CLOUDS

To make your own puffy clouds,

you'll need:
-- quilt batting or stuffed animal filler
-- blue construction paper
-- glue

Simply let your child squirt away with glue on the blue paper. Cut or tear the batting into various shapes, and make some fun clouds!

We printed out pictures of the three main types of clouds and chatted about how they looked different, and when you might see each one. Then, Nora made her own clouds. We made each of the three main types, and then she decided she was fondest of Cumulus clouds (the big puffy ones), so she made a few more sheets of those. This simple little activity was a hit; we made more clouds again over the next few days!

CLOUD IN A JAR

When I read this one online, I knew I had to try it. (See Nora above -- the anticipation was killing her!) :)

To make a cloud in a jar, you need:

-- a vase or jar
-- a match
-- a bag of ice (we used frozen hash browns)

Run your tap water til it's good and hot; fill the jar about half full. After a minute, pour out all but an inch or so of water.

Light a match. Hold it inside the mouth of the jar for about twenty seconds (or until you have to let go of it!). (You'll see I have black paper around our jar because I read online to do that, but it was an unnecessary step.)

Quickly put the bag of ice on the mouth of the jar to cover it. A small cloud should form inside your jar.

This did work, although the actual event was so thrilling that we didn't get any pictures of it. However, remember your audience: Nora was slightly disappointed. "Is it gone?" she cried. "I wanted to let it out of the jar to play with me."

GREAT CLOUD SITES FOR KIDS

--"Clouds That Look Like Things" -- see pictures of clouds that look like animals, trains, and more! Fun!

-- "Pretty Clouds" -- same web site, different focus

-- NASA's web page about clouds for kids. Great photos; info is slightly more advanced, but you can choose what to read to your child from the web site if s/he doesn't read yet.

-- Did your child ask you a question about weather or clouds that you don't know the answer to? It's probably here.

OTHER CLOUD ACTIVITIES:

-- Child Fun suggests letting your child finger paint in shades of blue, gray, and white on a two sheets of paper. Turn the sheets back-to-back and cut out a cloud shape. Staple around most of the shape, leaving enough room to stuff the cloud with tissue paper, batting, or crumpled newspaper. Then staple it all up. You can hang it with string/yarn/ribbon for a window. If your child did a few, I bet they'd look really pretty together!


-- Your child can make a "cloud" on the back of a spoon:

Have your child blow warm air into her hand. Explain that the air feels warm and moist because it is full of tiny water droplets, just like in a cloud.

Hand your child a cool spoon. Have her blow on the rounded back of the spoon. See how "fog" forms on the spoon.

Explain that this is exactly like a cloud you'd see in the sky. It's made when cool air and warm, moist air come together!