Huge Rainbow
Take a large piece of butcher paper, then draw arcs on it and have the children paint each arc, by putting their hand prints into paint. Red hand prints for the top arc, orange hand prints for the next arc, etc.
Have the children draw pictures of what they think a rainy or sunny day looks like. Use different kinds of tools - markers, crayons, pen, paint, . . .
~Submitted by Debbie Whitman
Cloudy Skies
The adult draws cloud shapes on white paper using a white crayon. The children paint on the paper with thin blue paint and the clouds appear through the paint.
~Submitted by Debbie Whitman
Sunny Sculptures
Have the children dip pieces of yellow yarn into a mixture of white glue and water. Then let them arrange their yarn pieces in designs on sheets of waxed paper or a blown balloon. Allow several days for the glue to dry. Then peel off the waxed paper or pop the balloon and hang the "Sunny Sculptures" from the ceiling of in a window.
~Submitted by Debbie Whitman
Wind Wheels
Cut a large circle out of a plastic lid so that only a rim remains. Tape strips of newspaper, crepe paper, ribbon or cloth onto one side of the rim. When outside, the children will be able to clutch the rim easily and run to make the streamers 'fly.'
~Submitted by Debbie Whitman
Helium Balloon
Fill a big sturdy balloon with helium. (You can get helium in small cans at some hardware stores.) Tie a postcard and a note (covered with plastic) to the balloon. The postcard should be addressed to yourself, and the note should ask whomever finds the balloon to mail you the postcard and tell where they found it.
~Submitted by Debbie Whitman
Make a cloud - I purchased three bags of cotton balls and let the children play with them on the carpet. They had a really good time making clouds of all different shapes.
~Submitted by Debbie Whitman
Sun Circle Puppet
Yellow selfstick paper, yellow yarn, felt-tip markers, popsicle stick, pair of scissors. Cut two 4 inch circles out of yellow self-stick paper. Remove the backing from one of the circles. Cut yellow yarn into short pieces and place them around the edges of the sticky side of the circle to make sun rays. Remove the backing from the second circle and place it on top of the first circle, sticky sides together, with a popsicle stick handle in between. Use felt-tip markers to add facial features.
~Submitted by Debbie Whitman
Make stained glass suns.. Take a piece of wax paper and cut it the shape of a sun. then have the children brush on glue to the sun and put yellow and orange tissue paper on it. When completely dry, one or two days, the tisue will peel off of the waxed paper and it will look like stained glass. Hang in a window.
~Submitted by Debbie Whitman
Make sun catchers out of yogurt lids. Pour glue in the lid of yogurt give the children a variety of jewels, and some glitter. Have them create! Then let these sit for at least 3 days, then remove from the lids, hole punch then hang in a window!
~Submitted by Debbie Whitman
Windsocks
Have the children decorate a large sheet of construction paper (all different colors) however they choose. We used collage scrap materials--material, feathers, confetti, stickers, wallpaper, wrapping paper, etc. Decorate with
markers, stamps, etc. Roll the decorated sheet into a cylinder shape. Staple closed. Staple streamers of crepe paper from the bottom--several colors. At the top, punch two holes--one on either side of the cylinder and string with yarn.
~Submitted by Debbie Whitman
Cloud Dough
Mix together 6 cups and 1 cup salad oil. Add enough water to make the dough soft and pliable. If desired add food coloring. This dough is soft and elastic and does not harden. Keep it in covered containers Encourage children to make different cloud shapes.
~Submitted by Debbie Whitman
Cloud Art
Give each child a piece of light blue construction paper. Fold paper in half and then unfold. Let the children squeeze 3-4 drop of white paint from a eyedropper. Have them refold and rub across with hands open to reveal cloud pictures.
~Submitted by Debbie Whitman
Cloud Collages
Color a picture on blue paper and glue cotton balls for clouds, glue on rickrack for lightning or cut with zig zag scissors.
~Submitted by Debbie Whitman
Rain Pictures
Start out with white construction paper and water-based markers. Place the papers out in the rain for 1-2 minutes (you could also spritz with a water sprayer if the rain won't cooperate). Bring the papers in and blot them dry with a paper towel, leave them to dry thoroughly. The effect is beautiful.
~Submitted by Debbie Whitman
Weather Books
Check the weather each day and have the children draw a picture of the weather
(sunny, raining, cloudy, etc.) in a homemade weather book. ~Submitted by Debbie Whitman
Wind Chimes
Make wind chimes for children to hang outside. Wind chimes
can be made of many different things. See what materials the children suggest. Forks, spoons, shells, sticks, pieces of metal, aluminum pie pans etc. Tape record the sound of the chimes and let the children listen to it at circle time or nap time.
Weather Wheel
This is a craft I always do in January with my Pre-K classes and they always enjoy it. We use paper plates, brads, and construction paper to make a weather wheel. I divide the plate into four sections using a black magic marker. I also cut out enough cons. paper "arrows" so each child has one. The child draws an appropriate seasonal symbol in each of the sections in the paper plate. To divide: The easiest way to do this is to basically draw a large X on the plate. Examples: sun, cloud, rain, snowman (or whatever) to represent seasonal weather. Attach the arrow to the middle of the wheel with the brad (paper fastener). The child moves the arrow to whichever of the drawings tell the most about the weather today. We also punch a hole in the top and add yarn so the child can hang it. The children enjoy turning their wheels to the weather of the day (at home) and then we talk about it at school. I keep one at school for the special helper to use.
~Submitted by Cheryl's Sweethearts ChildCare
