The world around us is a fascinating place, and one of the most dynamic and captivating aspects of it is the weather. For preschoolers, understanding and exploring the weather can be an exciting and educational experience.
Engaging in weather-related activities not only keeps them entertained but also fosters their curiosity, cognitive development, and connection to the natural world.
In this blog, we’ll dive into the realm of weather activities for preschoolers, answering some common questions and shedding light on the benefits of these activities.
What are Weather Activities for Preschoolers?
Weather activities for preschoolers are hands-on learning experiences that introduce young children to the concepts of weather, seasons, and atmospheric phenomena. These activities are designed to be interactive, engaging, and age-appropriate, allowing children to explore and understand different aspects of weather playfully.
Common Questions about Weather Activities for Preschoolers:
Why are weather activities important for preschoolers?
Weather activities help preschoolers develop a better understanding of their environment, enhance their observational skills, and encourage scientific thinking. These activities also stimulate their curiosity and lay the foundation for more advanced learning in the future.
What are some simple weather activities for preschoolers?
- Cloud Watching: Lay on the grass and observe the clouds. Ask kids what shapes they see and encourage them to use their imagination.
- Rain Gauge Experiment: Set up a rain gauge to measure rainfall. This introduces the concept of measurement and keeps kids engaged during rainy days.
- Sunny Shadow Play: Trace shadows of different objects throughout the day to teach kids about the movement of the sun and its effects on shadows.
How do weather activities enhance learning?
Weather activities engage multiple senses and styles of learning, making concepts more tangible. Through hands-on experiences, children grasp concepts like temperature, wind, and precipitation more easily.
Can weather activities be incorporated into other subjects?
Absolutely! Weather connects to science, math, art, and language. Kids can learn counting by counting raindrops, practice drawing clouds and sunsets, and even create weather-related stories.
What’s the role of parents/educators in weather activities?
Parents and educators play a crucial role in guiding children’s exploration. They can encourage questions, facilitate discussions, and provide context to help children make sense of their observations.
Benefits of Weather Activities for Preschoolers:
Cognitive Development: Weather activities stimulate critical thinking and problem-solving skills as children try to understand and predict changes in the weather.
Observational Skills: Watching weather patterns encourages kids to pay attention to details, notice changes, and describe what they see.
Language Skills: Conversations about weather expand children’s vocabulary as they learn new words to describe different weather conditions.
Scientific Curiosity: Exploring weather sparks a sense of wonder and curiosity about the natural world, fostering a lifelong love for learning.
Weather Safety Awareness: Learning about different weather conditions helps children understand safety precautions, such as dressing appropriately for different seasons or taking cover during a storm.
Connection to Nature: Weather activities cultivate an appreciation for nature and the environment, teaching children to respect and care for their surroundings.
Teaching Littles’ Favorite Weather Activities for Preschoolers
Looking for the best of the best when it comes to weather activities for preschoolers? These are my favorites that I have found!
Weather Chart for Preschoolers
Whether you are working on a weather preschool theme or you just want to introduce a printable weather chart for your kids, this free printable weather chart will be perfect.
Related Post: 20 Weather Printables for Preschoolers
Weather Pathway Game
Pathway games are a great way to make counting and adding come to life! Use this Weather pathway game in your preschool weather unit to add a touch of math to your weather theme!
Montessori Temperature Activity
When you are learning about the weather it is a perfect time to dive into teaching your preschooler about temperature. This Montessori setup is perfect for an engaging and hands-on unit.
Ivory Soap Clouds
Have you ever tried these? It’s such a neat experiment. You put a bar of Ivory (must be Ivory brand) soap in the microwave for a minute and it expands into a big, fluffy, cloud-like shape.
You can add it to some water for a fun outdoor sensory activity!
Weather Sorting
This sorting activity is the perfect lesson on how to change clothes according to the weather, while also working on sorting!
Hands-on Weather Activities for Preschoolers
Cloud in a Jar
Create a cloud in a jar to help preschoolers understand how clouds form and how rain happens. Fill a clear jar with warm water and place a plate of ice on top of the jar.
As the warm air inside the jar cools down, it condenses into “clouds” on the plate. This visual demonstration illustrates the water cycle and introduces the concept of condensation.
Rainbow Hunt
Engage preschoolers in a rainbow scavenger hunt. Place various colored objects around the play area or outdoor space, and challenge the children to find items representing each color of the rainbow. This activity reinforces color recognition and promotes active exploration.
Weather Wheel
Craft a weather wheel with different weather conditions like sunny, rainy, cloudy, and windy. Attach a spinner to the center.
Each day, have the children spin the wheel and discuss the weather outside. This activity encourages observation, weather vocabulary, and fine motor skills.
Weather Dress-Up Relay
Set up a relay race where children must dress up in appropriate clothing for different weather conditions. Prepare a pile of clothing items such as raincoats, sunglasses, scarves, and hats.
Call out a weather condition, and the first child in line must race to put on the correct clothing item before running back to the starting line.
Wind Experiment
Teach preschoolers about wind direction and its effects by making wind vanes. Provide materials like straws, paper, and pins.
Help the children create a simple wind vane with a paper arrow on a pin.
Take them outdoors and have them hold their wind vanes, observing how the arrow changes direction based on the wind’s movement.
Language Weather Activities for Preschoolers
Weather Word Wall
Create a weather-themed word wall in your classroom. Display words like “sun,” “rain,” “cloud,” “wind,” and more.
Use colorful images alongside the words to help preschoolers associate the terms with their corresponding visuals. Encourage them to use these words in discussions and activities.
Weather Journaling
Provide preschoolers with simple journals or notebooks where they can draw pictures and dictate short sentences about the weather each day.
For example, they can describe whether it’s sunny, cloudy, rainy, or windy outside. This activity promotes vocabulary development and early writing skills.
Weather Alphabet Matching
Prepare weather-themed alphabet cards with uppercase letters on one card and corresponding lowercase letters on another. Scatter these cards around the room.
Encourage children to find matching pairs and say the letter sounds aloud as they make matches. This activity reinforces letter recognition and phonemic awareness.
Weather Sight Word Book
This 8-page Weather-Themed Mini Sight Word Book helps students learn common sight words and color words through repetition and reading.
Weather Rhyming Game
Create a rhyming game with weather-related words. Place weather word cards (e.g., “rain,” “cloud,” “snow”) face down on the table. Have children take turns flipping over two cards to see if they rhyme.
For example, if they flip over “rain” and “train,” they’ve found a rhyme. This activity enhances phonological awareness and rhyming skills.
Don’t Forget the Weather Story Time!
Select age-appropriate picture books that center around weather-related themes. Read these books aloud to the children and engage them in discussions afterward.
Ask open-ended questions to encourage critical thinking and comprehension, such as “How did the characters feel when it started raining?” or “What do you think the sun does for the Earth?”
Here are some of my Favorite Weather Theme Picture Books:
Stem Weather Activities for Preschoolers
Rain Gauge Creation
Help preschoolers construct their own rain gauge using a clear plastic bottle with measurements marked on the side. Place the gauge outside in an open area.
Encourage children to check the gauge after a rainy day and discuss how much rain has collected. This activity introduces basic measurement concepts and the idea of tracking weather data.
Wind-Powered Pinwheels
Guide preschoolers in making pinwheels from paper and straws. Take them outdoors on a windy day and have them hold their pinwheels up to the wind.
Discuss how the wind makes the pinwheels spin. This activity demonstrates wind as a form of energy and encourages observation and experimentation.
Sunlight and Shadows Exploration
Set up a simple experiment involving objects and sunlight. Place various objects on a sunny windowsill and have preschoolers observe the shadows they cast at different times of the day.
Discuss how the position of the sun affects the length and direction of shadows. This activity introduces concepts of light and shadows.
Cloud Art
Teach preschoolers about different types of clouds (cumulus, stratus, cirrus) through a hands-on art project. Provide cotton balls, glue, and blue construction paper.
Have them create their own cloud formations on the paper and discuss the characteristics of each type of cloud. This activity encourages creativity and recognition of cloud patterns.
Weather Sensory Bottles
Create weather-themed sensory bottles with different materials to represent weather conditions.
For instance, make a rain bottle with blue water and glitter, a cloud bottle with cotton balls, and a windy bottle with small beads that move when shaken.
Children can interact with the bottles and learn about different weather phenomena through sensory exploration.
Online Books & Songs for Preschool Weather Activities
Weather – From Kids Academy
Learn all about the weather in this fun video from Kids Academy!
Kinds of Weather
Learn about different kinds of weather and activities you can do during sunny, cloudy, rainy, and windy days!
How’s the Weather?
It’s a Super Simple weather song! How’s the weather where you are? Sunny? Rainy? Cloudy? Snowy? How’s the weather today?
This is a great way to start your day during any weather theme!
Circle Time Weather Song
Your students will learn snowy, windy, and rainy vocabulary with this engaging sing along song!
What will the Weather Be Like Today?
This book would be great to use in the classroom to learn about the weather, the seasons, or the climate in different regions. It has a rhyming text that goes through various types of weather asking questions such as “Will it be windy?” “Will there be snow?”
Extra Fun Preschool Weather Activities
Indoor Cloud Popping
Create a “cloud” using a white sheet or pillowcase, and have preschoolers toss lightweight, soft objects (like cotton balls or foam balls) into the air, trying to make them land on the “cloud.”
Pretend that the cloud is a bubble that pops when something touches it, adding an element of whimsy to this indoor “cloud” activity.
Rain Dance Party
Play upbeat music and have a rain dance party indoors or outdoors. Encourage preschoolers to dance, jump, and twirl while pretending to dodge raindrops.
You can also use spray bottles with water to lightly mist the air and add to the rainy atmosphere. It’s a fun and imaginative way to celebrate rain!
Sunny Puppet Show
Provide preschoolers with sun-shaped cutouts or puppets. Help them create a short puppet show where the sun interacts with other weather characters like clouds, raindrops, and wind.
Encourage them to come up with silly dialogue and playful interactions for a lighthearted performance.
Windy Bubble Play
On a windy day, set up a bubble station outdoors. Instead of blowing bubbles, let the wind do the work!
Provide children with bubble wands and encourage them to hold them up and watch as the wind carries the bubbles away. This activity combines bubbles and wind for a delightful playtime experience.
Umbrella Parachute Fun
Use child-sized umbrellas or large scarves as parachutes.
Have preschoolers hold onto the edges of the umbrella while you toss lightweight objects (such as foam balls or fabric scraps) onto the umbrella.
Watch as the objects bounce and “float” like parachutes when the umbrella is moved up and down.
Amazon Ready Weather Activities for Preschoolers
At times, an ordinary preschool theme can transform into something extraordinary with the inclusion of unique materials tailored to that particular theme. Here are a few weather-related playthings and activity sets that I personally enjoy incorporating while working with preschoolers.
Ready to Learn Giant Stampers
Learn about the weather, craft scenes, and create decorations with Giant Stampers! This set includes clouds, lighting, raindrops, snowflakes, sun, and wind. Each stamp features rounded, easy-to-grip handles and directional arrows for perfect stamp placement.
Dress Me Weather Bear
Everyone loves Weather Bear! Your child or students can dress him for the weather each day and learn about the weather in the process!
KidzLabs Tornado Maker
Enjoy hours of fun and learning with the 4M KidzLabs Tornado Maker Science Kit. Recycle an empty bottle to construct this battery-operated Tornado Maker.
Seasons & Weather Pattern Blocks
Pattern blocks are always so fun! Let your preschooler learn about the weather in a fun and engaging way with these pattern blocks!
Meteorology Activity Book
Here is a full-color activity book that teaches youngsters the science of Meteorology.
Weather activities for preschoolers are a great way to introduce young minds to the marvels of the weather. Through these activities, children can enhance their cognitive, observational, and language skills while nurturing a sense of curiosity and wonder about the world they inhabit.
So, the next time the sun shines, the rain falls, or the wind blows, seize the opportunity to engage in a weather-themed adventure with your preschooler—they’ll be learning, growing, and having fun all at once!
Looking for more?
If you want to dive deeper with your preschool and pre-k students, check out my Weather Themed No-Prep Learning Packet available in my Teaching Littles Shop.
This weather learning packet includes 33 pages focused on toddler and preschool learning concepts with a weather theme. It introduces the basic concepts that young children need to understand in preparation for preschool and kindergarten.
This packet is great for 2.5-6 year olds who are just beginning to learn these new concepts and can make scribbles, circles, and lines on paper.
The skills practiced in these printables include:
- Matching
- Shapes
- Colors
- Same and Different
- Finishing a Picture
- Counting
- More and Less
- Bigger and Smaller
- First Sounds
- Patterns
- Letters
- Numbers
- Coloring
- Cutting
- Tracing
Check it out in my Teaching Littles Shop Here!
