There are lots of old sayings about the weather. Do your parents or grandparents know any more?
Here are some activities to enjoy whatever the weather – at this time of year especially, there can be all sorts even in one day!
1. For a windy day – Fly Paper Bag Kites
2. For a sunny day – Build a human sundial
3. For a rainy day – Make a rain gauge
More ideas at https://mothernatured.com/nature-play/50-ways-to-play-in-the-rain/
4. Sow some seeds and watch them grow – making the most of the March winds and April showers (and sunshine)
5. For a cold (grey!) day – Make Potato Soup and Baking Powder Rolls. (In the days that March borrows from April, some warming soup and bread might be just the thing!)
Paper Bag Kite
March is known for its winds. On a windy day make this simple paper bag kite and then have fun outside catching the wind. (Works on a non-windy day too!)
You will need:
• A paper bag – lunch bag type ideal, but any will work, stronger the better. Plastic bags will work too.
• String or twine
• A stick/loo roll tube – optional
• Felt pens/crayons/tissue paper/stickers/colourful plastic bags
• (tape)
What to do:
Decorate your bag in any way you like – with patterns, a face etc (the open end is the bottom).
Attach streamers cut from tissue/plastic bags to the bottom of the bag.
Fold 3 cm of the open end of the bag over to add strength.
Attach 2 pieces of string/twine about 80 cm long to bag corners by either taping (as in diagram) or threading though holes (as in picture) to form 2 loops.
Cut another longer length of string and tie the 2 loops together.
If wish, attach stick/squashed loo roll tube to end of string and wind up to make handle.
Go out and fly your kite – you will need to run with it or stay on spot and spin round to catch the wind.
Build a Human Sundial
You will need:
• A sunny area
• a slab or tile
• about 12 small stones or tiles
• a permanent marker pen
What to do:
Start at midday on a sunny day
Put your slab/tile down in your sunny area
Stand on it, straight and tall (you are now the gnomon – the pointy up bit on a sundial!)
Look at your shadow Place a stone (or ask someone else to do it for you) where the top of your shadow reaches. This is 12 o’clock.
Write 12 on the stone.
Now set a timer for 1 o’clock and repeat this1 o’clock. Continue this on the hour every hour until the sun goes down.
Next morning, if the sun is still shining, you can get up early and mark the morning hours.
When you are finished you will have roughly a semi-circle pattern of stones forming your very own human sundial.