#214: Count Thunder

You'll need a thunder storm for this one. Look out your window and watch for lightning. When you see it flash across the sky, begin counting until you hear the accompanying thunder. (Thunder is the sound caused by lightning.) Count slowly, one-one thousand, two-one thousand, three-one thousand, until the thunder comes. Take that number and divide it by 5. That is how many miles away the lightning is from you. Some people don't divide by 5, and since we're just having fun, you don't have to either--unless you want to. Have fun!




Safety First: During a thunder storm, stay out from trees, the water and other areas that attract lightning.


Make this a family activity: Have everyone on the lookout for lightning.

This activity promotes math skills and weather awareness.

#168: Rain Paint

Let the rain paint you a picture!




Drop food colouring on a piece of cardboard or paper plate. Place the cardboard or plate in the rain. The rain will splash the food colouring, making it spread as well as make the colours mix. When the picture is as mixed as you want, pull it inside and let it dry.

Hint: if it is raining hard, the rain will splash the food colouring--be careful, it stains clothes.


Make this a family activity: Everyone makes a rain painting. Frame them and hang them on your walls.

This activity promotes creativity.

#160: Look for a Rainbow (and pot of gold)

The legend goes that at the end of a rainbow, leprechauns hide their pot of gold.



Rainbows come out after the rain when the sun is shining. Can you find a rainbow? What about a pot of gold?


Make this a family activity: Get everyone together to seek the end of the rainbow. Hurry! It might vanish.

This activity promotes learning about legends and our environment.

#72: Make Puddle Rivers

It's mud puddle time! Put on your rubber boots and go find some small mud puddles. Connect mud puddles together by dragging the heel of your boot through the mud or use a shovel. Make rivers and connect the 'lakes' (mud puddles).


This activity promotes engineering (math, logic and calculation) skills.