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

purposeful play

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

tip

  • 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

TIP

  • 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)

purposeful play

More Rainbow Activities!

Hello there! I'm Sarah Britton and I am so excited you stopped by! Join me as we explore simple yet effective ways to create purposeful play opportunities for your child.

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