Rain, rain ...

Rain, rain go away come back again some other day ... 

During the big rains last week here in LA my little buddy Liam [ 3 1/2 years old ] started wondering were all that rain comes from. While I explained to him in it comes from the clouds ... I had the idea to turn this into a little project. Next i found myself on a scavenger hunt and with Liam gathering all the materials needed around the house. 

Personally I think adults and children of all ages can have fun with this.

And by the way depending on the motorskill level of the child - most all steps [ with a bit of prepping ahead] can be done by the child and you guiding and encouraging!   It doesn't have to be perfect!! :) 

 

You'll need : 

Pencils

Scissors  [ kids scissors ]

Cardboard 

Lots of cottonballs

Glue and. Paintbrush 

String 

Grey felt 

Semi blunt needle 

With a pencil draw the outline of your cloud onto the cardboard. Depending on the level of your childs motorskills let the child cut out the shape. It's good practice ! :) 

Next drizzle glue on the surface of the cardboard cloud and spread with the brush.

Now it's time for the fun part!:)) Cover the whole thing front and back with cottonballs. Just gently press cortonballs as they are on the glue. 

For the raindrops cut a strip of felt about 1/2 inches in width from the felt piece. Then fold it in half and with a pencil daw the drop - shape onto the felt for the rain - strings. 

* Folding the felt then cutting both layers at the same time so you end up with front and back of the raindrop matching. 

 The amount of raindrops totally depends on you. Just keep the matching felt pieces together. :) 

It's time to cut a piece of 15 in string. Give yourself some slack [ rather longer then too short] you can always cut later.

Place it on a flat surface stretched out. 

Starting 5-6 in down the string, take the pairs of felt raindrops and place one side underneath the string having the pointy side of the drop shape looking at the starting point of your string. 

Make sure the string lays flat in the middle of the raindrop. Continue !

 Leave as much room inbetween the felt pieces as is appealing to your eye. 

Put a general amount of glue on each felt rain drop make sure the string lays flat in the middle and place the matching felt piece on top pressing gently. 

Do this process until you have as many rain-drop strings as you wish. Let dry ! :) 

When your raindrops have dried It's time to attach them to the cloud. 

You will need your cloud, the semi blunt needle and strings of raindrops. 

It's time to lay it all out to see where on the cloud you want to attach the strings of rain. 

Once your happy with the layout just make sure the pointed end of the raindrop faces the cloud!!! 

Now thread the top end of your string into the needle and poke a hole through the bottom of the cloud. Pull the string through see how long or short you'd like to leave it. Once happy make a double knot [ no girl scout knot needed] pull slightly on the rain drop end and cut the remainding end close to the knot off. Continue this with all other raindrop strings. 

To hang the cloud cut another piece if string in desired length fold it in half. Next   string your needle poke through cardboard of the top of the cloud [ about 1/2 an inch ] from the top edge. Pull the string half way through.

Take the needle off of one end knot the end that does NOT form a loop. Lastly pull the end with the knot all the way through the looped end of the string. 

Voila !! You are done :)) find a spot to hang your simplistic cloud mobile and enjoy the  rain :)