How to Make a Mini-Waterfall for Kids

Create a small waterfall with your child.

Children love to play in water; this is true of almost every child, whether they love swimming or simply like splashing in puddles and bathtubs. This is an especially popular summertime activity. Parents can turn this fascination into a fun and educational activity by helping their children create their own mini-waterfalls. This not only teaches children how dams work, it can help them understand current and why water moves the way it does.

The key to this activity is simplicity and allowing your child to put together most of it with little or no help--only supervision and some advice. This allows your child a great deal of freedom to let their creativity blossom.

Things You'll Need

• Stones, rocks and pebbles
• Hot glue
• Large, shallow plastic tub
• Clear plastic tubing
• Scissors
• Craft wire

Instructions

1. Collect as many smooth stones, rocks and pebbles as you can from around your home. Several of these rocks should be large and flat; slate or river stones should do nicely. Rinse off all of your stones to help them adhere together later.

2. Stack your stones, using the flat rocks as a base. Make sure that the stones stick out at different lengths and create a very uneven, textured pile. Once satisfied with their configuration, glue them together one layer at a time with hot glue. It should adhere to the porous rocks easily.

3. Set your rock tower in a large, shallow plastic tub. A kiddie pool should do nicely. Fill the tub about halfway with water, and cut a piece of tubing that stretches easily from the bottom of the tub to the top of the stack of rocks.

4. Create a siphon with the plastic tubing by immersing it in the water and allowing it to fill. Place your thumb over one end to keep the water in it, and hold the tube a little above the stack of rocks. The water should flow down the rocks and create a continuous waterfall.

5. Cut a small piece of craft wire, 12 gauge or more, and hot glue it in a U-shape to the back of your rock stack. It should be large enough to hold the tubing in place but loose enough so that you can move it to fill it again if necessary.

References

• Education: Make a Mini-Waterfall
• Crayola: Shimmering Waterfall Lesson Plan