Star-gazing is a lovely and relaxing way to spend a night out with your honey and can be an pleasant educational experience for your children. If it’s a warm summer evening, and if your children are old enough to be out without completely melting down, and if you live in a rural area where stars are actually visible.
Since we live in Chicago with 3 small children, and our preschool co-op meets in the AM versus the late night, I opted out of our recently suggested star-gazing activity. We briefly studied Prince Henry the Navigator and were encouraged to introduce the children to early navigation by locating the Big Dipper and following it to the North Star.
We created these glow-in-the-dark Big Dipper paintings instead. I cut out the large flat panels from cereal boxes (surprise), and punched holes for stars in the shape of the Big Dipper. I punched four holes, like a button, in place of the North Star.  The children painted the cardboard with blue, black, and glitter paint to create their own version of the night sky.  When the background paint dried, they painted around the stars (holes) with glow-in-the-dark paint. When that dried, they used white yarn to trace (backstitch) the Big Dipper and the North Star.
During the day, the children can see the outline of the asterism and at night (or any time in a thoroughly darkened room) they can see the star formation.
This project would work with any constellation or star pattern, with or without the yarn. Also makes a great Alaskan state flag!