• SHOP PRODUCTS
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact

Laughing Kids Learn

Where learning is made fun

  • Disclosure and Privacy Policy

Rain cloud science experiment

May 25, 2015 by Kate 34 Comments

Here is a super simple science experiment that teaches children about clouds and rain. It’s great fun to do at home or in the classroom and this rain cloud science experiment only uses commonly found ingredients. 

Make a rain cloud with this simple science experiment for kidsThe weather is changing where we live and we are seeing a lot more clouds appearing and rain falling. I often find myself focusing my daughter Possum’s (aged 3.5 years) attention to the clouds because they never appear the same and always interesting. We talk often about the shape and size of clouds and how they vary in shades of grey. These commonly occurring conversation led us to learning more about clouds and how it is that rain can fall from them. 

I remember coming across a fun little science experiment while adding various pins to my Pinterest account. Super simple and using only a few commonly found ingredients, I knew we had to give it a go. It might just explain the concept of rain as a visual representation. 

Recommended age: 2 years + 
(Active supervision is required on all ideas shared)

Pouring water for experiment

Rain cloud science experiment

You will need – 

  • Glass or jar
  • water
  • dropper
  • shaving cream
  • food colouring

Simply begin by asking your child to pour water into the glass, leaving about an inch from the rim. 

Laughing

Carefully add a layer of shaving cream to the water. Be sure not to make it too thick or you’ll find you’re having to wait a long time for the magic to begin and that’s a bit boring. The shaving cream represents a cloud and the water is the atmosphere. 

Weather science experiment teaching children about rain clouds

Simply add a few drops of blue food colouring to the shaving cream. The weight of the food colouring will start to push through the shaving cream and fall down through the water that’s in the glass! This will look just like streaks of rain falling. Gorgeous. 
Science experiment using shaving cream to make a rain cloud
For some children the concept is possibly too complicated, which is absolutely fine, but if you explain it using simple and familiar language they might just be able to make a connection between what is happening in the experiment to what they see in their own environment. 

I chose to conduct this experiment outdoors so I could directly point to some of the clouds outside. I explained that the darker grey clouds were heavy with water droplets or rain (the food colouring) and that soon enough it would break free and begin falling to the ground, much like we could see in the experiment. 
Science learning about rain clouds

Possum absolutely loved watching the streams of blue food colouring fall like droplets through the shaving cream and then swirl around the water. She was inspired to ask lots of great questions but also found it a lovely and calming experience. Hopefully you get a chance to have a go at this experiment with the little ones in your life. I really hope they enjoy it. 

How old are your children and would they enjoy this?  

Here are a few other ideas you might like – 

Make flubber recipe for kids the easy way.   Activity for kids to blow up a balloon using science   Magic Milk science experiment for kids

 

Ebooks available featuring Laughing Kids Learn
Zero to Two: Book of Play    Three to Five Playful Preschool ad

Follow Kate @ LaughingKidsLearn’s board Laughing Kids Learn on Pinterest.



Filed Under: 3 - 5 years, 5 - 10 years, Outdoor Activity, Science Tagged With: experiment, food colouring, outdoor, science

Comments

  1. Jess says

    March 2, 2016 at 2:16 pm

    You named your child possum…..

    Reply
    • Kate says

      March 2, 2016 at 5:46 pm

      Yes! Lovely name, isn’t it. 😀

      Reply
      • Marian says

        March 5, 2016 at 12:22 am

        Lol

        Reply
      • Cheyenne says

        August 24, 2016 at 2:15 am

        This is so cool . I am 10 years old and loved doing this . I have done this for my home work and I am proud.thanks for the support.

        Reply
        • Kate says

          August 24, 2016 at 9:24 pm

          Oh Cheyenne, that’s so awesome. Congratulations and I’m glad you had fun doing this. 🙂

          Reply
      • katelyn says

        November 3, 2020 at 8:19 am

        what are the ingredents for the rain cloud siencie ecperiment???

        Reply
    • coolkid says

      March 30, 2017 at 8:47 am

      This is so cool I am going use this for my science fair project

      Reply
      • Kate says

        March 30, 2017 at 2:10 pm

        That’s so awesome and it would be perfect for a science project. 🙂

        Reply
  2. Lucinda says

    June 17, 2016 at 5:00 am

    My son is 11 and he will enjoy this! I think as a tween boy he’ll enjoy black food colour. 🙂

    Reply
    • Kate says

      June 17, 2016 at 10:46 am

      Hi Lucinda! Oh I have no doubt your 11 year old would love this. It would be interesting to see it with black food colouring. 🙂

      Reply
  3. Anna @ Kids Play Space says

    June 21, 2016 at 1:27 pm

    ok, this is perfect! I know some of my kiddos in the clinic (paed OT) would love to do this – this week! (and my son too!) Thanks for the inspiration!

    Reply
    • Kate says

      June 21, 2016 at 9:19 pm

      Oh I can just imagine Anna! Thank you so kindly for your comment. 🙂

      Reply
  4. Kev says

    August 2, 2016 at 4:04 am

    The little guys love anything with water. This is great.

    Reply
    • Kate says

      August 2, 2016 at 8:37 am

      Totally agree with you. Thanks Kev.

      Reply
  5. Gabby and Ruby says

    September 12, 2016 at 8:08 am

    We are using it his for our science fair experiment and have lots of fun watching the food colouring react to the shaving cream.Thank you LAUGHING KIDS LEARN.

    Reply
    • Kate says

      September 12, 2016 at 8:13 pm

      That’s so fabulous! Thanks guys. 🙂

      Reply
  6. Shelley says

    March 18, 2017 at 12:30 pm

    Could you use whipped cream or ‘cool whip’ instead of shaving cream with the same results?

    Reply
    • Kate says

      March 21, 2017 at 12:58 pm

      I think you possibly could Shelley. It would be worth giving it a go. 🙂

      Reply
    • Carol Lee Lutsinger says

      September 7, 2021 at 11:11 am

      it would probably stink and grow mold.

      Reply
  7. Cindy says

    April 17, 2017 at 8:54 am

    Can you use plastic clear cups for this activity?

    Reply
    • Kate says

      April 17, 2017 at 6:14 pm

      Absolutely Cindy! Have fun with this idea.

      Reply
  8. Mia Anthony says

    April 29, 2019 at 4:17 pm

    Hi there im 12 and i have a class science projet and i have no idea what todo and my mum told me about this experiment so i think i will do it because its easy to talk about,cheap,and easy todo

    Reply
    • Kate says

      May 1, 2019 at 11:26 am

      Fantastic Mia. Glad I could help you out. Good luck with it all.

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Top 5 blogs for Aussie mums - LessonBuzz says:
    October 8, 2015 at 12:32 pm

    […] learning through play using simple, budget friendly materials that you can find at home. OUR PICK: Rain Cloud Science Experiment 3.5/5 BEES    for thrifty learning tips, and proving there’s more to macaroni collage than […]

    Reply
  2. Rain Clouds | sallythescientistblog says:
    January 21, 2016 at 10:32 am

    […] the shaving cream and after just a few minutes, it drops through into the water looking like rain!  Rain Clouds Please click on the link to the left to see the site we learned this awesome experiment […]

    Reply
  3. Relatively Interesting 15 Science DIY Ideas and Experiments for Kids and Parents - Relatively Interesting says:
    July 5, 2016 at 10:25 pm

    […] 4.  It’s Bath Time Rain Clouds […]

    Reply
  4. Fun times – wingingitbygrace says:
    September 17, 2016 at 12:32 pm

    […] And then the rain came again, so time for painting and science!  We did a simple experiment to look at clouds and how rain is formed.  You can find how to do it, here. […]

    Reply
  5. Weather Storybox | Having Fun Isn't Hard... says:
    September 21, 2017 at 8:17 am

    […] STEM Rain experiment (from Laughing Kids Learn) […]

    Reply
  6. Creation Crafts for Preschoolers | Out Upon The Waters says:
    October 11, 2018 at 6:04 am

    […] Rain clouds – make some rain clouds with shaving cream and food colouring. […]

    Reply
  7. Days of Creation Crafts for Preschoolers – Out Upon the Waters says:
    November 12, 2019 at 11:53 am

    […] Rain clouds – make some rain clouds with shaving cream and food colouring. […]

    Reply
  8. First Grade Reading List - This Bit of Life says:
    March 24, 2020 at 12:38 pm

    […] Geographic Kids is a great intro to severe weather. Pair it with both this thunder storm art and rain cloud science experiment and you’ve just done reading, science, and art for the […]

    Reply
  9. Activities and resources for children in Nursery to Year 8 – Aspire Learning Centres says:
    April 30, 2020 at 3:01 am

    […] SHAVING CREAM CLOUDS – Create rain clouds using shaving cream. […]

    Reply
  10. 7 Best Holiday Activities To Keep Your Kids Entertained - Helpling Blog says:
    July 28, 2021 at 8:04 pm

    […] experiments are the magic milk experiment, the water walking experiment, and the shaving cream water cycle experiment. These experiments only require a few materials that you may already have at home but they are cool […]

    Reply
  11. Simple Skittles Experiment says:
    May 17, 2022 at 2:30 pm

    […] Rain Cloud Science Experiment by Laughing Kids Learn […]

    Reply

Please Leave a Comment: Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Welcome
Hello and welcome!
My name is Kate and I am a mum to two little girls, Possum and Boo. We have lots of fun together learning with play at home and are pleased to share some of what we do with you.
Read my about page to find out more.

facebookpinteresttwitterinstagramgoogle plusyoutube

Search

Find More Great Ideas Here:

sesnory play
art and craft
nummeracy
literacy
Science
recipes
videos

Join the Tribe!

Subscribe



Find Activities by Age

  • 0 – 12 months
  • 1 – 3 years
  • 3 – 5 years
  • 5 – 10 years

Find Activities by Celebration

  • Christmas
  • SHOP PRODUCTS

Privacy Policy

  • Disclosure and Privacy Policy

Find posts by month

Copyright © 2023 · Lifestyle Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in