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Activities
Stormy Weather
Create the sounds of rain, wind, and thunder.
Materials
- Paper towel tube
- Aluminum foil
- Dried rice
- Paper
- Tape
- Empty soda bottles
- Cookie sheet
- Cardboard
- Paperback book
Directions
With your child, experiment with stormy sound effects. Try to create the sound of rain, wind, and thunder. Here are some ideas. You may discover others!
Rain:
Traditional South American rainsticks are made from hollow cactus or bamboo sticks. Nails or thorns are driven through the hollow dry stick, a handful of seeds, shells, or small stones is poured in, then the ends are covered and sealed. When the rainstick is held upright, the seeds, shells, or stones tumble down the tube, bouncing off the nails or thorns, creating the sound of rain.
You and your child can make a simplified rainstick by covering and taping over one end of a paper towel tube. Have your child wad up five pieces of aluminum foil and place them in the tube. Add three small scoops of rice, then cover and tape the other end of the tube. Hold the rainstick upright, then turn it over. Do you hear the sound of rain? Other craft versions of rainsticks involve sticking toothpicks or nails through a paper towel tube or cardboard mailing tube, then adding lentils or rice. You may want to make two versions and decide which makes a more authentic rain sound.
Wind:
Blow over the necks of empty soda bottles to make the sound of wind. Fill the bottle part way with water to change the sound. You can also make convincing wind sounds using only your mouth.
Thunder:
To make the sound of thunder, try shaking a cookie sheet, a sheet of aluminum foil, and a sheet of thin cardboard. Which do you think sounds most like thunder? You can also try to make thunder sounds by drumming on a metal or plastic bucket or other objects.
Talk About It
How many different types of weather can you and your child list (hot and muggy, foggy, windy, drizzly, thunderstorm, hail, snow, et cetera)? Talk about dramatic, funny, or pleasant experiences that are linked to specific weather. What types of weather does your child like best?
Related Books
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett
Come On, Rain! by Karen Hesse
Pecos Bill by Steven Kellogg
Age Range: 4-6
Skills/Subjects:
- Creative Expression
- Fine Motor
- Science
Related Episodes:
