After our weather station post a little while back and we have been looking at the different components of weather and rain has been top of the pops around here…
Rain, rain, rain!!! I can’t think why – maybe because we just can’t get enough of it!!! So here are se7en fun things to do when you are learning about rain…
- A rain stick: You will need: a strong tube, paints, nails, small gravel and masking tape.
- Rain Painting: You will need: Plain paper and tissue paper. We used a clip board and tape as well.
- Two Dimensional Rain Drops: You will need: A large peace of paper, thinned down paints and droppers.
- Three Dimensional Rain Drops: You will need: Flour, water with food coloring and a dropper.
- Rain in a Bowl: You will need: a bowl with hot water in it and a pot that fits snuggly into the bowl filled with ice.
- Salt free Rain: You will need: Some water in a pot, salt, a lid and a cup… and some adult helping hands.
- How Important is an Umbrella’s Material: You will need: Two party umbrellas and some plastic contact paper.
- Drip Painting: You will need a picture drawn in crayon and some watery paint.
Begin by painting your tube and once it has dried hammer a whole heap of nails into your tube. The more nails the more like rain your stick will sound. Seal one end of your tube closed and add a handful of gravel. Seal the open end of the tube and your rain stick is good to tip – to and fro.
This was one of those projects that was so much fun to do, and my kids loved the results… I thought we would end up with drops on the painting but it was more like sheets – kind of like the rain we were having at the time!!! We taped the blank paper to a clip board and placed some tissue paper on top of that… Place your clipboard in the rain and wait to see how the rain “paints” your picture for you.
Stand way above the paper and drop… drip by drip… onto your paper and watch the splashes fill up the page.
Put the flour into a flat bowl and drop a few drops of colored water into it. Leave the bowl to stand for about half an hour and then you can very carefully pick the “raindrops” out of the flour and place them on a plate. You can also place your “raindrops” in a sieve and gently tap the sieve, the flour will fall out leaving a range little raindrops to examine.
Place the ice in the bowl over the pot of hot water, the warm water will rise and condense on the cold surface of the pot… pretty soon enough water will condense and drip back into the pot as rain.
Place the salt in the water and stir it in. Have a little taste of it. Boil the salty water on the stove and put the lid above the pot and let the condensed water drip into the cup. Make sure the water in the cup is cool and then taste it. The water tastes like pure water – because it is!!! In the same way sea water evaporates for the water cycle and it leaves the salt behind, eventually it condenses into clouds and the rain comes tumbling down, free of salt!!!
Cover your one party umbrella with contact paper. Pour water over your two umbrellas and study how each of them withstand the “storm.” The water rolls off the waterproof umbrella, not so with the paper only option!
And the se7en + 1th thing…
Place your pictures on the wall and paint a strip of paint along the top of the painting… and watch the rain drip down. Be prepared for mess… this was great fun!!!
Eventually the rain will stop…
If you can’t find a rainbow then make one!!!
Have Fun!!!
These are great ways to enjoy a rainy day. I plan to try the tissue paper painting the next day it rains, which may be tomorrow
Amazing post! I love the 3d raindrops. A book we love about rain is http://www.amazon.com/Rain-Rivers-Uri-Shulevitz/dp/0374461953
Thanks Sharlene… A friend told me that if you draw with washable markers instead of tissue paper it also turns out great – so two things to try!!! Hope you get that rainy day!!!
Thanks So much Zoe, That looks like a really sweet book!!! Hope you have a great day and your mini book making goes well!!!
Fun fun fun!!! I would like Cape Town rain, except it’s really really cold. Unlike rain in the Karoo where it is a welcome relief from teh heat 🙂
Great crafts, though
You know I always read about your activities and think I wish I was one of your kids! They are going to be so smart, creative and fun-loving.
We did a lot of walks in the rain in Costa Rica. It rains a lot so you have to get out in it or go crazy. Kids always love jumping in puddles and getting muddy.
They don’t have to do the laundry do they?!
You are going a fab job in everything you do. It’s inspiring.
Hay Irene… I tell you the rain is wearing a little thin around here!!! It has been fun to just stop and enjoy it because we probably won’t have any all summer!!! Hope you have a fabulous weekend!!!
Annabel Candy, I don’t believe you popped by to comment!!! Oh Happy Friday for me, Thank you!!! And you don’t for a moment think that with eight kids I do all the laundry, I would never have time to blog!!! Eight kids = Quite a workforce!!! Hope you have a great weekend – the sun has finally come out and I am off to sit in it!!!
This is WONDERFUL! What lucky children to have you creating such fun-filled activities! Did you get the link to work on It’s Playtime in the end? Sorry if not!
great bunch of rain crafting ideas! thanks so much for sharing on Craft Schooling Sunday!
Hi Sara, Thanks for stopping by!!! Thanks so much for your Link Party, it is always great!!!
HI Anna, Glad you liked our rainy activities… I am battling with link tools, it claims my links are not “valid” it has been a real pain as I have posts ready to link and just can’t!!! Hopefully it will resolve soon enough and I will be back to linking!!! Have a great day and keep up the great blog!!!
Wow wow wow wow! What a brilliant set of rain related activity! One more interesting than the next. I think we will give the tissue paper at a go, as I love the idea of “wanting it to rain” so that you can do your craft 🙂
Thank you for linking to kids get crafty!
Maggy
Hay Maggy, Thanks for the note I caught your comment because of it!!! Glad you liked our rainy day fun!!! Thanks for sorting out our link today – you are such a star!!! have a great week!!!