How to Explain to a Child Why It Rains

Instead of fretting over a boring rainy day, teach your child why it rains with these simple and fun experiments.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Small Rocks
• Plastic Wrap
• Ice
• Water
• Clear Glass Bowl
• Glass Storage Jars
• Quart-size Plastic Bags
• Water Pitchers
• Yogurt Containers
• Black Construction Paper
• Large Rubber Bands
• Matches
• String
• Flashlights

1. Explain the water cycle to your child. Water flows from a source, is heated by the sun and evaporates into microscopic water vapor. The water vapor rises, cools off and condenses onto dust and smoke particles in the air.
2. Look at clouds. The water that has condensed onto dust and smoke in the atmosphere forms clouds. As the water accumulates, it becomes too heavy for the dust particles to hold, at which point water falls to the ground in the form of rain.
3. Make your own miniature water cycle. You will need a large clear bowl, plastic wrap, a small rock, a smaller container (a small yogurt cup works well), and a rubber band or piece of string.
4. Place the smaller container in the large bowl. Add water to the bottom of the bowl but do not get any in the smaller container. Cover both containers with the plastic wrap and seal with the string or rubber band.
5. Put the rock in the middle of the plastic wrap so that the wrap sags directly above the smaller container.
6. Place the contraption in a bright sunny window and watch. You will demonstrate to your child how water evaporates, condenses and falls back to its source.
7. Create a cloud. All you need is a large jar, a plastic bag of ice that will fit over the jar opening, a pitcher of warm water, one sheet of black paper, a flashlight and matches.
8. Use the materials listed to demonstrate to your child how water evaporates from the bottom of the jar, condenses on the smoke from the match and creates a cloud in the top of the jar.

Tips & Warnings

• Print the full water cycle experiment from the related sites for further explanation and extension activities to do with your miniature water cycle.
• After a good rain, observe and document how long it takes a puddle to evaporate. Measure the size of the puddle as it shrinks. Discuss what happens to the water.
• Encourage your child to predict what will happen during your experiments by writing or illustrating the predictions.
• Only adults should ignite matches used in the cloud-formation experiment. Warn your child and other children of the dangers of playing with matches and fire.