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 Raindrop Water Is Water: A Book About the Water Cycle Down Comes the Rain (Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out Science 2)All the Water in the World The 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 Magnets Be Amazing! Toys Weather Science Lab Kit Carson Dellosa – Water Cycle Bulletin Board Set Water Cycle Wheel Science Kit (Makes 25 Projects)Brookstone Children’s Weather Station Kit – Meteorologist STEAM Toy for Kids PLAYSTEM 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.

ziploc bag with blue colored water for the water cycle bag experiment

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.

water cycle bag experiment hanging on the window

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.

water cycle bag experiment hanging on the window showing condensation

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.

Need more water ideas? Try this Clean Water Experiment.

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.