The Water Cycle: Fun Activity Guide for Preschoolers

Preschoolers (3-5 years) / Everyday Science Exploration / Early Scientific Inquiry

Creative Exploration / Hands-On Science / Educational Play & Inquiry / Critical Thinking / Cognitive Growth

19 February, 2025

Learning about the water cycle doesn’t have to be limited to textbooks! With the right approach, preschoolers can grasp this essential science concept through hands-on, play-based activities and real-world observations. This guide provides engaging ways to introduce the water cycle through play and everyday moments, making science fun and interactive!

Header photo - A kid having fun with water / © frank mckenna

Author: MANEL DRARENI

Discover fun, hands-on ways to teach preschoolers about the water cycle with interactive experiments and real-life observations

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Play-Based Water Cycle Activities

1. Water Cycle in a Bag Experiment

Picture a tiny world inside a clear bag where your preschooler can watch water disappear and come back again—just like real rain! With the Water Cycle in a Bag experiment, your preschooler will see how water warms up, turns into mist, then cools down and falls like rain, all in one fun activity.

What to do:

• Fill a resealable plastic bag (ZIP bag) with a small amount of water

• Draw the sun and clouds on the outside (for fun).

• Tape it to a sunny window and watch as condensation forms and "rain" happens inside the bag!

Tip 🐞 After your preschooler observes the "rain" forming inside the bag, ask them what they think would happen if the sun disappeared for a day. Would the water still move? Talking through their ideas will help them understand how things work.

Photo 1 - A woman holding a bag of water / © Anna Shvets

2. Role-Playing the Water Cycle

This is a simple and fun game you can play with one child or a whole group! You know how kids love moving around and pretending, so why not turn the water cycle into an active game?

What to do:

• The Sun: One child shines a flashlight on a bowl of water to represent evaporation.

• Clouds: Another child collects “water” (cotton balls) and pretends to hold moisture.

• Rain: Kids toss or weave blue fabric to show precipitation!

Tip 🐞 After playing, take a moment to talk with your children. Ask them what part they liked best—was it being the sun, the clouds, or the rain? Did they notice how water moves in different ways?

Photo 2 - Kid playing with a light / © pvproductions

3. Sensory Tray Water Cycle

Create a sensory tray with different stations to let your preschooler explore the water cycle through touch and movement. Set up different sections representing each stage of the cycle.

What you need :

• A cup of water (evaporation)

• A sponge (condensation)

• A spray bottle (precipitation)

• A small bowl of tap water (collection)

• Large tray as base to organize the four stations

What to do:

On a tray, set up four stations representing different parts of the water cycle.

1) Station 1 - Evaporation: Fill a small cup with warm water to show how water heats up and turns into vapor (be sure it's not too hot for little hands—let them observe instead!).

2) Station 2 - Use a sponge to demonstrate how water collects in clouds. Your preschooler can squeeze the sponge to mimic how clouds hold water.

3) Station 3 - Fill a spray bottle with water and let your child spray it on the tray to represent rain falling from the clouds.

4) Station 4 - Collection: Place a small bowl of tap water to represent lakes, rivers, or oceans where water gathers before evaporating again.

Tip 🐞 Let your preschooler take charge of “making it rain” with the spray bottle or squeezing the sponge. Giving them control makes the activity even more exciting! Afterward, ask them what they felt—was the water warm or cold? Did the sponge get heavier?

Photo 8 - Kids playing together / © cottonbro studio

4. DIY Water Cycle Art Project

Does your preschooler love to be creative? Try the theme of the water cycle. Encourage your child to express what they know through art! Ask them to draw their own version of the water cycle—where does the water go? How does it change?

What to do:

• Use cotton balls for clouds.

• Draw arrows to show movement.

• Add a sun, raindrops, and puddles to complete the scene!

Tip 🐞 After your preschooler finishes their artwork, ask them to explain their drawing to you. Let them tell you the story of where the water goes—does it rise up to the sun, form fluffy clouds, and fall back down as rain? Give them a safe space to share ♡

Photo 4 - A kid making art / © Eren Li

Real-Life Water Cycle Observations

5. Rainy Day Observations

Next time it rains, step outside and observe what happens. With your preschooler, watch how the raindrops hit the ground, notice how different surfaces, like handle water differently (for example: grass and pavement). You might even spot tiny streams forming.

Ask your preschooler:

• Are there puddles forming?

• What happens to puddles after a sunny day?

• Where does the rainwater go?

Tip 🐞 Instead of giving answers right away, try asking open-ended questions to help your preschooler think like a scientist. If they ask, "Where does the rain go?" instead of explaining, say, "Hmm, what do you think? Let’s follow the water and find out!" Be patient. It’s okay if they don’t have the perfect answer. Science is about asking questions!

Photo 5 - A kid playing in a puddle / © June Admiraal

6. Morning Window Condensation

On a cool morning, check for small droplets on windows (condensation). Encourage your preschooler to touch the droplets and describe how they feel.

What to explain:

Explain that warm air holds water, and when it cools, droplets appear—just like in clouds! You can even place a cold glass of water outside (on a warm day) and watch as tiny droplets appear, mimicking the process on a smaller scale.

Tip 🐞 Enjoy this morning moment together ♡

Photo 6 - A kid sitting by the window / © shangarey

7. Drying Laundry in the Sun

Hanging clothes outside is a simple way to see evaporation in action. As the sun warms the fabric, the water inside turns into vapor and disappears into the air. How fascinating!

Ask your child:

• Why do clothes dry faster on hot days?

• What happens to the water in wet clothes?

Tip 🐞 Drying takes time! Instead of rushing, encourage your preschooler to check on wet items throughout the day. Ask, "Is it drier than before?" or "What do you think will happen if we leave it longer?" They will also learn patience, an important skill for a tiny scientist!

Photo 7 - A kid hanging up laundry / © pikisuperstar

8. Boiling Water & Steam

Next time you boil water, point out the steam rising. This is a great way to show how water turns into vapor, just like in the water cycle. Let your preschooler watch as the steam disappears into the air, then ask, "Where do you think the water is going?" This simple moment makes evaporation feel real and helps them connect science to everyday life!

Tip 🐞 Take it a step further by making a warm drink together.

Photo 8 - A steaming pot / © Gaelle Marcel

9. Foggy Mirrors After a Shower

After a warm shower, show your preschooler how the bathroom mirror fogs up. Wipe part of it and watch droplets appear again! This demonstrates how water vapor cools and condenses (air becomes water).

Tip 🐞 Have fun drawing shapes or letters on the foggy mirror!