Types of Clouds Activity with Cotton Balls

Learning about all the different types of clouds is so much fun! This type of Clouds Activity with Cotton Balls will have you and your child digging deep into the wonders of the sky, and also teach you both how to pick out the type of clouds that are floating over your heads.

>> See more fun weather activities

Just think of this fun activity as a way you can take your schooling outside. Once you make the various types of clouds with the supplies listed below, you and your child can go out the front door and look up at the sky to see what you can see.

This means you’ll be able to put everything you just learned to use. And when you can combine education with real-world learning, that’s always a good idea. The kids are really going to love this type of cloud activity. And who knows, you just might learn something new, too.

This post may contain affiliate links meaning I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Read my disclosure policy here.

What are the types of clouds?

When it comes to clouds, there are 4 different types to be aware of. These are cumulus, cirrus, stratus, and nimbus. While there are 6 in this lesson, the “extra” two are part of one of the four main ones listed in the sentence before.

• Cirrus Clouds: Cirrus clouds are high, thin, feathery clouds. They are made of ice crystals and are blown by the winds into different patterns.
• Cumulus Clouds: These are low clouds that look like large cotton balls and come in all shapes. These clouds are the most fun to watch.
• Stratus Clouds: These clouds look long and thin and cover the whole sky, making things look very gloomy. The clouds are so thin that they don’t produce much rain or snow.
• Stratocumulus Clouds: These grey and white patchy clouds may have a dark, honeycomb-like look, suggesting a storm may be coming.
• Cumulonimbus Clouds: These low clouds form on hot weather days. Warm, moist air rises, forming clouds that look like mountains or towers. You will need to look out for rain, hail, or tornadoes.

Recommended Cloud Books

If you’re anything like us, you love to read. Here are some great weather books that combine the lessons you’re teaching with engaging stories.

Shapes in the Sky: A Book About Clouds (Amazing Science)Know Your Clouds (Old Pond Books) Learn How to Read the Skies and Identify Each Type of Cloud, Learn How Clouds are Formed, How They Indicate the Weather, the Optical Phenomena They Produce, and MoreClouds for Kids: Incredible Facts and Beautiful Pictures for Boys and Girls Ages 6–10Clouds: Shapes, Forecasting and Fun Trivia about Clouds for KidsThe Secret Life of Clouds: and other wonderful weather forms (Stars of Nature)Peterson First Guide To Clouds And Weather

 

Why Should Kids Learn About the Types of Clouds?

Learning about sky patterns helps kids connect science to what they see in the sky. When my older kids were in early elementary, lessons like this made weather feel more real and easier to understand.

• Real-world observation: Kids start noticing shapes, colors, and changes in the sky.
• Weather clues: Different formations can hint at sunny days, rain, or storms.
• Science vocabulary: Words like cumulus, cirrus, and stratus become easier to remember with a hands-on model.
• Nature awareness: Children slow down and pay attention to what is happening above them.

Recommended Weather Printable Packs

Printable weather packs make homeschool science easier to plan and more engaging for kids. I like having ready-to-use pages that cover weather words, reading, writing, and simple science practice.

What Skills Can Kids Learn From This Activity?

This project mixes science, art, and hands-on practice in a simple way. I liked activities like this because my kids could talk through what they were making while building a clear visual model.

• Observation Skills: Kids compare shape, color, and placement. This helps them notice details instead of guessing.
• Fine Motor Practice: Pulling cotton, painting, labeling, and gluing all use hand control. These small movements support writing and school tasks.
• Science Vocabulary: Children practice naming common sky formations. The labels help them connect each word with a picture.

The fun thing about cloud identification is that you can actually learn right along with the kids.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been looking up at the sky and noticed that the clouds look different from what I’ve seen before.

Once you learn the names of the various clouds, you and the kids will have fun talking all about them!

You can even pick out clouds and talk about the shapes and what they resemble.

Identifying Clouds Activity for Kids

The best part of this hands-on activity is that it’s great for both younger and older kids. This allows them to learn with their minds and create some really cool, varied clouds with their hands.

And what this means for you is that the next time you’re outside, and your kids are looking up at the sky, you’ll know that they’re processing and thinking through all the clouds that you’re making from this simple cloud activity.

Supplies needed for the types of clouds activity

• Cotton balls
• Blue cardstock
• Black marker
• White labels
• Gray paint
• Paintbrush
• Glue

Recommended Weather Kits for Kids

These weather kits are great for kids who want to learn more about the weather in a hands-on, fun way.

4M: Green Science – Weather Science – DIY Mini Observatory Kit, Static Electricity, Lightning-Cloud Formation, Build A Water Cycle Model, STEAM Kid 5+Science Can STEM Kits for Kids Age 6-8, Multifunctional 3-in-1 Weather Station for Kids, Educational Science Kits with 8 Weather, Cool Humidifier & White Noise Mode, Birthday Gifts for Girls & BoysSMARTLAB Toys Storm Watcher Weather Lab with 18 Wild and Windy ExperimentsZerodeko Tornado Maker Science Kit Tornado Simulator Educational Toy for Kids Realistic Weather Experiment Easy Safe Materials 5.11X4.25X3.18 InchLearning Resources Weather Center Kit, Weather Science for Kids, Meteorology for Kids, Science at Home, Barometer, Thermometer, HygrometerBrookstone Children’s Weather Station Kit – Meteorologist STEAM Toy

 

How to Extend the Activity

After the cotton ball project, you can add simple weather lessons to keep the learning going.

• Start a Weather Journal – Have your child draw the sky each day and write a short note about the weather.
• Try More Cloud Activities – Use this resource for extra hands-on ideas.
• Use Weather Worksheets – Pair the craft with these printables for review.
• Go Outside for a Sky Hunt – Look for real examples outdoors and talk about what your child sees.

How to make types of clouds activity with cotton balls

Since you now know all the cloud types because of these types of cloud activity, it’s time to make it happen! Write the cloud types on a white label with a black marker, then stick it to a piece of paper to hold them in place. 

Place the labels on the paper in two columns and three rows. This helps with organization and ease.

You’ll then want to create the clouds using the cotton balls. 

Remember that for this activity, you’re going to create clouds for cumulus, cirrus, stratus, nimbus, stratocumulus, and cumulonimbus clouds.

For the nimbus cloud, stratocumulus, and cumulonimbus clouds, use gray paint and paint a shade of gray where needed for each type of cloud. Let your child do this part and have them focus on really making certain that each of the clouds looks different. 

Once they’re done, all that you have to do is take the cotton and glue it in place on the paper under each cloud type.

As you can see, it’s a fun and simple weather science for early elementary that will give the kids a real-world perspective on what clouds look like.

More Weather Activities

Weather works well with crafts, worksheets, simple experiments, and outdoor observation. Add more activities to give your child extra practice with weather words and science skills.

• Weather Activities for Toddlers
• Weather Tracing Worksheets
• Clouds in a Jar Experiment
• Weather Popsicle Stick Craft on Homeschool Preschool
• Free Weather Memory Game Printable on Homeschool of 1

This cotton ball weather project is a simple way to make early elementary science hands-on and memorable. With a few supplies, kids can build, label, compare, and talk about sky formations while practicing science vocabulary and fine motor skills.