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. This Water Cycle Bag Experiment is a great way to introduce them to the science and all the ideas of the water cycle.
It is a pretty cool fact that water is the only substance that appears naturally in all three states of matter: solid, liquid, and a gas. The solid form is ice or snow, the liquid is rain or condensation and gas is vapor.
I love that you can do this experiment with things you have on hand and 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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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.
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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.
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
Water Cycle in a Bag Experiment Supplies
- 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 a sun on your bag using a permanent marker. Make a clear water line.
- Next, fill the bag with water just to the water line, 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 the different states of matter. The first thing you will notice in your bag is that after a while in the sun droplets begin to form inside the walls.
Did you like this water cycle in a bag activity? Grab the full pack of water cycle worksheets that includes 3-part cards, dot letter coloring pages, minibooks and more.
More Water Cycle Worksheets
Water Cycle Worksheets
Patsy says
Great demonstration of the water cycle!
Monique says
Yes! And it’s so easy!