrels. Will look in local toy shops. Love the Uncle Milton one but think it may be for future years!

Fab websites policywonk!

Hi Marthaboo, and others who have these with CDs, can you tell me whether the voiceover is very American? (this is a bit of an ishoo for me and would drive me mad).

Yes, it is very American, I'm afraid

OK, thanks