Rain Clouds & Rain Sticks

This fun project gets us thinking about weather. And here in AZ, I wouldn't mind seeing a little bit of that rain stuff either. It's been awhile!

There are two parts to this project, so as always, do all or one, it's up to you!

Part 1: Make a Rain Cloud

We all know that plants need rain and/or water to grow. But how and why does rain fall out of the cloud? This experiment will model what happens when it rains!

Supplies:

🔲 a glass or jar

🔲 shaving cream (foaming not gel)

🔲 water

🔲 food coloring

🔲 spoon/dropper/straw

To make:

Fill a glass or jar 3/4 full with water. Add a shaving cream "cloud" on top.

Mix some blue food coloring with water in a dish. Begin using your spoon/dropper/straw to place drops of blue water on the top of the cloud. The cloud will get heavier and heavier. Very soon, the shaving cream cloud will start to rain just like the clouds we see in the sky!

Part 2: Rain Sticks

This nifty project will give you an instrument that sounds just like falling rain. Maybe we can use it in a rain dance here in AZ!

Supplies:

🔲 paper towel roll or wrapping paper roll

🔲 aluminum foil

🔲 rice

🔲 clear tape

🔲 construction paper

Optional:

🔲 wooden spoon

🔲 broom handle

🔲 funnel

To make:

Tear a sheet of foil about 10 inches long. Starting from the longest side, twist the foil into a stick like shape and then wrap it around the handle of a broom or something similar so that it makes a spiral shape. (We used a paper towel holder.)

Next, tear a smaller piece of foil about 7 inches long. Starting from the longer side, roll this piece into a skinny wire shape and then wrap it around the handle of a wooden spoon or something similar to make a tight spiral shape.

***This took some trial and error for us, and we ended up wasting a lot of foil. Basically, you need one thicker spiral that is about as long as the paper towel roll and then one thinner spiral that fits inside the larger one.***

Insert the smaller spiral into the larger spiral.

Next, trace the end of the paper towel roll onto a sheet of construction paper. Do this two times so that you have a circle for each end. Then draw a bigger circle around the smaller circle. Cut out the bigger circle and then make cuts all the way around from the bigger circle to the inner circle. Use the flaps you create to help you attach one circle to the end of the paper towel, securing the flaps with tape.

Now carefully insert your foil spirals into the tube. Then add about 1/3 cup of dry rice. (This is where your funnel may come in handy!)

Tape the other circle to the other end of the tube to enclose everything inside.

Choose another sheet of construction paper. Cut it to fit, wrap it around the paper towel roll and secure with tape. Now it's time for your rain dance!

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Please let us know what you think of this project by sharing photos/video @little.sunshine.mom! ☀️