Cloud Watching for Kids is a beautiful and relaxing nature based activity.
“When you feel stuck, look at the sky. Clouds remind us that everything changes.” — Unknown
Have you ever stopped to really look at the sky?
Not just glanced up to see if it is going to rain, but actually looked?
The sky is full of wonderful things to discover. Clouds can look like animals, mountains, castles, monsters, ships and sometimes things that are so strange you couldn’t possibly give them a name!
Cloud watching is a brilliant way to slow down, use your imagination and spend a little time outdoors. And the best thing about it?
You don’t need any special equipment.
Just yourself, a comfy place to lie down and a big patch of sky.
Cloud Watching for Kids: A Fun Guide to Clouds & Cloud Spotting
But where do clouds come from?
Clouds might look like giant balls of cotton floating above us, but they are actually made from something much more ordinary:
Water.
When the sun heats water in lakes, rivers and oceans, some of that water changes into an invisible gas called water vapour. This process is called evaporation.
The water vapour rises higher and higher into the atmosphere. As it gets higher, the air becomes cooler.
Eventually, the water vapour cools down and changes back into incredibly tiny water droplets. This is called condensation.
Millions of these tiny droplets gather together and – hello, cloud!
So the next time you look at a cloud, you can remember that you are actually looking at lots and lots of tiny drops of water floating in the sky.
Pretty amazing, isn’t it?
Why should you go cloud watching?
Well, why not?
Clouds are constantly changing. One minute you might see a huge fluffy cloud shaped like a bear, and a few minutes later the bear has disappeared and become something completely different.
Cloud watching can be calming because there is nothing you have to achieve. You don’t have to be the fastest, the cleverest or the best at anything.
You can simply be there and look up.
But it can also be exciting.
What will you spot next?
A dragon?
A dinosaur?
A rocket?
A giant pair of shoes?
Your imagination gets to decide.
Cloud watching is so popular that the Cloud Appreciation Society has tens of thousands of members around the world. Clearly, lots of people think clouds are worth looking at!
Your cloud-watching mission
Ready to become a cloud explorer?
Step 1: Find your perfect spot
Head outside and find somewhere comfortable.
A garden, park or field is perfect. Put down a blanket and lie on your back.
Make yourself comfortable.
Now look up.
Try not to rush.
Give yourself a few minutes simply to watch.
Step 2: Notice the movement
Clouds might look as though they are standing still, but they are always moving.
Watch one carefully.
Is it drifting slowly across the sky?
Is it racing along?
Is the wind pushing it in a particular direction?
Can you see one cloud changing shape?
You could even choose one cloud and watch it for five minutes.
What happens to it?
Does it grow?
Shrink?
Stretch?
Break apart?
Disappear completely?
Step 3: Start spotting shapes
Now let your imagination loose.
Look at the clouds and ask yourself:
What does that look like?
Perhaps you can see:
A sleepy cat.
A giant whale.
A fairy castle.
A dinosaur.
A pirate ship.
A mountain.
A monster.
A heart.
A huge ice cream.
Or something completely ridiculous!
There are no wrong answers.
In fact, one of the best things about cloud watching is that your cloud doesn’t have to look like anything to anyone else.
If you see a purple dragon riding a bicycle, then that’s what you see!
Cloud watching with someone else
Cloud watching is even more fun when you share it. Did you know there is a whole cloud appreciation society!
Ask a friend, brother, sister, parent, grandparent or anyone else to join you.
Lie on the blanket together and take turns choosing clouds.
But here’s the challenge:
Don’t tell the other person what you see straight away.
Point to your cloud and let them have a look.
Do they see the same thing?
You might see a giant rabbit while they see a rocket.
There is no right answer.
Now try joining your two cloud pictures together.
Perhaps the rabbit is flying the rocket!
Perhaps the rocket is taking the rabbit to the moon!
Perhaps the rabbit owns a space station!
See how quickly your clouds can turn into a story.
Become a cloud storyteller
Here’s a game you can play next time you’re outside.
Find three different clouds.
Choose:
Cloud 1 – Your character
Who or what is it?
A dragon? A princess? A dog? An alien?
Cloud 2 – Your place
Where is your character?
A magical forest? The moon? Under the sea? A secret castle?
Cloud 3 – Your problem
Oh dear! Something has gone wrong.
Perhaps the dragon has lost its treasure.
Perhaps the alien can’t find its spaceship.
Perhaps the princess has accidentally locked herself out of the castle.
Now tell the story!
You can make it funny, exciting, magical or completely bonkers.
And when the clouds change shape, your story can change too.
Can you spot the different types?
Clouds don’t all look the same.
Some are high and wispy. Some are big and fluffy. Some are flat and spread across the sky. Others are huge, dark and heavy with rain.
Scientists have given different types of clouds special names.
You might come across names such as:
Cirrus – thin, wispy clouds that can look like feathers.
Cumulus – those big, fluffy clouds that are perfect for cloud-picture spotting.
Stratus – clouds that form in layers or blankets across the sky.
Cumulonimbus – enormous clouds that can bring heavy rain, thunder and storms.
You don’t need to remember all the names to enjoy cloud watching.
But if you become a real cloud detective, you could make yourself a cloud-spotting chart and tick each one off when you see it.
How many can you find?
The secret colours of clouds
Clouds aren’t always white.
White clouds appear white because their tiny water droplets scatter and reflect sunlight.
But when a cloud becomes packed with lots of water droplets or ice crystals, less sunlight can make its way through. That’s when the cloud can appear grey or much darker.
And sometimes clouds can look pink, orange, red or golden.
This is especially magical around sunrise and sunset, when the sunlight travels through more of the atmosphere before reaching the clouds.
Keep watching the sky and you may discover colours you never expected.
A little cloud-watching challenge
Next time you’re outside, see if you can find:
-
A cloud shaped like an animal
-
A cloud that looks like food
-
A cloud that looks like a person
-
A very tiny cloud
-
A huge cloud
-
A cloud that changes shape
-
A wispy cloud
-
A fluffy cloud
-
A dark rain cloud
-
A cloud at sunset
-
Your own completely imaginary cloud!
Look up and wonder – Cloud Watching for Kids
Cloud watching might seem like a very simple thing to do.
And it is.
But perhaps that’s exactly why it is so lovely.
There are no screens, no complicated instructions and no special kit. You don’t need to travel anywhere or spend any money.
You simply lie down, look up and allow yourself a little time to wonder.
The sky is always changing.
And tomorrow, the clouds you see will never be exactly the same as the ones you saw today.
So grab a blanket, find a patch of sky and start looking.
What will you discover floating above you?
Take a look here for nature crafts for Autumn
