Fun Facts & Science Experiments to Teach Your Kids About Weather
Here at Birdie Bean, we want to keep Earth Day going all year long. We believe that it’s so important to teach your kids about the earth and how we can protect it!
You can easily say that nature is something we’re very passionate about. In the past, we’ve talked before about the importance of both bees and sharks in our ecosystems, and how you can help your kids learn to protect each of earth’s creatures.
Today we want to share some fun facts about the earth, specifically around weather! We recently launched our Bees, Bolts and Flowers collection, just in time for Spring and Earth Day this year. Shop our latest collection to get all your favorite styles for spring.
We’ve also gathered a few weather based science experiments that you can do from home to help your Birdies learn more about how weather systems work! Let’s jump right in and explore these fun facts and science experiments to teach your kids about weather.
Fun Facts & Science Experiments to Teach Your Kids About Weather
A weather experiment is simply a science experiment that teaches your kids about weather. If your Birdies have ever asked you questions about where rain comes from, or what clouds are, these weather experiments will be perfect for them!
Amazing Facts About Weather
- Earth is the only known planet with water rainbows! Rainbows need light and transparent drops of liquid to form. There’s only one planet in our solar system with enough water in the atmosphere for light to form rainbows: Earth! Just another reason why our earth is such a special home that we need to protect.
- The coldest temperature ever officially recorded was -128.6°F. Brrrr! It was recorded at the Soviet Vostok Station in Antarctica.
- The current official highest registered air temperature on Earth is 134°F, recorded in 1913 at Furnace Creek Ranch, in Death Valley, United States.
- Snowflakes have six sides, and no two snowflakes are exactly alike.
- You can find out the temperature through crickets! Learn more about this interesting fun fact here.
Jar Based Weather Experiments
Some of the easiest weather experiments to do from home are jar-based experiments. At our house, we always have extra jars lying around, and sometimes these experiments can be kept as memories from their childhood as well.
Snowstorm in a Jar
While a storm might be raging outside, it’s easier than ever to create your own snowstorm, from the comfort of your kitchen table!
You’ll need a few ingredients:
- Water (about 1 cup)
- Baby oil
- Glitter
- Alka-Seltzer
- White paint
- Blue food coloring (optional)
- Mason jar
- Stir stick
Once you have all of your supplies gathered, head over to Little Passports where they share easy instructions, plus facts for your kids about why this experiment works! We love this addition – they don’t just tell you how to do it, they tell you why it works.
Tornado in a Jar
Next up, Tornado in a jar! Growing up in Texas, we did monthly tornado drills at school. As a kid tornados always fascinated us, and we remember that we did a similar experiment to this one in elementary school.
You’ll need even fewer supplies for this weather event:
- Glass or plastic jar with a lid
- Liquid soap
- Vinegar
- Water
We found really easy to follow instructions (including a video!) from PBS Kids. Follow along with their instructions here.
Cloud in a Jar
You can also make a cloud in a jar! We remember when our little one asked where clouds come from. It was so cute listening to my husband explain the science behind cloud formation.
Creating a cloud in a jar can be such a great way to spark creativity in your kids, and help them start thinking about the weather around them more. We see clouds everywhere, why not try making our own!
For this experiment, you’ll need just a few supplies:
- Warm water
- Jar with a lid
- Ice cubes
- Aerosol hairspray
Little Bins, Little Hands has great instructions with lots of pictures to help you get it right. Follow the instructions here.
Storms, Rainbows & Wind Experiments
While we love making weather in a jar, there are some other science activities for older kids to help them understand how rainbows are formed, what causes wind and where storms come from. You might even learn something interesting about weather from these experiments!
How do Thunderstorms Form?
In Texas, we know a thing or two about thunderstorms! But your Birdies might be wondering what causes these storms… and teaching them where these storms come from, can help them be less afraid when they do show up!
Sarah from ‘Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls’ has created this easy to follow science experiment, teaching us how thunderstorms form. She’s a Texas mama herself, so we know she’ll have lived through a few thunderstorms herself! (They can be quite something in Texas!)
The only supplies you’ll need are:
- A rectangular plastic dish
- Warm water
- Blue and red food coloring
- Ice cube tray, or small containers
Follow along and learn how thunderstorms form here!
Make a Wind Speed Meter
Let’s make an Anemometer to measure wind speed! This experiment can also help teach your kids about any wind farms in your area (we know they’re popping up more and more in windy canyons and wide open spaces).
Education.com has great, easy to follow steps to help you make your own anemometer from home. They give instructions on how to record wind speed and treat this as a further science experiment for older kids. Follow their instructions here.
For little Birdies you can simply set up the wind meter and play in the backyard with it on a windy day, getting them excited and eager to learn more about weather!
Make Rainbows at Home
Rainbows form when light hits drops of water, meaning that it’s surprisingly easy to make rainbows from home! You might even have suncatchers on your windows that reflect rainbows into your home.
Help get your kids excited about the beauty of rainbows by doing either of these rainbow science activities from Little Passports. The first is a science experiment to create rainbows inside your home! For this experiment you’ll need:
- Glass of water
- Small mirror (fits inside the water glass)
- Flashlight
And the second activity they’ve shared is how to make your own rainbow crafts using pipe cleaners and cotton balls! Follow along here.
Download Free Coloring Pages
Some Birdies might not be old enough to really understand the science experiments shared in this guide, in those cases, get them excited to learn more about weather through some cute weather based coloring pages! You can download 25 pages for free here.
There are even some there that explain more about how weather systems work! We love setting the kids up with coloring pages while we’re having quiet time or trying to get dinner ready. You could even start an experiment with older kids, and get the little ones involved by coloring alongside you at the table.
We know that April showers bring May flowers, and we also know that spring flowers bring buzzing bees! Our new spring collection is a celebration of all the life that is born this season. Shop your favorite styles and prints for a memorable and cozy spring at home, no matter what the weather brings.
If you want to keep the fun going, make sure you teach your kids about the importance of bees and how we can help have thriving bee populations in our neighborhoods. You can learn more about bees here.
