Rain
Why Does It Rain?
Place picture of “April showers bring May flowers” with text on bulletin board. Ask children what they see on the picture. Read the saying together. Ask children if they know what showers are? Explain that showers are rain. The picture shows that rain helps flowers and other plants or food to grow in the ground. With no rain there would be no rivers or lakes, and fish and other animals wouldn’t have a place to live. Rain is very important. Without rain we wouldn’t have water to drink.
We need water to live. Sometimes it doesn’t rain for a long time. In some places it doesn’t rain for many months, and that is not good for plants, animals, and people. People cannot make rain; we have to wait until raindrops fall from the sky. Do you know where the raindrops come from?
Read the booklet: The Little Raindrop (see weather resource section) or any other book explaining the water cycle.
Movement:
Rhythmical Rain
Have children sit cross-legged on the floor in a circle. As you recite each stanza of the following chant, have children perform the accompanying motion. Recite the first stanza in a whisper, then gradually increase the volume of your voice with each stanza.
Rain, rain, rain, rain,
Whispering on the windowpane.
(Rub hands together.)
Rain, rain, rain, rain,
Tapping on the airplane.
(Snap fingers.)
Rain, rain, rain, rain,
Slapping on the weather vane.
(Slap hands on thighs.)
Rain, rain, rain, rain,
Drumming on the freight train.
(Slap floor with hands.)
Rhymes and Songs:
Rain, Rain
Rain, rain, go away,
Come again some other day.
We want to go outside and play,
Come again some other day.
(Optional lyrics: change third line to say:
(child's name)'s friends all want to play.)
It's Raining, It's Pouring
It's raining, it's pouring,
The old man is snoring.
He went to bed and he
bumped his head
And he couldn't get up in the morning.
I Put on My Raincoat
I put on my raincoat. (Pretend to put on a raincoat.)
I put on my hat. (Pretend to put on a hat.)
I put up my umbrella, (Pretend to open up an umbrella over head.)
Just like that!
Umbrella Song
(Tune: I'm a Little Teapot)
Here's my new umbrella.
Wide and high.
It keeps me cozy, warm and dry.
If the rain starts falling from the sky
Just open me up and you'll stay dry.
Author Unknown
Music and Movement
Round the Umbrella
Play music and have children dance like raindrops around an open, upside down umbrella. When the music stops, children sit down.
Games
Rain Puddle
Have children draw and cut out rain puddles from blue construction paper. Then have them stand by their puddle and ask them to follow the directions that you give. Tell them to walk around their puddle, jump over their puddle, stomp through, or tiptoe into each puddle.
Raindrop Puddle Toss
Place a hula hoop (the puddle) on the ground. Have children try to throw bean bags (the raindrops) into the puddle.
Science
Bag of Rain
Put a little soil and grass in the bottom of a baggie with a zipper. Pour a couple of spoonfuls of water over the grass. Blow up the bag and seal. Tape the bag to a window that receives a lot of sun. After a few days, you may see drops of water forming at the top of the bag. Once a drop gets big enough, it will roll down the sides. You will have a bag of rain!
Rain Gauge
Using rubber bands, attach a ruler to the outside of a jar or color and make your own (see craft section). Place the rain gauge in an area outside where it will remain undisturbed. As you check the jar daily, children will be fascinated by the increase in the amount of rain collected. Help children record on a graph the amount of rain collected each day.
Activities/Worksheets
April Showers Bring May Flowers Finish the Picture Worksheet
Umbrella Worksheet
Connect the Dots Umbrella
Math
Raindrop Counting
Use blue felt (cloud) for math mats and clear marbles for raindrop counters. Say: Listen to the thunder. How many thunderclaps do you hear? (Clap your hands.) Have children place that number of marbles (raindrops) on their mat. For example, four claps means to count four raindrops on to the cloud.
Reading Language Arts
Raindrop Letter Fishing
Cut out several raindrop shapes from light blue construction paper. Write several numbers or letters on them. Laminate for extra strength. Then, place a paper clip on each raindrop. Make a fishing pole out of a dowel or pencil, string, and a magnet. Place the raindrops on the floor and have children sit in chairs around the raindrops. (This may work better with a few fishing poles.) Have children try to catch a raindrop with the fishing pole. Then, when they catch one, show it to them and ask what letter or number it is.
Variation: For younger children, you could make the raindrops different colors and ask what color is the raindrop.
My little raindrop writing prompt
Arts and Crafts:
Make a little raindrop with water colors
Raindrop Mask
Raindrop Headband
Rainbow and Cloud Stick Puppets
Rainstick
Rainy Day Art
Dancing in the Rain Artwork
Umbrella Pictures
What you need:
Umbrella printout
Craft paper
Construction paper
Blue paint
Toothbrushes
Scissors
Glue