purposeful play
Rainbow Rain Science Experiment
STEAM for kids
The Rainbow Rain Science Experiment is a variation of the popular Rain Cloud Science Experiment and is a simple and colorful way for kids to explore weather concepts!
Has your child ever asked you to explain how or why rain falls from the sky?
Well, this is the perfect hands-on way to teach your child all about how clouds create rain!
This rainbow color weather experiment illustrates how rain falls from clouds once the rain inside the cloud becomes too heavy and falls to the ground due to gravity.
Continue reading for the step by step directions, to shop this project and to get more fun and simple ways to explore Science with your child at home!
purpose
Explore weather concepts
Experiment with cause and effect
Introduce new vocabulary words
Hands-on learning experience
Learn about the water cycle
Explore clouds and rain
Experiment with color mixing
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Shop this project!
directions
Rainbow Rain Cloud
Science Experiment for Kids
Fill a vase or mason jar 3/4 full of water
Add shaving cream on top of the water to create a “fluffy cloud”
Let the shaving cream settle for a couple of minutes before you begin
The thicker the layer of shaving cream-the longer the experiment will take
In small bowls, mix food coloring and water-one for each color of the rainbow
If you can-use a different pipette for each color to avoid the colors from mixing and getting muddied
Using pipettes or droppers, invite your child to add the colored water to the shaving cream “cloud”
After a couple of minutes you will see the “rain” coming out of the cloud into the water
Ask your child what they see
Verbalize what you see
Explain to your child the science behind the experiment (explanation below)
Invite your child to continue adding colored water to the “cloud”
Continue to observe and talk about you see!
purposeful play
What is the Science Behind the
Rainbow Rain Experiment?
A cloud is formed when rain droplets combine together
When the cloud gets too heavy and full- the rain droplets fall out of the cloud due to gravity.
In the Rainbow Rain Experiment, the colored water acts as the rain.
The shaving cream acts as the cloud.
The clean water in the vase is the air.
When the colored water “rain” gets too heavy it falls out of the shaving cream “cloud” and into the water “air”.
Water is everywhere on Earth
Water Evaporates into the Atmosphere in the form of Water Vapor
Water vapor rises and then cools causing Condensation
Condensation is tiny water droplets
The tiny water droplets gather together and form clouds
Once the cloud is full of tiny water droplets and becomes too full or heavy- they fall out of the cloud and onto the earth (due to gravity)
After the precipitation falls to the earth the whole water cycle begins again
Introduce these vocabulary words to your child while you’re conducting the experiment!
Even if your child is young and won’t necessarily retain the new words-exposing even young children to advanced vocabulary will have a powerful effect on their literacy base as they get older.
For older children, introduce the words, write the words down for them so they can see the spelling, and encourage your child to use the new words while you discuss the science experiment!
Precipitation (release of water from the sky in the form of Rain, Sleet, Hail or Snow)
Atmosphere (thin layer of gases surrounding our planet)
Evaporation (when liquid changes to gas or vapor)
Water Vapor (water in the form of transparent vapor)
Condensation (when water vapor cools and turns into liquid form of water)
Water Cycle (the process of water moving around from air to land)
