This simple activity is a great way for little ones to chat about the water cycle and understand why rain falls from clouds!
We’re always keen to find more water cycle activity ideas here at SUPA STEM HQ, and we can’t resist an activity which involves shaving foam (kids love the texture, and it smells amazing too!).
So you can see why we were so excited to have @brownstemgirls contribute this shaving cream cloud activity!
Not only is it super helpful for explaining to children about how water builds up in clouds and falls as rain, but it also makes a great visual and sensory experience.
Materials
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Shaving foam
- Food colouring (blue)
- Clear container
- Water
Instructions
Here’s how to do this simple shaving cream rain cloud activity with your little ones at home.
1. Fill a clear container 3/4 full with water.
2. Add a layer of shaving foam on top.
3. Add drops of food colouring.
4. Watch the colour fall through the foam and sink – it looks just like rain falling from a cloud!
Here’s a rundown of the science:
In this shaving foam cloud activity, the shaving foam represents a cloud. The water in the container is the atmosphere, and the blue food colouring is the rain.
Clouds are formed when water in the form of water vapour rises up from water sources on the earth (rivers, lakes, oceans – and even puddles!). As the water vapour gets higher up in the atmosphere it cools down and turns back into a liquid. It collects together in clouds.
Rain falls from clouds because clouds get so full of water droplets that it can’t hold them all. That’s when water falls back down to earth as rain.
In this activity, the blue food colouring is a heavy liquid which sinks through the cloud and falls to the bottom of the container – a bit like rain falling from a cloud, which isn’t strong enough to keep it there.
Thanks again to @brownstemgirls for contributing this awesome activity! You can check out more @brownstemgirls activity ideas here.
If your kids like shaving foam activities at home, We think they’ll love our shaving cream fireworks printing activity!
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