DESIGNED FOR
Preschool & Early Elementary
THEME
Water Cycle, Science + Visual Arts
Move, learn and explore with us!
It’s the perfect time of year to learn about the water cycle and explore ice! This fun and refreshing activity is great for a warm summer day. In this activity, children will develop an understanding of the water cycle as they sing and move along to a song, read stories, and observe water changing from a liquid to a solid, and from a solid back to a liquid.
These ideas can be adapted and used in a home setting or classroom setting.
MOVE: Song & Movement, “Water Is Water”
by Emily Arrow
One of the best ways to engage little learners is through music and movement! Not only do music and movement make learning more fun, they also can make a great impact on vocabulary development, and give educators a way to teach to the whole child (mental, physical, social, emotional.) (Palmer, 1983)
We love how children’s musician Emily Arrow has turned Water Is Water, a wonderful book about the water cycle, into a delightfully catchy song. In this music video, Emily also teaches movements that support a fundamental understanding of the water cycle.
Listen, move, and sing along! (Be prepared for replay requests!)
More info about the benefits of music and movement for children: https://www.happalmer.com/Files/Music%20and%20Movement.html
LEARN: Story Time
These are two fantastic children’s books that present the fundamentals of the water cycle in an engaging and beautiful way. As you read, children will learn that water can be in different forms, develop their vocabulary for this topic, and begin to understand the concept of the water cycle as they connect their personal experiences and observations to the stories. At the end of each book there is a section with more information about the water cycle and water conservation.
Water is Water
Written by Miranda Paul, Illustrated by Jason Chin
Hey, Water
Written and Illustrated by Antoinette Portis
Explore: Ice Cube Painting
In this activity, children will observe water changing from a liquid to a solid, and from a solid back to a liquid. They will also have the opportunity to experiment with mixing colors.
Printables
Download and print our ice cube painting activity guide to get started!
