Wonderful Weather: Fun Activities to Do at Home with Kids

Weather is all around us—and it's one of the easiest, most exciting ways for kids to connect with science, creativity, and play. From sunny skies to stormy afternoons, weather gives us endless opportunities to learn together as a family. 

1. Rain Cloud in a Jar

What you need: A clear jar, shaving cream, food coloring, water, and droppers. 

Fill the jar with water, add shaving cream on top (your "cloud") and slowly drip colored water on the cream. Watch as the "rain" drips through into the jar—just like how clouds hold water until they're too heavy and release rain. 

Try this at home: Test with diffrent colors to make rainbow rain, or compare what happens when you add just a few drops versus a lot as once. 

2. Make a Wind Sock or Paper Bag Kite 

What you need: A paper bag, streamers or ribbon, markers, tape, and string. 

Decorate the bag, tape streamers to the bottom, and attach a string so you can hold your wind sock or paper bag kite. On the next breezy day, head outside and let your homemade kite or wind sock dance in the wind. 

Try this at home: Compare what happens in a light breeze versus a stronger gust. Which day makes your kite fly higher? 

3. Ice Melt Race

What you need: Ice cubes, salt, sugar, and water. 

Set up three bowls with ice cubes. Sprinkle one with salt, one with sugar, and pour the other with a little bit of water. Predict which cube will melt fastest, then watch what happens! This simple experiment shows how different substances interact with ice. 

Try this at home: Add food coloring to the ice for a more dramatic effect as it melts. 

4. Weather Charades 

What you need: Weather cards or homemade drawings of different weather (sunny, rainy, snowy, windy, stormy). 

Take turns acting out the weather without using words while the rest of the family guesses. A fun way to build movement, cooperation, and laughter indoors. 

Try this at home: Add clothing props sunglasses, mittens, or an umbrella for extra fun! 

5. Sparkly Winter Process Art 

What you need: Blue and white paint, glue, Epsom salt, and thick paper. 

Paint a snowy sky, drizzle glue across the page, and sprinkle Epsom salt on top. As it dries, the salt crystals sparkle like snow. 

Try this at home: Display finished art near a window and watch it glisten in the sunlight. 

6. Weather Walk Adventure 

Dress for the day's weather and head outside! Collect natural items that the wind has moved, splash in puddles, or listen to how the environment changes during weather conditions. 

Try this at home: Compare your walk on a sunny day versus a rainy day. How do the sights, sounds, and smells change?