Rain Gauge
Teach your child how to measure precipitation after every storm, with this homemade rain gauge.
By: Trish Kuffner, author of The Children's Busy Book
Rain Gauge
Materials
- Popsicle stick
- Ruler
- Waterproof marker
- Clean, empty soup can
- Colorful contact paper or paintbrush, acrylic paints, and clear acrylic spray (optional)
- Glue
- Plastic bucket and sand (optional)
Directions
- Lay a Popsicle stick next to a ruler, aligning the ends.
- Use a waterproof marker to copy the ruler markings onto the Popsicle stick.
- Mark every inch, half-inch, quarter-inch, and eighth-inch on the Popsicle stick.
- If you like, have your child decorate a clean, empty soup can with colorful contact paper or acrylic paint.
- If your child paints the can, finish it with clear acrylic spray.
- Stand the Popsicle stick inside the can and glue it onto the side of the can.
- Set the can outside in a place where it won't tip over. If you like, place the can in a plastic bucket and pack sand around it.
- After a rainfall, read your Popsicle stick ruler to see how much rain has fallen.
- If you like, log your readings on a calendar or in a weather notebook.
- Pour the rain out of the can after each reading.