Take the opportunity to use rain for creating art on an otherwise dreary day stuck inside. Have the preschooler draw a picture using washable markers on a sheet of heavy paper. Place the drawing outside on the sidewalk or other solid surface that is close enough you can view it from inside. Leave it outside long enough for the rain to splatter the colors causing them to run. This art activity works best when the rain is drizzling or dropping large droplets and not heavily pouring. Collect the rain painting and let her drain the excess over a sink or waterproofed area, adding more designs as the rain continues to run down. Hang the painting to dry thoroughly, and then give her glitter or stickers for her to embellish her art.
Explain to the preschooler that clouds are clusters of water droplets or ice crystals. Then, give him some cotton balls and a sheet of blue paper, and instruct him to arrange the cotton balls on the paper as if they were clouds. Examples of ways to create clouds are to stretch the cotton balls into shapes or stack the balls close together. Then, let him spread glue over the paper and affix his cotton ball-clouds. Provide glitter for adding sparkle to the art work. Give him markers to draw images on the blue paper, such as birds, butterflies or stars.
Another method of using cotton balls to create clouds calls for white paint. Supply him with a sheet of blue paper, a cotton ball and a dish of white paint. Show him how to dip the cotton ball into the paint, using it as he would a paint brush to paint clouds on the paper.
Art activities on snow are a wonderful way to introduce winter weather. One activity involves food. Provide the preschooler with honeycomb-shaped dry cereal and a sheet of blue paper. Let her arrange the cereal as if it were snow. Give her glue for attaching the cereal to complete the activity.
Another activity creates large snowflakes using paper plates and doilies. Use a small piece of double-sided tape to affix a paper doily to the center of the plate. Then, offer her blue paint and a sponge, and instruct her to paint around the edges covering the holes of the lace. Let the paint dry before removing the doily.
Let the preschooler make his own rainbow using coffee filters. Fold the coffee filter in half to form a half-moon shape. Supply him with washable markers, and instruct him to draw several arcs in different colors that follow the shape of the paper. Then, let him paint over the colors with water. The liquid will spread the colors, causing them to bleed into one another. Let dry on recycled newpaper before displaying.