Get ready to introduce your little ones to the awe-inspiring magic of a celestial spectacle! Mark your calendars for April 8, 2024, when a total solar eclipse will grace the skies over select areas of Mexico, the US, and Canada. While witnessing this extraordinary event with your kids promises to be an unforgettable experience, it’s essential to prioritize safety. Dive into our family-friendly guide for expert tips on safely enjoying a solar eclipse with kids.
Total solar eclipses happen more often than we’d think (once every year or two), but are only visible in any given place about every 375 years. So if you’re in the path of totality, you won’t want to miss it! And the next solar eclipse visible in the US won’t occur until 2044, so don’t miss this chance. All the more reason to be well prepared to watch the 2024 total solar eclipse with your kids!
Watching a solar eclipse with kids
In this guide, we will answer the following questions:
- What is a solar eclipse?
- Where will the 2024 total solar eclipse be visible?
- Can kids watch the solar eclipse?
- How do you show your kids the solar eclipse?
- How can we look at the eclipse?
- Is it ever safe to look directly at the sun?
- Are solar eclipse glasses safe?
- Is it safe to look at a solar eclipse through your smartphone?
- How do I make a pinhole projector?
- What are some activities kids can do before the eclipse?
- What other celestial events can we look forward to this year?
What is a solar eclipse?
A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon aligns perfectly between the Earth and the Sun, completely (total) or partially blocking the face of the Sun.
Where will the 2024 total solar eclipse be visible?
TOTAL ECLIPSE:
The total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024 will be visible from parts of Mexico, the US and Canada. It will begin in the South Pacific Ocean, pass over Mexico’s Pacific Coast and travel up from Texas to the Northeast, passing over Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. In Canada, it will first pass over Southern Ontario, then continue through Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia (Cape Breton) and Newfoundland.
Cities in the path of totality include:
- Mazatlan, Mexico
- Durango, Mexico
- Uvalde + Austin + Fort Worth + Dallas, TX
- Little Rock, Jonesboro, AR
- Paducah, KY
- Carbondale, IL
- Terre Haute + Indianapolis, IN
- Dayton + Toledo + Cleveland, OH
- Erie, PA
- Buffalo + Rochester + Syracuse, NY
- Hamilton, ON
- Burlington, VT
- Sherbrooke + Montreal, PQ
- Presque Island, ME
- Fredericton, NB
- Alberton, PEI
- Meat Cove, NS
- Gander, NL
Be sure to check the eclipse maps to see if your location is within the path of totality, or at what percentage you’ll see the eclipse. You can find maps here (also shows zoomed-in maps for several locations), here and here.
PARTIAL ECLIPSE:
A partial eclipse will be visible from Mexico, most of the US and Canada, parts of the Caribbean and Central America, and a small area of Western Europe. Again — check the maps!
This map shows the degrees of partial eclipse that will be visible in your location. For example, Boston, MA will see the sun close to 93% obscured. New York, New York is at 90%. Seattle, WA is at 20%. Denver, CO is at 60%.
You don’t live in North America? Don’t worry, a total eclipse might soon be coming your way.
- August 12, 2026: Greenland, Iceland, Spain
- August 2, 2027: North Africa and the Middle East
- July 22, 2028: Australia & New Zealand
Can kids watch the solar eclipse?
As long as strict safety measures are taken, kids can definitely watch the solar eclipse. But parents and caregivers should be ready to supervise their kids and not get too caught up in all the excitement themselves – there are definite risks involved.
Because kids’ eyes are more vulnerable to sun damage, they need to be extra cautious about viewing the solar eclipse. Be very clear with your kids that there are risks involved. To avoid any damage to their eyesight, they should never look directly at the sun for any length of time. The can only view a solar eclipse using special eye protection (special eclipse glasses with ISO 12312-2 certification) or a solar eclipse projector.
Make sure that your kids’ eclipse glasses are on before they look up, and have an adult supervising them at all times to ensure that the glasses stay on securely (especially for younger kids).
Unless your kids have a lot of experience with telescopes and/or binoculars, it’s best to avoid them (even if they have the appropriate filters). It can be hard to use them properly even in the best of circumstances, and you want to make sure your kids’ eyes are never without protection.
How do you show your kids the solar eclipse?
- Before the eclipse, talk about what causes a solar eclipse: the Moon comes between Earth and the Sun, completely blocking the Sun so that we cannot see it.
- Make a visual representation with any three objects, labeling them as the Sun, the Moon and the Earth. (For a slightly more accurate model, see this activity from NASA.)
- Call yourself the Moon and stand in between your child and a lamp, blocking the lamp’s light. (This activity shows how the ‘small’ moon can block the ‘big’ sun.)
- Look at a map together ahead of time to see how close you are to the path of totality. Will the sun be completely covered? Partially covered?
- Check a map for the approximate duration of the eclipse in your location: In some locations, the period of darkness will last up to four minutes, in other only a few seconds. (Longer duration the further southwest you are.)
- Talk to your kids about what they might experience during the eclipse:
- The sky will get darker as totality approaches, then brighter after totality has passed.
- Immediately before/after totality, the Sun may look almost like a diamond ring.
- During totality, the Sun will be completely blocked.
- It will be so dark during totality that you’ll even be able to see the stars! In the middle of the day!
- The temperature will change! It will feel cooler, since the warm sun rays will be blocked.
- If you look at the horizon, it will look somewhat like a sunset (because that area in the distance is still seeing some sunlight).
- During the partial eclipse, shadows may look sharper, strange, and crescent-shaped.
- The whole experience may feel really weird to you! But definitely awe-inspiring.
- Make sure you’re prepared with certified solar eclipse glasses or your own solar eclipse pinhole projector.
- Review some important safety precautions:
- Never look directly at the sun without your eclipse glasses.
- Always make sure your eclipse glasses are on securely, holding onto them with both hands.
- Wear sunscreen and a hat.
How can we look at the eclipse?
NASA is very clear on the dangers of looking directly at a solar eclipse:
“Except during the brief total phase of a total solar eclipse, when the Moon completely blocks the Sun’s bright face, it is not safe to look directly at the Sun without specialized eye protection for solar viewing.
Viewing any part of the bright Sun through a camera lens, binoculars, or a telescope without a special-purpose solar filter secured over the front of the optics will instantly cause severe eye injury.”
NB: Regular sunglasses, no matter now many you pile on top of each other, do NOT offer enough protection.
Your options are:
- viewing directly: use certified solar eclipse glasses, handheld solar filter
- good option for children, but only with supervision
- viewing indirectly: Face away from the sun and use a homemade pinhole projector or a household object that has small holes (e.g., colander, steaming basket, hole punched into an index card). Instead of seeing an image of the sun itself, you will see the shadow that it creates. The objects will project the image of the sun onto another surface, resulting in a crescent-shaped shadow during the partial eclipse.
- great option for children!
- viewing through camera lens, binoculars, telescope: use a purpose-built solar filter (not eclipse glasses) on the lens end (not the end you look into)
- not recommended for children
- viewing through phone camera: use filter on the camera lens, look at screen or separate filter (see section below)
- not recommended for children
Is it ever safe to look directly at the sun?
In general, no. “There is no safe time to look at the sun without protection, period. Not a split second, not a half a second, not a quarter of a second.” (Dr. Christopher Starr)
However, during a TOTAL solar eclipse, you have a very brief period of time when you can look directly at the sun, as it will be entirely obscured: “You can view the eclipse directly without proper eye protection only when the Moon completely obscures the Sun’s bright face – during the brief and spectacular period known as totality. (You’ll know it’s safe when you can no longer see any part of the Sun through eclipse glasses or a solar viewer.)” (NASA)
As soon as you see even the tiniest bit of sunlight reappear, put your eclipse glasses back on immediately.
Use your own judgment to decide whether this is something you want to mention to your children. You may decided to adopt a “glasses always on” policy!
Are solar eclipse glasses safe?
Yes. ISO-certified eclipse glasses are safe for viewing the eclipse as long as they are worn properly. Eclipse glasses are very different than regular sunglasses — they are thousands of times darker, transmitting no more than 0.00032% of sunlight through the filters.
Make sure your solar eclipse glasses are ISO-certified and free from any dents, scratches or bubbles. When wearing them, be sure to hold them securely with both eyes covered.
Again, parents should assist and supervise children wearing solar eclipse glasses, to ensure that they are worn correctly.
The American Astronomical Society has published a list of safe solar filters and viewers here. They include*:
- pack of 4 glasses (adult sizes)
- pack of 4 glasses (youth sizes)
- family pack (5 adult, 4 youth) (may not arrive in time)
- pack of 12, princess & unicorn designs (youth sizes)
- pack of 4 + smartphone filter (adult sizes)
* This site is reader-supported. When you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Is it safe to look at a solar eclipse through your phone?
This question still seems to be under some debate. Some sources say that your cell phone camera may be damaged by the eclipse, where others maintain that is not the case. So how do we decide? You may want to do additional research of your own.
In the meantime, you can read NASA’s article, Smartphone Photography of the Eclipse.
“The best thing to do is to cover the camera lens with a solar filter during the moments before
(and after) totality when the sunlight is still blinding. This will eliminate sun blooming and give you a
clear image of the solar disk. You can use one of those ISO-Certified sun-viewing glasses… to cover the smartphone lens.”
There doesn’t seem to be a definitive answer to whether or not your smartphone will be damaged. And NASA is also reluctant to make recommendations: “NASA makes no recommendations about how to safely photograph the partial eclipse phases because of the huge number of optical filter and camera models that may potentially be used and often with unsafe outcomes.”
For solar filters that easily attach to your smartphone (fewer things to juggle at a time when you need to focus on your actions), check out these options* (all endorsed by the AAS).
- Solar Snap: This kit includes 2 camera filters, 2 pairs of eclipse glasses and a free eclipse app to help with photo taking.
- Another option is the SafeShot, a “solar observatory for your smart phone”, allowing you to simultaneously take photos and view the sun directly — two separate filters on one card. The advantage of this filter is that (unlike the others listed here) you will not need to remove it during totality — it should allow photos in all stages of the eclipse.
- This camera filter will also allow you to take photos of the eclipse in a simpler set up.
* This site is reader-supported. When you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
For more tips on photographing the eclipse with a smartphone, read the articles by NASA and Space.com.
How do I make a pinhole projector?
Pinhole projectors (like the one pictured above, which I made for the 2017 eclipse) are a great way for kids to experience the eclipse. Without actually looking at the sun, they can still experience some of the wonder — seeing a crescent-shaped image projected into their device.
All you need is:
- a box (long and narrow if possible)
- a piece of aluminum foil
- a piece of white paper
- scissors and tape
- pin or nail
(N.B. An Honest Kids juice pouch box worked really well, but cereal boxes are also good options.)
It’s a bit of a crude device, but also very easy to make! There are several helpful videos to guide you through the steps:
- NASA: pinhole projector
- Canadian Space Agency: pinhole projector
NASA has also provided instructions for a pinhole camera, which is even simpler to make!
What are some activities kids can do before the eclipse?
- craft: Make your eclipse glasses “stylish“.
- craft: Make a pinhole camera or pinhole projector.
- craft: Eclipse chalk art.
- craft: Eclipse painted paper plates.
- app: Totality by Big Kid Science
- game: “Move like the Earth and the Moon“
- book: “When the Sun Goes Dark“
* This site is reader-supported. When you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
What other celestial events can we look forward to this year?
I’ve put together a full list of all the full moons, eclipses (both solar and lunar) and meteor showers that you can put on your calendar for this year. Set your reminders and get ready for more wonder and awe!
Celestial Events in 2024: Don’t Miss These Full Moons, Eclipses and Meteor Showers
Of all the celestial events happening this year, April’s total total solar eclipse is undoubtedly the most exciting! Watching a solar eclipse involves certain risks, so prioritize safety at all times. Despite the risks, this is definitely something you want to experience with your kids. So make sure you’ve read this guide ahead and feel confident (and excited) about safely enjoying this solar eclipse with kids.
This blog post provides general information about viewing a solar eclipse with kids. The words and other content in this post, and in any linked materials, are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice. If the reader or any other person has a medical concern, he or she should consult with a medical professional. Do your own research, take appropriate precautions and make choices that are right for yourself and your family.
