Water Cycle Science Experiments
From creating a miniature water cycle in a bag to experimenting with clouds in a jar, there are plenty of hands-on Water Cycle Science Experiments that can be done right at home.
If you enjoyed these activities, check out more Fun Weather Activities for Kids.
Learning about the water cycle can be a blast for kids, especially when they get to conduct science experiments to understand the process fully.
Not only will these experiments educate your children on how the water cycle works, but they’ll also get them excited about science! Plus, who doesn’t love a good excuse to get a little bit messy while learning? So, roll up your sleeves and get ready to dive into some awesome science experiments with your little ones.
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What are the Major Phases of the Water Cycle?
The water cycle is the process by which water moves from the Earth’s surface up into the atmosphere and back again. There are four major phases of the water cycle:
- Evaporation: When the sun heats up water in rivers, lakes, and oceans, it turns the water into water vapor, which is a gas. This process is called evaporation. The water vapor then rises into the atmosphere.
- Condensation: As the water vapor rises into the atmosphere, it cools down and turns back into liquid water droplets. This process is called condensation. The droplets form clouds in the sky.
- Precipitation: When the water droplets in the clouds become too heavy, they fall to the ground as precipitation. This can be in the form of rain, snow, sleet, or hail.
- Collection: Once the precipitation falls to the ground, it can collect in rivers, lakes, and oceans. Some of the water is absorbed by plants or soaks into the ground and becomes groundwater.
From there, the cycle starts all over again. The water evaporates from the surface, condenses into clouds, and falls back to the ground as precipitation. This cycle is continuous and helps to maintain the balance of water on Earth.
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 these books to your current lesson plans for this topic. Aside from the water cycle science experiments below, these books are a great way to dive a bit deeper into the topic with engaging stories.
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
More Weather Activities
- Weather STEM Activities for Kindergarten
- Weather STEM Activities
- Daily Weather Chart Printable
- Types of Clouds Activity with Cotton Balls
- Weather Activities for Elementary Students
- Preschool Weather Activities by Homeschool Preschool
By conducting these fun and interactive Water Cycle Science Experiments, kids can gain a better understanding of the different phases of the water cycle and how they work together.
These experiments can also help spark an interest in science and inspire kids to learn more about the world around them. By understanding the water cycle, kids can appreciate the importance of water and how to conserve this precious resource.