In a total eclipse of the sun, only the sun's corona is visible. Kindergarteners can imitate what that would look like with a crayon resist. Let the children paint yellow, orange and pink swirls with watercolors to cover an entire sheet of heavy white drawing paper. Let it dry and color over the entire painting in heavy black crayon. Scrape off a ring of the crayon coating to expose the corona, leaving a black disk in the middle and darkened "sky" all around.
A solar eclipse occurs when the moon lines up between the earth and sun and blocks the view. To demonstrate this process, cut a sun and moon out of construction paper. Paste the sun in the middle of a black sheet of paper. Punch two holes opposite one another at the edge of the paper to the right and left of the sun. Loop a string or yarn through the holes. Tape the moon to the string and use the pulley to witness an eclipse come and go.
The bright light that comes with an eclipse as it approaches and recedes can damage your eyes if you do not take the precaution of wearing special glasses that block part of the light. Although commercial versions are available, children can make their own. Draw an outline of glasses on heavy card stock or poster board. Cut out around the outer edge and the eyeholes. Tape or glue transparent Mylar over the openings as lenses.
A solar eclipse viewing tube lets children witness the event over and over again. Cover one end of an empty paper towel tube with transparent yellow or orange cellophane. Cut a slit two-thirds of the way through the tube a few inches from the covered end. Cut out a black moon circle slightly smaller than the circumference of the tube and tape to a craft stick. Point the cellophane end toward a bright light and look through the open end. Move the moon back and forth through the slit to view an eclipse in progress.