weather

Make it Rain in a Cup

Have you ever wanted to make it rain? Here is a fun way to explore with science at home and demonstrate how clouds make rain!

Our momstown Niagara moms and kids had a blast learning that rain helps the plants and flowers grow, while they made it rain in their own cups!

how to make it rain

Materials:

Plastic cups

Shaving cream

Food colouring

Directions:

1. Fill the cup with water.

2. Put shaving cream on top for a cloud.

3. Explain that when clouds get really heavy with water, it rains! Then put blue food coloring on top of the cloud, and watch it rain.

Try these other fun ways to make rain crafts and songs to sing along!

Posted by momstown team on 05/08/2013 - 13:45

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Sign of the Month: Rain and Umbrella

Wet, Wet, Wet! April showers bring May flowers and this month our momstown moms and kids are learning about wet weather!

We have created "r" is for rain crafts, and sung some songs, but do you know the ASL sign for "rain"? It's a simple one to teach your baby or toddler to use whenever they see the rain outside. Younger children can often become anxious or scared with rainy weather, but having a fun way to sign it, can engage your child and take their minds off of what's happening outside!

If you teach your child the sign for "rain", be sure to teach them how to cover themselves with an "umbrella", as well!

Check our other sign language posts here.

Monthly signs are submitted by guest blogger, Laura Berg, My Smart Hands,

Posted by momstown guest on 05/08/2013 - 12:08

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All about Rain and other Wet Weather Crafts, Books and Songs

This month momstown moms and kids are getting wet, wet, wet learning about wet weather and fun with water.

wet weather crafts for kids

Here are our favourite crafts to teach kids that it's fun to get WET in the spring weather!

1. Start off learning about wet weather and how much fun it can be, with these Books about Rainy Days.

2. Teach kids about clouds and how it rains by making it rain in a cup!

3. Teach your child this classic song; "Rain, Rain, Go Away" while you create a "r" is for rain alphabet craft.

4. Get your hands wet with this perfect sensory craft for toddlers. Fill a bucket with water and watch your child explore! No need to go outdoors, you can fill the bathtub!

5. It's Raining, It's pouring- here are two ways to have fun with rain crafts or use Q tips to paint like raindrops!

6. Have fun with umbrellas! Create this cute craft for "u" is for umbrella alphabet or use a felt board with 3 felt umbrellas and try this "Four Little Umbrella" song.

7. Want MORE rain? Sing a song, do a rain dance and make a rain stick!

Have fun in the rain!

Posted by momstown team on 05/08/2013 - 11:55

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Books about Rainy Days - curriculum theme "Wet Wet Wet"

Springtime brings rain - and lots of great chances to learn about weather and stomp around in puddles! To accompany our "Wet Wet Wet" curriculum theme this month, momstown has reviewed 5 great books to celebrate Spring and encourage kids to play outdoors in any weather!

wet wet wet books

Water Baby from Usborne Touchy-Feely Babies Touch-and-feel board book depicts baby having fun with water – in a turtle pool, on the beach, in the bath, watering the garden, and doing lots of splish splash sploshing!

Who Likes Rain? by Wong Herbert Yee Babies & Toddlers

Rhyming text takes the reader through ‘who likes rain?’ like the flowers, the trees, the ducks, the worms, the frogs – and the little girl who has fun jumping in the puddle. Cute illustrations and simple text.

Mushroom in the Rain by Mirra Ginsburg Babies & Toddlers

A little ant gets caught in the rain, and finds a mushroom to hide under. His friend butterfly joins him, then mouse, sparrow, and rabbit. They hide rabbit from the fox chasing him, while they wait out the rain until the sun comes out. Ant can’t figure out how they all hid under such a small mushroom, until frog reminds him what mushrooms do in the rain! (they GROW!)

10 Little Raindrops by Leroy Comrie Toddlers & Preschoolers Kevin counts from one to ten as raindrops fall on him – but he keeps playing in the park until the sun is shining. The rain drops become Kevin’s friends as they are illustrated with little faces on them. Written in rhyming text, this is a good counting practice book also!

The Rain Stomper by Addie Boswell Preschoolers

Jazmin is a cheerleader who can’t wait to march in the big parade. However, when rain and wind threaten the parade, Jazmin decides she will become a rain stomper and make the best of the weather. Great text echoing the action of the story: “slap, clatter, bam, bash, boom walla, bang, crash” as Jazmin outstomps the rain.

Have fun getting wet outside this Spring!

Posted by momstown Teach on 04/05/2013 - 09:56

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Alphabet Craft: w is for weather

weather literacy craft

What’s one conversation we all have everyday? The weather. We teach our children when they wear raincoats, sunscreen or winter hats. The weather plays such a big part of their daily lives, what and where they can play and is connected to how they feel. Sunny days seem brighter and happier and sometime chilly days are dull and inside.

When talking about the weather change this fall, my middle child (who understands momstown’s literacy based curriculum well by now!) said "let’s make a W for Weather!" So we did!

weather craft

Our lower case w was split into 4 weather conditions. Suns for “sunny”, fall leaves for “windy”, snow for “snowy” and rain drops for “rainy”. Or at least that was the approach,not all artwork represents the idea, right? Especially not with creative 2 year olds who like to mix all weather up because it is much prettier that way!

Supplies:
Construction paper for the background and the W
Glue and scissors
Sun = yellow foam circles or yellow paper, markers to draw on the sun rays
Windy = multicolour scraps for the fallen leaves to glue on
Snowy = cotton balls cut up into smaller white bits for snowflakes, glue ith white glue
Rainy = blue paint to “dab” with a paintbrush, qtip or fingertips (or have a big old rain storm and smear it everywhere!)

Is your child interested in the weather and change of seasons? Check out our R is for Rain, S is for Sun, U is for Umbrella, S is for Snowflake are our other weather related Alphabet Crafts. Perfect for the inside weather activities this season!

momstown love early literacy and we run our Alphabet Play program in every regional chapter monthly. Come on out and join the fun!

Posted by momstown mama on 11/07/2012 - 12:53

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r is for rain alphabet craft

momstown's lower case letters are taking over our alphabet crafts and our Alphabet Play programs this spring! Practice letter sounds with a creative take on lower case r.... r is for rain!

r is for rain

What you need:

Construction paper
Scissors
Beads
White glue
Foamy paper or green construction paper

r is for rain Cut foamy paper (if you have it, or use construction paper) to make grass by cutting fringes into the paper. This is great scissor practice as only small cuts are required.

r is for rain

Cut out shapes for clouds and a lower case 'r'. Glue onto construction paper to form a rainy day scene, with grass at the bottom and clouds at the top.

r is for rain Now it's time to make it rain! Use white glue to apply beads onto the page to make raindrops all over the page. This is great fine motor skills t pick up and place the beads - and they can go anywhere!