Arthur . Parents & Teachers . Rainy Days

Age Range: 3-5

Skills/Subjects:

Related Episode:
Arthur's Family Vacation

Rainy Days
Revel in the rain

Materials

rain sticks or other instruments

Directions
Explore the characteristics of rain with your children.

Make rain: Ask your children to join you "in the rain" with creative movement. Start by imitating falling rain with your fingers and making rain-like sounds.

Role-play: Next, pretend to get ready to go out in the rain: pull on your boots, put on your raincoat, zip it up, and tie the hood. Pretend to go outside. Stretch out your hands and feel the rain. Open your mouth and catch the rain. Splash in the puddles.

Rhyme: Teach the children a rain song or poem. Use a rain stick or other instruments to create background music.

The itsy bitsy spider

Climbed up the waterspout

Down came the rain

And washed the spider out

Out came the sun

And dried up all the rain

And the itsy bitsy spider

Climbed up the spout again

Rain, rain, go away.

Come again another day.

Little Arthur wants to play.

Rain, rain, go away.

(You can replace "Arthur" with your children's names.)

Note: A rain stick is a traditional instrument from Chile and other parts of South America. Authentic rain sticks are made from hollow stalks of cactus. The spines are pounded inward, pebbles are poured inside, and the ends are sealed.

Talk About It
Talk to your children about rain and why it is necessary (for plants, drinking water, etc.). Can they think of things they use water for?

Based on an activity in Play and Learn with Arthur, Volume 1

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