Let’s do some awesome weather science experiments! Kids love learning about the weather, and for kids who are afraid of storms, exploring the science behind them can make storms less scary.

This is a collection of science experiments, science demonstrations, and observation activities on all kinds of weather topics. These projects use simple supplies that you probably have on hand.

I would recommend these experiments for the elementary grades, or ages 5 – 10, although some of the projects are great for middle schoolers too.

At the bottom of this post, you’ll also find a printable weather journal. Keep track of weather data for a few weeks, and then create graphs with the information. So fun, and much more meaningful than filling in graphs on a worksheet!

AIR, SKY, AND THE ATMOSPHERE

Understanding the properties of air is important for understanding weather science! Here’s a cool science demonstration that proves that Air is Matter because it takes up space.

Why is the Sky Blue? This awesome science experiment demonstrates why the sky appears blue! With the same experiment, you can also show why the sky looks orange at sunset.

Get an idea of how a real thermometer works by Making your Own Liquid Thermometer. Such a cool (or hot?) weather science activity from Teach Beside Me.

CLOUDS

It’s super fun to Make a Cloud in a Jar! This science demonstration is easy to do, and kids will be so impressed with the results.

I love this Cotton Ball Clouds Craft from I Heart Crafty Things. It says this activity is for preschool, but I would do this for any elementary grade.

Use some cardboard to make this clever Cloud Spotter! Kids will love using this simple tool to identify different types of clouds in the sky.

WIND, RAIN, AND STORMS

Measure the wind speed by Making a Paper Cup Anemometer. This is a piece of equipment used by real weather stations! Theirs aren’t made out of paper cups, of course, but it’s the same concept.

Another good option is to Make a Wind Turbine out of a coffee can (a cardboard one) or something similar. This thing really spins!

Students can also use the Beaufort Wind Scale to estimate the wind speed. This scale uses visual observations like leaves and twigs blowing, the wind raising dust and loose papers, etc. to assess the wind speed.

Observe the water cycle of evaporation, condensation, and precipitation by making a Water Cycle in a Bag! Hang the bag in a warm window and watch it work. Such a brilliant activity from Playdough to Plato.

This Raincloud in a Jar science activity looks amazing! I love the idea to use baby oil instead of water so that the rain looks more like droplets.

Learn How Thunderstorms Form with this simple science experiment! All you need is a rectangular container, water, and food coloring.

Grab a couple of 2 liter soda bottles and make your own TORNADO! We used this Tornado Tube from Amazon. Fill up one of the bottles with water. Then connect the bottles using the plastic tornado tube. Turn the bottles upside down so that the full bottle is on top. Then swirl the bottle a bit to get the water rotating, and you’ll see a tornado!

Dancing Rainbow Science Experiment: How do rainbows form? We see beautiful rainbows when light rays from the sun are bent, or refracted, as they pass through raindrops in the air. Bending the light waves causes them to separate into different colors according to their wavelengths, creating a beautiful rainbow!

WEATHER JOURNAL

Here’s a fun printable weather journal! Each page holds 10 days of data. Print as many copies as you need!

Janie has been having so much fun with this. We are using weather.com for the high and low temperature each day. We’re recording the actual temp after it happens, NOT the forecast. (She did not understand at first why we couldn’t just record the forecast. I told her that the forecast is not always right!)

For wind speed, we are using our DIY anemometer and recording the number of rotations in one minute.

Record a month of data, and then make graphs! Make either a bar graph or line graph with the daily high temperatures. Make a bar graph with the number of cloudy and sunny days. Calculate the average high temperature for the month. Compare one month to another. So many possibilities!

Ready to print your weather journal? Click the link below. The file will open, and you can print from there.

CLICK HERE: Printable Weather Journal

Need more science experiments for kids?

Head over for 25+ Hands-On Science Experiments for Kids. Force and motion, chemistry, life science, electricity and magnetism, and more!

1 Comments

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  1. Kera Mar 26, 2023

    This list was sent to my inbox at the perfect time! We are doing a mini weather unit in my first grade class this week. I can’t wait to try some of these experiments with my students. The coloring pages are a great addition!

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