Inside: Hands-on weather theme learning activities for preschoolers and toddlers.
Exploring the wonders of weather with preschoolers is an enriching experience that captivates their senses. Weather, a delightful preschool theme, holds the charm of being something children can witness and engage with every day. Personally, I find the magic of a weather theme truly comes to life during season transitions, when the weather undergoes rapid and fascinating changes. Picture this: one day it's hot and sunny, and the next day it's cold and wet – real-life experiences that make the learning journey truly unforgettable.
One of the highlights of our weather-themed adventures was the introduction of a monthly weather chart. The excitement it brought into our daily routine was unparalleled! Each morning, my little ones eagerly leaped out of bed, eager to observe the weather outside and actively participate in filling in our monthly weather chart.
Related: Everything You Need to Know about Setting Up a Themed Learning Shelf
Read on for a list of all the fun weather preschool theme activities we did this month.
Jump to:
This post contains affiliate links. Please see our disclaimer for details.
Weather Theme Learning Activities for Toddlers (2 to 3 Years Old)
- Shape Suncatcher: Sort shape cut outs into 4 basic shapes and stick them on the respective shape sun catchers. The frames are made with card stock papers that are cut into the 4 basic shapes. Then attach contact paper, with the sticky side up in the centre. (numeracy, motor skills)
- Rain & Cloud Shaker Bottle: drop cut up straws (rain) and cotton balls (clouds) into a bottle. (motor skills)
- Rainbow Color Mixing: explore and mix colors of the rainbow in a zigloc bag (discovery of the world, arts & sensory play)
- Rainbow Color Matching Box: match the colors of the rainbow and poke popsicle sticks into a box (motor skills, discovery of the world)
- Dot Sticker Sun: match and paste dot stickers of the same color on the sun rays (motor skills)
- Cotton clouds: paste cotton wool on a blue paper to create clouds (motor skills, discovery of the world, arts and creative expression)
Weather Theme Learning Activities for Preschoolers (4 to 6 Years Old)
- Name Snow Dotting: dot your name with white paint (snow) and cotton bud (language, motor skills)
- Snowball Letter Match: Match all 26 letters on circle cut outs (the snow balls) to the letters on the blue paper. Provide a glue stick to stick these circles for extra motor skill practise or simply use white dot stickers. (language, motor skills)
- Raindrop Shapes: A fun game for preschoolers to practice cutting with scissors
- Rainbow Dot Sticker Name: Make name rainbows with colorful dot stickers. Kids get to color matching and colors of the rainbow at the same time. (language, motor skills)
- Raindrop Letter Match: For 2 to 4 years old, do uppercase to uppcrcase letter or lowercase to lowercase letter matching. For 4 to 6 years old, do uppercase to lowercase letter matching.
- Snowflakes Symmetry: Using painter's tape or washing tape, create the other half of a snowflakes using symmetry rules (numeracy, motor skills)
- Sun Roll and Cut (numeracy, motor skills): This printable is free for download inside our HTS Printable Library. Join HTS Mailing List get access to our Printable Library!
- Sun Ray Numbers (numeracy, motor skills)
- R is for Raindrop: A super easy letter recognition activity for children to learn uppercase letter R and lowercase letter r. (literacy)
- Sew 'rain drops' (yarn) onto a DIY cardboard sewing board. We use a plastic yarn needle which is easy and safe for children to handle. (motor skills)
- Daily weather chart: Observe record the weather every day for a month. At the end of the month, make a graph using the data collected (numeracy, discovery of the world)
- Count 'rain drops' (cut up blue straws) from the rain clouds (numeracy)
- 'What's the weather like today?' paper cup toy: Observe the weather and rotate the cup to display the weather in the window. Check out this video to see the toy in action. (discovery of the world)
Weather Theme Crafts, Experiments & Sensory Play
- Rain in a bottle: Stuff cotton balls at the top of a bottle and add blue water bit by bit to the cotton balls using a dropper. Eventually the cotton balls (the rain clouds) will be soak with water and water will start to drip into the bottle like rain. (discovery of the world, motor skills)
- Move the Water through the Water Cycle: In this simple activity, children literally bring the water through a cycle. This helps little kids visualize the continuous movement of water. Watch the video tutorial here.
- Water cycle in a Zipper Bag: Draw some clouds, an ocean and a sun on the bag and add some coloured water. Attach the bag on the window. Observe the water evaporating and condensing in the bag over the next few days. (discovery of the world)
- Make a colorful rain painting: Place a paper standing in a tub/tray. Use a dropper and drip water color down the paper.(arts & creative expression, motor skills)
- Play with a 'rain clouds' sensory bin: Fill a tub with cotton balls. Provide droppers and colored water for some water sensory fun. (discovery of the world, motor skills)
- Make a windmill: Go outside on a windy day and play with a DIY milk carton windmill. You can see my son playing with this windmill in this video. The video tutorial to make this windmill is found here. (discovery of the world, motor skills)
Weather Theme Books for Preschoolers
Check out this list of over 20 weather theme books for preschoolers.
More Weather Theme Learning Activities
- Pinterest Idea Board: [theme] WEATHER
- Unique Hashtag on Instagram: #weatherhts
Be sure to check out the rest of our theme learning shelves and activities!
Join over 15000 parents in my HTS community and get my best learning ideas and free printables in your inbox. Join now>>
Riya Sen says
I love learning about the weather and activities to do with my kids to keep them interested in it! This post is great!