Playing Preschool - Unit 12: Weather

Updated: Jun 6, 2021

A Companion Guide to Busy Toddler's Playing Preschool Curriculum

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How's the Weather?

Weather is something we all experience but very differently, depending on the climate where you live. We live in the South and happened to be doing this unit during February when the weather was all over the map. One day it was beautiful and warm and the next day we had severe weather and tornado warnings. Then it was cold and windy for a few days, followed by rain, then back to mild and sunny. Suffice it to say, my toddler and I had a lot to talk about! I really liked how this unit brought weather, which is usually happening in the background of our day, to the forefront to show the effect it has on our lives, from what we wear that day to what activities we participate in.

Building Background Knowledge

Video Links

Suggested Books

*Books with an asterisk are my Top 5 Picks to Add to Your Home Library for this unit

All About Weather - Harajli, Huda
Shapes in the Sky - Sherman, Josepha
In The Rain (In the Weather) - Spurr, Elizabeth
Hello, World! Weather - McDonald, Jill
Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring - Pak, Kenard
A Rainbow of My Own* - Freeman, Don

Additional Book List

Books in bold are also suggested books in another unit.

Non-Fiction

National Geographic Readers: Weather - Rattini, Kristin Baird
Weather Words (and What They Mean) - Gibbons, Gail
What Will the Weather Be Like Today? - Rogers, Paul
Maisy's Wonderful Weather Book* - Cousins, Lucy
What Will the Weather Be? (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out) - DeWitt, Lynda
Oh Say Can You Say What’s the Weather Today? (Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library) - Rabe, Tish
Gusts and Gales: A Book about Wind - Sherman, Josepha
Sunshine: A Book about Sunlight- Sherman, Josepha
Flakes and Flurries: A Book about Snow- Sherman, Josepha
In The Wind (In the Weather) - Spurr, Elizabeth
How Does the Wind Blow? - Lowery, Lawrence F.
Clouds (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out) - Rockwell, Anne (diverse characters)
The Cloud Book - Tomie dePaola
Little Cloud - Carle, Eric
The Drop Goes Plop: A First Look at the Water Cycle - Godwin, Sam
It’s Raining - Gibbons, Gail
Tornadoes! - Gibbons, Gail
Hurricanes! - Gibbons, Gail
The Reasons for the Seasons - Gibbons, Gail
A Raindrop’s Journey - Suzanne, Slade
Little Raindrop - IglooBooks
Little Snowflake - IglooBooks
Let it Rain! - Cocca-Leffler, Maryann
Let it Shine! - Cocca-Leffler, Maryann
Let it Snow! - Cocca-Leffler, Maryann
Jonas Hanway's Scurrilous, Scandalous, Shockingly Sensational Umbrella - Crute, Josh --> The true story of the invention of the umbrella
Do I Have to Wear a Coat? - Isadora, Rachel
Weather/El Tiempo - Beaton, Clare (bilingual English-Spanish)

Fiction

Goodnight, Little Blue Truck* - Schertle, Alice --> Little Blue Truck and friends ride out a thunderstorm together. Read my full review here.
Kite Day - Hillenbrand, Will
The Wind Blew - Hutchins, Pat
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs - Barrett, Judi
Rain! - Ashman, Lina (diverse characters)
Sometimes, Rain - Fleming, Meg
Raindrop Plop - Lewison, Wendy Cheyette
Worm Weather - Taft, Jean
Boom! Big Big Thunder and One Small Dog - Ray, Mary Lyn
Tap Tap Boom Boom - Bluemle, Elizabeth
Pitter Pattern - Hesselberth, Joyce
How the Crayons Saved the Rainbow - Sweeney, Monica
What Makes a Rainbow? Magic Ribbon Book - Schwartz, Betty Ann
The Snowy Day* - Keats, Ezra Jack (diverse characters)
Over and Under the Snow - Messner, Kate
Three Snow Bears - Brett, Jan (diverse characters)
Small Walt - Verdick, Elizabeth
Katy and the Big Snow - Burton, Virginia Lee
Hurricane - Wiesner, David

Additional Resources/Activities

Educational Games and Toys

Activities

Developing Life Skills: Take a look at the weather forecast for the day and let your child help you pick out something suitable to wear. Don't forget to include accessories like rain boots or scarves for when its time to leave the house!
Field Trip: Find a children's museum with a "seasons" or "weather" exhibit. We went to one that had a news room where the kids give the weather forecast and a refrigerated igloo to experience the cold.
Role Play: After viewing Can You Imagine That? Meteorologist video, make a poster of the weather for the week (or the next day) and talk about weather words to use. Ask your child to pretend to be the weatherman/woman and record a video on your smart phone of them giving the forecast! Definitely one for the archives.
Imaginative Play: Whisk up some fake snow using equal parts baking soda and shaving cream. Then set up a scene with trains, cars, houses, trees, animals, etc. and sprinkle them with "snow." Pro tip: use an unscented shaving cream. I bought the cheapest stuff they had and the smell was so strong we had to move outside!

STEM Activity: After reading Tornadoes! make your own Tornado in a Bottle from Gift of Curiosity. You'll need one of these bottle connectors.

Art Activity: Rain Cloud Gravity Painting from A Little Pinch of Perfect
Gross Motor Skills: Clouds and Wind Balloon Toddler Activity from Mama of Littles
Sensory Activity: Ice Table Sensory Bin from Busy Toddler
Science Experiment: Water Cycle in a Bag from Playdough to Plato
Easy Craft: Bubble Wrap Rain Umbrella from 123Homeschool4ME
Letter Review: On a sheet tray, spray a small “cloud” of shaving cream. Draw a letter with your finger and have your child guess. To get them involved in the sensation, hold their hand and use their pointer finger to write the letter. A fun way to review the letters you've learned so far!

Scaffolding/Extension

Extension: Collect data like a scientist. Create a chart and track precipitation. Make a rain gauge and enter data every day.
Extension: During hurricane season, track the movement of tropical depressions as they move and intensify using coordinates on a map.

What was your favorite part of this unit? What other books did you read? What other activities did you do? Please share your photos and feedback in the Playing Preschool with Busy Toddler Curriculum Facebook Group in Photos/Albums/Year 1 Themes → Weather

Until next time, may your coffee be warm and your toddler be busy!

Up Next: Playing Preschool: Unit 13 - Eggs