Water Cycle Bag Experiment
This Water Cycle Bag Experiment is a great way to introduce them to science and all the ideas of the water cycle.
If you love this experiment, check out these amazing fun weather activities for kids!
One of the easiest science experiments for your youngest learners is a simple water cycle bag experiment. Although it is interesting for young learners, it is absolutely fascinating for older kids as well.
It is a pretty cool fact that water is the only substance that appears naturally in all three states of matter: solid, liquid, and gas. The solid form is ice or snow, the liquid is rain or condensation and the gas is vapor.
I love that you can do this experiment with things you have on hand and at home and keep on watching the cycle as long as the kids keep interested. Actually, we still have one hanging in a window now.
Keep reading to find out how we set up and carried out this captivating Water Cycle Experiment.
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Water Cycle Bag Experiment
The great part about doing this Water Cycle Bag Experiment is that it really does teach the kids about the water cycle in a fun and cool way. Anything hands-on is always a good idea!
What happens in the water cycle?
The water is heated by the sun and turns into a gas (evaporation) when it hits the sides of the bag and cools it becomes solid water again( condensation). As the water drops grow larger and heavier they begin to fall back down into the bag (rain).
Then the cycle begins all over again.
One fact to point out to your children is that the droplets on the side of the bag are clear, not blue.
When the water evaporates the blue food coloring is left behind.
>> Get more simple homeschool science experiments!
Recommended Water Cycle Books for Kids
Find your favorite water cycle book, these fun picture books can give your kids more detail about what happens to a drop of water.
I highly recommend adding this book about the water cycle to your current lesson plans for this topic. These are a great way to dive a bit deeper into the topic and give the kids a chance to learn more as well.
The Water Cycle at Work (Water In Our World)Ethan The RaindropWater Is Water: A Book About the Water CycleDown Comes the Rain (Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out Science 2)All the Water in the WorldThe Little Raindrop
Recommended Weather Activity Kits
Dive deeper into the weather and learn the water cycle with these fun weather activity kits, your kids will love learning with any of these educational kits!
The Water Cycle MagnetsBe Amazing! Toys Weather Science Lab KitCarson Dellosa – Water Cycle Bulletin Board SetWater Cycle Wheel Science Kit (Makes 25 Projects)Brookstone Children’s Weather Station Kit – Meteorologist STEAM Toy for KidsPLAYSTEM Space Weather Station Water Cycle Simulation Learning Kit
Water Cycle in a Bag Experiment Supplies
All you’ll need to get started on this simple science activity is listed below.
- A quart zip-top bag
- Water
- Tape
- Permanent marker
- Optional- blue food coloring
Directions
- To make it a bit more fun and to help children understand the process better the first thing you want to do is draw land/water and the sun on your bag using a permanent marker. Make a clear water line.
- Next, fill the bag with water just to the water line, and add blue food coloring if you wish, again this gives the impression of water and helps kids see the process a bit better.
- Seal your bag well and tape off the top.
- Find a sunny window in the house to hang your bag in, be sure it is secure.
You can explain to your children and then let them experience it by watching what happens in the bag and comparing it to watching the real water cycle at work.
When water absorbs and releases energy from the heat it changes into different states of matter. The first thing you will notice in your bag is that after a while in the sun droplets begins to form inside the walls.
Did you like this water cycle in a bag activity? Talk to the kids about their thoughts and what happened. This is a great chance to dive deeper into the topic and find out more as well. You can then create a few follow-up questions to talk about and make a plan for there to learn even more.
Recommended Worksheets for Kids
Little Learners Print & Go Activity Kit: Water Cycle
No need to get wet, when you can explore water using these cute themed activities. This set of water cycle worksheets will allow your kindergartener or first-grade student to learn all about where our water comes from, with easy-to-use lap book pieces, tracing, and cut-and-paste activity sheets.
Water Cycle FLIP Book Science: Collection Evaporation Condensation Precipitation
This water cycle flip book will captivate your kids to learn more about the water cycle! They will love reading and accomplishing all the activities.
Water Cycle Bag Experiment
This is a great experiment to do with the kids!
Materials
- A quart zip top bag
- Water
- Tape
- Permanent marker
- Optional- blue food coloring
Instructions
- To make it a bit more fun and to help children understand the process better the first thing you want to do is draw land/water and the sun on your bag using a permanent marker.
- Make a clear water line.
- Next, fill the bag with water just to the water line, and add blue food coloring if you wish, again this gives the impression of water and helps kids see the process a bit better.
- Seal your bag well and tape off the top.
- Find a sunny window in the house to hang your bag in, be sure it is secure.
Recommended Products
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Do you want a more fun and engaging approach to teaching kids about the weather? Try these Weather STEM Activities!
More Water Cycle Activities
Rain Cloud in Jar Science Experiment
Types of Clouds Activity with Cotton Balls
Simple Weather Science Experiments for Kids by STEAMsational
Weather Pack by 3 Dinosaurs
Great demonstration of the water cycle!
Yes! And it’s so easy!