Rain, Rain GO AWAY!

Alapaha River on HWY 122

Lately it has been raining cats and dogs for the last two weeks. The Alapaha River is out of its banks and my yard looks part lake, part jungle because the grass is so high. So why not add some rainy day activities you can use at home or in the classroom.

Language Activity

To develop language skills practice this rain poem:

Rain on the green grass
And rain on trees.
Rain on the rooftops,
But not on me!

Science Activity

Rain Gauge
Use an empty can or jar to make a rain gauge. Place the container outside to measure the rainfall. Have the rain have your child investigate how full the container is. Use words like more, less, about, estimate to build vocabulary. Also, as an extension activity have your child draw a picture to how much rain is in the rain gauge. This will develop scientific observation skills.

Art Activity

Eyedropper Painting
Materials: Assorted plastic medicine droppers for safety, and food coloring, plastic cups, white construction paper

Directions: Fill the plastic cups half way with water and add a few drops of food coloring to each cup. Let you child practice fine motor skills by using the plastic medicine dropper to get the watercolors. Then encourage your child to hold the plastic medicine dropper above the paper, then release the color creating a colored “rain” drop. REMEMBER it is the creative process and not the end product that contains. To promote language skills ask your little one to describe his/her painting to you. Then you can write his/her words directly onto their artwork and display.

Cooking Activity

Rainbow Fruit Parfait
Ingredients:

• red = strawberries 
• orange = oranges 
• yellow = bananas 
• green = kiwi 
• blue = blueberries 
• indigo = blackberries 
• purple = grapes 
• vanilla yogurt, granola bar

Directions: Cut up each of the fruits above, layer each fruit with vanilla yogurt in a cup and crumble up a granola bar on top. Chill for about 30 min. Then enjoy!

Literacy

Little Raindrop
This is the sun, high up in the sky, (hold hands in circle above head)
A dark cloud suddenly comes sailing by, (slide hands to side)
These are the raindrops, (make raining motion with fingers)
Pitter, patter down,
Watering the flowers, (pouring motion)
Growing on the ground. (pat the ground)

Thunderstorm
Boom, bang, boom bang! (clap hands)
Rumpety, lumpety, bump! (stomp feet)
Zoom, zam, zoom, zam! (swish hands together)
Rustles and bustles (pat thighs)
And swishes and zings! (pat thighs)
What wonderful noises
A thunderstorm brings.

Math

Rainbow Matching
Materials: Assorted fabrics matching the colors in the rainbow.
Directions: Cut the assorted fabric in 2 inch, 4 inch, and 6 inches squares. Have the children sort the fabric into groups by colors, textures, and size. Differentiation: For children having difficulty in sorting by colors, provide a corresponding colored paper cup or bowl for the children to use. The children can match the fabric to the container.

Gross Motor

Worm Wiggles
The purpose of this game is to move like a worm. Show you child how to lie on the floor and move their body forward without using their hands or elbows. This game will surly get a giggle or to and hopefully burn some energy off as well.

Amazon Book List

Rain or Shine: All About the Weather

Let It Rain by Maryann Cocca-Leffler

Maisy's Wonderful Weather Book

Whether it's snowy, rainy, or sunny, readers can explore the natural world with Maisy and find out how wonderful weather can be!

What's the weather, Maisy? It's sunny — hooray! It's windy — hooray! It's raining — hooray, hooray! Whatever the weather, Maisy knows how to make the best of the day. Little fans will be proud to help with the forecast by pulling the tabs and turning the wheels to make the rain come down, the snow fall, the lightning flash, and even a rainbow appear!

Splish!Splash!: A Book About Rain

The Rain Came Down

What Will the Weather Be? (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science 2)

Resources/Credits:

• Flooded Alapaha River image: http://www.wwals.net/tag/alapaha-river/ by JSQ 
• Clip art images provided by: http://www.MyCuteGraphics.com
• Juddy Herr, Yvonne Libby Larson. (2009). Rain. In Creative Resources for the Early Childhood Classroom (pp. 549-557). Cliffton Park: Thompson Delmar Learning.

Summer Ideas

Fix an area outside to let you child enjoy painting. Some ideas include inexpensive watercolors, white construction paper, and of course water. If painting is not something you’re interested in than choose markers, colored pencils, crayons, etc. Before your little one begins their “plein air” (outside) master piece, go on a nature walk through your yard, neighborhood, or local park and talk about all the different colors and textures you see along the way. To promote language skills use as many describing words when talking with your young child. Words such as enormous, tiny, hairy, smooth, bumpy, bright, dull, shiny etc. Describe the shape of the object, its dimensions anything to expand your child’s vocabulary. When you return from your adventure encourage your child to remember details from the walk and paint them or draw them. Remember it is about the creative process and not the end product. Talk with your child about their painting. Ask, “Tell me about your painting,” leaves an opened conversation as opposed to “what are you drawing?” For a science experiment, encourage your child to observe how fast the watercolors dry. Most of all have fun!

Credits: www.MyCuteGraphics.com     www.KevinandAmanda.com