Rain, rain stay and play.
Be prepared for a downpour. It need not be so bad. Rain can be a wonderful and memorable experience.
Ensure that everybody is dressed in waterproof clothing. If you can sand in the rain without getting wet you will enjoy it.
Walk in the rain. Sit for a while in the rain.
See how the rain falls off the leaves and makes little puddles on the on the ground.
What animals and birds are out in the rain?
Without letting it down your neck, feel the rain on your face.
If you get cold, start walking again.
Enjoy the rain. Why does it rain?
Who needs rain? What happens because of the lack of rain? Blue green algae, drought, erosion. Discuss these things with your Joey Scouts. Talk about acid rain or ask someone along to talk about it.
The effect is has: kills plants, people affected through the food chain.
The solutions: laws – power stations, factories, cars, use of renewableenergy sources, eg wind.
Things to do
Sounds
Crash! Bang! Wallop!Have a collection of – tins, lentils, beads, paint, shakers, rattles, maracas and anything else to make sounds for the Joey Scouts to identify.
Posters
Collect pictures of rainy days, umbrellas, raincoats, floods, dark clouds etc. to make posters of wet weather.
Clouds
How are the clouds made?
Demonstrate how moisture rises in different air temperatures.
-Boil a kettle and see the steam rise.
-The sun rising over cold water in a creek or river creates a mist over the water.
-Opening the fridge, the cold air meeting the warmer air.
-Breathing heavily in winter, or on a cold mirror.
Detective work
On a walk after rain look for tracks and feet marks in the muddy ground. Joey Scouts try and identify the prints. Make plaster moulds of the prints.
Frogs
Keep frogs in a tank.
Watch the life cycle.
Make a mobile.
What needs rain?
Plants.
Plant seeds – peas – in jars. Fill jar with cotton wool, place seeds between the glass and cotton wool.
Rain drops
Make your own rain drops.
Fill a clear, plastic glass with ice. Put it on a window sill and come back in 15 minutes to check on the glass. What has happened? Where did the water come from?
Trap moisture on trees
Secure a plastic bag over the end of a branch with a rubber band. Measure the moisture which is collected in it.
Do a rain dance
Make Mud cakes
CLOUDS
Using whipped cream and chocolate mousse.
FAIRY FLOSS CLOUDS
Marshmallows – screens on paper plates.
FROGS IN THE POND
Chocolate frogs set in green or blue jelly.
ICE CONES
Shaved ice and cordial.
SNOW
Do not eat. Lux flakes whipped.
LIGHTNING
Snakes cut or ice magic.
HAIL
Use popcorn.
DAMPER
Mix jelly beans in centre for clouds and hail. (NOT black ones as the colour runs and colours whole damper.)
GamesDress up for the rain
Relay; boots, raincoats, umbrella.
Put on gear, run to designated point and back, undress and pass on to next player.
Rescue the washing
Basket, line, pegs, clothes.
Have clothes pegged on line. Joey Scouts in teams.
Call “The rain is coming”. Joey Scouts in turn run to the line and rescue one article of clothing and put it into the basket and pegs into billy. See how fast it can be saved from the rain.
Rain clouds
Water in squirt bottles, blindfolds.
Blindfold one or two Joey Scouts. Others in a line on one side of the playing area. When the leader calls “Rain cloud”, Joey Scouts run across the playing area. The blindfold players see who they can ‘rain’ on as they cross. If wet they stand to one end under protection – the umbrella.
Move the puddles
Buckets, tins with holes in bottom.
Joey Scouts in teams. On go, they see how much water they can transfer from one bucket to the other with the holey tin.
Rain game
Equipment: umbrella.
A leader stands in the open with an umbrella. When the umbrella is closed, Joey Scouts run to the shelter to get out of the rain. The last to the shelter must pretend to wipe themselves dry with a towel. / When the umbrella is open they must run to get out of the rain. The last to reach the umbrella pretends to wipe themselves dry etc. The leader may open or close the umbrella and move around to make it a little awkward for the Joey Scouts.
Rain game
Materials: None. Plenty of space.
In this game players create the sound of rain in the comfort of the cosy indoors. Everyone stands in a circle. The leader starts by rubbing their hands together. The person on the right joins in, then the next and the next until everyone is doing it. This sound is like a soft spray of rain. The leader starts finger snapping – the rain is intensifying. Each player continues to rub hands until the new sound reaches them.
Next sound – hands slapping thighs. Rain is pouring down. Thigh slapping then feet stamping.
Reverse the sounds to make the storm die down.
Craft
Paint a large rainbow
Cut out things that need rain. Glue under the rainbow.
Making rainbows
Butcher’s paper, crayons or markers (rainbow colours); tape.
Cut butcher’s paper large enough for Joey Scouts to sit on one side. Tape it to the floor.
Joey Scouts sit cross-legged on the paper near the bottom edge. Let them use the crayons to draw half circles from X to X, around their bodies. Colour wide strips for each colour of the rainbow.
Rainbow tails
Crepe paper, rainbow colours.
Cut long streamer tails from crepe paper. Joey Scouts tuck tail into belt and run around trying to take others’ tails. When finished playing, decorate den with tails.
Marbling
Tray of water, oil paints or waterproof inks, sheets of paper.
Half fill tray with water and dot with paint or inks, stir slowly. Carefully lay paper on top of water for 30 seconds. Quickly lift off, turn over and lay on flat surface to dry.
Water cycle mobile
Make a mobile using clouds, rain, wind, sun.
“Rainbow effect”
Using detergent and homemade wire bubble rings, blow bubbles to show the colours of the rainbow. Explain how and why rainbows are made and seen after it rains.
Coloured paper
Large sheet of paper with blotches of water paint or food colouring. Sprinkle with water. The colours should run. Allow to dry.
Crystalshave a rainbow reflection from natural sunlight. These crystals can be bought at markets in various shapes and sizes – tear drop, circle or diamond. Joey Scouts can try and catch the “rainbow lights” and watch them change colours. Always try and hang them in direct sunlight.