Weather Observation

Observing, investigating, and reporting the weather are good ways to nurture science thinking because weather affects play activities and clothing choices. By observing weather, many clothing arguments may be avoided.
What to do
Check out the weather every morning before breakfast to help plan for the day. Adults will be setting the stage for good breakfast conversation and building scientific vocabulary.
Check the temperature. Step outside or observe through a window. Will we need jackets, hats, and mittens today or can we dress for warm weather? Is it sunny or cloudy? Will we need to wear our sunglasses and hat?
Look at the sky. Is the sky really cloudy, partly cloudy, or clear? Are there clouds coming in? Observe the kinds of clouds. If the clouds are thick like a blanket and it’s rather gray, stratus clouds are holding lots of possible moisture.
If it’s a blue sky with some big white cotton ball cumulus clouds, it could be a nice day to play outside with proper clothing. If these puffy clouds are gray or black, we could have a storm.

If the sky is clear with just a few wispy cirrus clouds, we probably won’t have moisture.
Observe the trees. Is it really windy, a little breezy, or a calm day? By observing weather many clothing arguments are avoided.
What else can I do?
Children love to paint weather pictures to hang on the refrigerator. You can also draw clouds, sun, or raindrops on a calendar to report weather. Compare your observations and predictions with professional forecasters.
If children have questions, like how clouds block the sun or what causes wind, go to http://www.ask.com or Google®. Ask the librarian for help finding nonfiction (true) weather books with lots of colored pictures. Children also like Judi Barrett’s Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and Tomie de Paola’s The Cloud Book. Some children’s museums have a TV weather studio to play weather reporter.
Find more activities to help young children learn go to Learning Through the Seasons at: http://www.grandparentsteachtoo.org/ webpages or listen to these activities on the WNMU Radio 90 podcasts at: http://www.wnmufm.org/learningthroughtheseasons 
Illustrations by Mark Nowicki