Rain Painting
On a rainy day, give each child a paper plate. Let the children sprinkle a few drops of food coloring (or shake a little powdered tempera) on their plates. Have them put on their raincoats and walk outside, holding their plates in the rain for about a minute. After they bring their plates inside, talk about the designs created by the rain.
Umbrellas
Let the children paint large umbrella shapes cut out of butcher paper. Hang the umbrella paintings on a wall or a bulletin board and attach cane-shaped handles.
Making Rain
Boil some water in a pot (or a tea kettle) until steam forms above it. Then fill a pie pan with ice cubes and hold it above the pot in the steam "cloud". Have the children observe that when the steam comes in contact with the cool air from the pie pan, drops of water form and fall back into the pot like rain.
Caution: Adults should always supervise activities that require electrical appliances.
Rain Book
Staple together four to six pieces of white paper to make a book for each child. Write the words "Rain Helps Things Grow" on the cover of each book. Let the children look through magazines and tear out pictures of things that need rain to help them grow such as trees, flowers, and other plants. Then have the children glue the pictures in their books.
Rainy Day Nursery Rhyme-1
Rain on the green grass.
(Flutter fingers down to ground.)
And rain on the tree.
(Flutter fingers up over head.)
Rain on the housetop,
(Make upside-down "V" with hands and arms.)
But not on me.
(Circle arms over head to make "umbrella".)
Read the poem again and let the children take turns filling in the blanks.
Rain on the ______.
And rain on the tree.
Rain on the ______.
But not on me.
Rainy Day Nursery Rhyme-2
Rain, rain, go to Spain.
(Push away with hands.)
Never show your face again.
(Cover face with hands.)
Rainy Day Nursery Rhyme-3
Rain, rain, go away,
Come again another day,
Little (child's name)
Wants to play.
Let the child named tell what he or she wants to play.
Counting Raindrops
Cut five umbrella shapes and fifteen raindrop shapes out of felt. Number the umbrella shapes from 1 to 5 and place them on a flannelboard. Let the children take turns identifying the number on each umbrella and placing the corresponding number of raindrops above it.
Puddle Jumping
Place several carpet squares around the room. Have the children pretend that the squares are puddles. Let them practice jumping into and over the puddles.
Eensy, Weensy Raindrops
Sung to : "Eensy, Weensy Spider"
Some eensy, weensy raindrops
Are falling from the sky.
They're filling up the puddles
And dropping in my eye.
Drip, drip and drop, drop,
I love to hear them fall,
For the eensy, weensy raindrops
Mean wet fun for us all.
It Is Raining
Sung to : "Frere Jacques"
It is raining, it is raining,
On my head, on my head.
Pitter, patter raindrops,
Pitter, patter raindrops.
I'm all wet! I'm all wet!
Rain, Rain Falling Down
Sung to : "Row, Row, Row Your Boat"
Rain, rain falling down,
(Wiggle fingers downward.)
Falling on the ground.
Pitter, patter, pitter, patter,
What a lovely sound.
Rain
Sung to : "Row, Row, Row Your Boat"
Rain, rain, falling down,
(Flutter fingers up and down.)
Landing all around.
(Move arms out to sides.)
What a lovely sound you make.
(Cup hands behind ears.)
Splashing on the ground.
(Wiggle fingers up and down.)
Rain, rain, tumbling down,
(Lower hands while circling them around each other.)
Crashing to the ground.
(Quickly crouch down and huddle on floor.)
What a scary noise you make
(Cover ears.)
As you tumble down.
(Huddle down lower.)
Use this song to teach the concepts of soft and loud by singing the first verse in a soft voice and the second verse in a loud voice.