This post may contain affiliate links. Please refer to our disclosure policy.

A napkin blown away by a gust of wind during a picnic or squinting as a breeze kicks up dust can spark curiosity in your child about the world around them. These fleeting moments are perfect opportunities to introduce your preschooler to the wonders of weather, specifically the wind. Today’s weather activity for preschoolers transforms simple play into a purposeful exploration of the wind’s movement and patterns, igniting their natural curiosity. This activity, centered around studying the wind using bubbles, is not only engaging but also educational, making it a perfect addition to your day.

Here, we’ll dive into a hands-on weather activity for preschoolers that uses bubbles to study the wind, complemented by a variety of other weather activities to deepen their understanding. We’ll explore how to set up the bubble weather activity, questions to spark discussion, poems to enhance the experience, and more. Whether it’s a breezy summer day or a calm afternoon, these activities will captivate your child’s imagination and help them connect with the natural world.

Why Study the Wind with Preschoolers?

Wind is an invisible force that preschoolers can feel, hear, and see indirectly through its effects—swaying trees, rustling leaves, or floating bubbles. For young learners, wind is a fascinating phenomenon because it’s both familiar and mysterious. By engaging in this weather activity for preschoolers, children begin to understand how wind influences their environment, laying the foundation for scientific inquiry. The weather activity also promotes observation, critical thinking, and language development as children describe what they see and feel.

This bubble activity is particularly effective in summer when outdoor play is a staple. Bubbles, a beloved pastime, become a tool for learning, transforming a fun game into a meaningful exploration of weather patterns. By incorporating poems and additional weather activities, you can create a rich, multi-sensory experience that keeps preschoolers engaged while teaching them about the science of weather.

Setting Up the Bubble Weather Activity for Preschoolers

Step 1: Choose the Right Day

To make the most of this weather activity for preschoolers, timing is key. After speaking with my personal meteorologist, my husband, he said that in general the wind tends to pick up during midday, and clear, sunny days often have less wind compared to cloudy or stormy ones. Plan the weather activity for a day with a gentle breeze—enough to move bubbles but not so strong that it overwhelms the weather activity. Avoid days with extreme weather, such as heavy rain or thunderstorms, for safety and comfort.

Step 2: Gather Materials

The beauty of this weather activity lies in its simplicity. You’ll need:

• Bubble maker or wands: A bubble maker with a gentle fan is ideal for continuous bubble production without spills, especially for younger siblings. A reliable option is a battery-operated bubble machine, available at stores like Walmart during the spring and summer seasons. Alternatively, bubble wands work well for hands-on play.
• Bubble solution: Store-bought or homemade (mix 1 part dish soap with 4 parts water and a teaspoon of glycerin for stronger bubbles).
• Open outdoor space: A backyard, park, or playground where children can safely run and observe bubbles.
• Notebook or paper: For recording observations (optional for older siblings who may be participating).
• Poetry book or printed poems: Poems like The Wind by Robert Louis Stevenson and Wind on the Hill by A.A. Milne add a literary element.

Step 3: Structure the Weather Activity

To maximize engagement, sandwich the weather activity with discussion and observation before and after the bubble play. This approach keeps preschoolers focused and helps them process what they’re learning. Here’s the structure:

1. Pre-Activity Discussion: Observe the wind without bubbles.
2. Bubble Play: Explore wind patterns through bubbles.
3. Post-Activity Discussion: Reflect on observations and introduce simple weather concepts.

Pre-Activity Discussion: Observing the Wind

Before bringing out the bubble maker, take your preschooler outside to observe the wind in its natural state. This step sets the stage for curiosity and primes them for the weather activity. Here’s how to guide the observation:

1. Find a Spot: Choose an open area with visible signs of wind, such as trees, grass, or flags. Avoid areas with too many obstacles that might block the breeze.
2. Ask Guiding Questions: Encourage your child to notice the wind’s effects by asking open-ended questions:
   • What is making the trees move?
   • Close your eyes. Can you feel the wind brush against your cheek?
   • Which way is it blowing?
   • Can you see the wind?
   • If you can’t see it, how do you know it’s there? These questions prompt preschoolers to use their senses and articulate their observations, fostering critical thinking.
3. Introduce a Poem: Recite The Wind by Robert Louis Stevenson to add a poetic lens to the experience. The poem’s vivid imagery—kites tossed high, birds blown about the sky—helps children visualize the wind’s power and mystery. Read it slowly, emphasizing the rhythm and encouraging your child to listen for descriptions of the wind’s actions.

The Wind
by Robert Louis Stevenson

I saw you toss the kites on high
And blow the birds about the sky;
And all around I heard you pass,
Like ladies' skirts across the grass--
    O wind, a-blowing all day long,
    O wind, that sings so loud a song!

I saw the different things you did,
But always you yourself you hid.
I felt you push, I heard you call,
I could not see yourself at all--
  O wind, a-blowing all day long,
  O wind, that sings so loud a song!

You that are so strong and cold,
O blower, are you young or old?
Are you a beast of field and tree,
Or just a stronger child than me?
  O wind, a-blowing all day long,
  O wind, that sings so loud a song!

Discuss the poem briefly. Ask, “What does the wind do in the poem?” or “Does the wind sound strong or gentle?” This sets a playful tone for the bubble weather activity.

Bubble Play: Exploring Wind Patterns

Now it’s time for the main event—bubbles! This part of the weather activity for preschoolers is where the magic happens. The bubbles serve as a visual tool to track the wind’s direction and strength, making an abstract concept tangible.

1. Set Up the Bubble Maker: If using a bubble machine, place it on a flat surface and fill it with bubble solution. If using wands, provide a shallow container of solution to avoid spills. Demonstrate how to use the wand or let the machine run for continuous bubbles.
2. Observe Bubble Movement: Let your child play freely with the bubbles for a few minutes to build excitement. Then guide their attention to the bubbles’ behavior:
   • “Look at that bubble! Is it rising or sinking?”
   • “Where is it going? Can you follow it?”
   • “Can you blow a bubble with your breath and see where it goes?” Encourage your child to chase a specific bubble and describe its path. For example, you might say, “Oh, look at them rise!” or “Those are sinking to the ground!” This helps them connect the bubble’s movement to the wind.
3. Experiment with Breath: Have your child blow bubbles using their breath (with a wand) to mimic the wind. Ask, “Can you make the bubble go up or down?” This reinforces the idea that air movement (wind) affects objects like bubbles.
4. Track Patterns: If the bubbles rise, explain that there’s likely a gentle upward wind, even on a calm day. If they sink or stay close to the ground, it might indicate still air. Point out any swirling or erratic movements, which suggest shifting winds.

Keep the weather activity engaging by letting your child play until they’re slightly tired but still curious—about 10-15 minutes for most preschoolers. This ensures they’re ready to reflect during the post-activity discussion.

Post-Activity Discussion: Simplifying Weather Concepts

After the bubble play, wrap up the weather activity for preschoolers with a simple explanation of wind and its role in weather. Keep the language age-appropriate and concise to maintain their attention.

1. Explain Wind Basics: Say, “Wind happens when air moves because some places are warmer or cooler than others. Air wants to be the same temperature everywhere, so it moves around to balance things out.” This simplified explanation introduces the concept of air movement without overwhelming young learners.
2. Connect to Weather: Share that rising air often means stormy or rainy weather, while sinking air means clear, sunny weather. Relate this to storms, which fascinate preschoolers: “When a storm comes, the air is rising. Can you remember if the bubbles were rising or sinking today?”
3. Revisit the Poem: Read Wind on the Hill by A.A. Milne to tie the activity together. This poem explores the mystery of where the wind comes from and where it goes, encouraging imagination.

Wind on the Hill
by A.A. Milne

No one can tell me,
Nobody knows,
Where the wind comes from,
Where the wind goes.
It's flying from somewhere
As fast as it can,
I couldn't keep up with it,
Not if I ran.
But if I stopped holding
The string of my kite,
It would blow with the wind
For a day and a night.
And then when I found it,
Wherever it blew,
I should know that the wind
Had been going there too.
So then I could tell them
Where the wind goes…
But where the wind comes from
Nobody knows.

Ask, “Where do you think the wind goes when it blows your bubbles?” or “If you had a kite, where would it fly?” These questions encourage creative thinking and reinforce the activity’s theme.

Additional Weather Activities for Preschoolers

To expand your child’s exploration of weather, try these hands-on activities that introduce concepts like rain, clouds, and the water cycle. Each activity is designed to be simple and engaging for preschoolers but can be tailored for older kiddos. These complement the bubble activity with a focus on description and learning outcomes.

Raincloud in a Jar: Making rain in a jar is a captivating way to show preschoolers how clouds release rain. You’ll need a clear glass jar, water, shaving cream, pipettes, and blue food coloring. As your child dispenses the water on top of the shaving cream, it will become heavy and allow the blue water to come out the bottom slowly. This activity helps children visualize the process of precipitation, making the abstract concept of rainclouds forming rain concrete and exciting.

Water Cycle in a Bag: The water cycle bag activity offers a visual way to observe the water cycle in action. You’ll need a Ziplock bag, water, a permanent marker, blue food coloring, tape, and a sunny window. Draw a sun and clouds on the bag with the marker, then add about 1/4 cup of blue-colored water to the bottom and seal it tightly.

Tape the bag to a sunny window and, over a few days, watch as the water evaporates, condenses on the bag’s sides, and rains back down. Explain the water cycle stages: evaporation, condensation, and precipitation. This activity introduces the water cycle in a tangible way, helping preschoolers grasp how water moves through the environment. Also, check out the book, DK Life Cycles for further exploration of the water cycle. Or an absolute favorite in our house is The Magic School Bus Wet All Over by Pat Relf.

The Beauty of Rainbows: Learn about rainbows using a prism and coloring page. You’ll need the free printable that you can find at the link, as well as markers, flashlight, and prism. Demonstrate the prism breaking up the flashlight’s beam of light on a blank, white wall (use a sheet of printer paper if needed). Have your child name the different colors they see. Then, provide them with the printable and markers (or other coloring medium). Have them color the rainbow using the acronym ROYGBIV: Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Follow up with discussion on how a rainbow forms naturally after a rainstorm and the sun’s light refracting off of water droplets.

Cloud Types: Learning about cloud types with a cotton ball craft helps preschoolers identify clouds and their weather connections. Gather blue construction paper, cotton balls, glue, markers, and pictures of cloud types (cumulus, stratus, cirrus). Glue cotton balls to the paper in shapes resembling puffy cumulus, flat stratus, or wispy cirrus clouds, using pictures as a guide. On a cloudy day, compare real clouds in the sky to the craft or a cloud chart. Discuss how different clouds bring different weather, like rain or clear skies. This activity teaches cloud identification and links clouds to weather patterns, encouraging observation and curiosity about the sky.

Raindrop Suncatchers: Crafting raindrop suncatchers is a creative way to celebrate rain through art. You’ll need wax paper, old crayons, and an iron. After melting crayons and two sheets of wax paper together, you can create the suncatcher. Cut a raindrop shape, punch a hole, add a string, and hang it in a window to catch sunlight. Talk about how raindrops look during a shower and their role in weather. This activity combines art with weather observation, helping preschoolers appreciate rain’s beauty and its place in the natural world.

Tips for Success

• Keep It Short and Sweet: Preschoolers have short attention spans, so aim for 20-30 minutes per activity.
• Be Flexible: Let your child’s interests guide the activity—if they love bubbles, linger there; if they enjoy crafts, focus on suncatchers or kites.
• Encourage Curiosity: Praise their observations and questions, even if off-topic, to foster a love of learning. But always bring it back to the topic at hand.
• Repeat and Compare: Try activities on different days to compare weather conditions, like windy versus calm days for bubbles or kites.

Connecting to Broader Weather Concepts

This bubble weather activity and the additional weather activities open the door to broader weather discussions. Over time, you can introduce:

• Temperature and Wind: Explain how warm and cool air create wind, using examples like a warm playground and a cool breeze.
• Weather Patterns: Talk about how wind influences rain, storms, or sunny days, linking to the rain in a jar or cloud activities.
• Seasonal Changes: Discuss how wind feels different in summer (warm and gentle) versus fall (cool and gusty), connecting to outdoor observations.

These concepts can be woven into everyday moments, like noticing clouds during a walk or feeling raindrops on a rainy day.

Read Next: Study the Seasons with Art and Poetry

Why This Works

This weather activity for preschoolers, combined with the additional activities, succeeds because it blends play, observation, and creativity with simple science. Bubbles, raindrops, and clouds are relatable and exciting for young children, making abstract ideas tangible. The activities also incorporate literacy (poetry), art (crafts, rainbows), and language (discussion), creating a holistic learning experience.

Share Your Stories

Have you tried blowing bubbles or making rain in a jar with your preschooler? Did they diligently color their rainbow or love their raindrop suncatcher? Share your experiences in the comments below to inspire other families! For more ideas, explore the Kk is for Kite curriculum or the full Letter of the Week program for a wealth of preschool activities.

This collection of weather activities for preschoolers answers questions like “Where does the wind blow?” and sparks curiosity about rain, clouds, and more. Grab your bubble maker, a jar, or crayons, and let your child’s weather adventure begin!

Recent Posts on the Homeschool Blog