Activity
Cloud Writing
Preschool and kindergarten students are emerging writers. They’re learning to string letters together to form words, words into sentences, and sentences into stories. They’re also learning that ideas for stories are all around them—even right outside the window.
Christina Rosetti, a famous poet, once described clouds as “white sheep on a big hill.” Clouds can take on as many different shapes and personalities as the imagination allows. What will your child imagine when they look at the clouds? You don’t need a cloudy day to find out. Create this quick and easy craft with your child, and then let their imagination float free as a cumulus cloud as they write about it!
Grades:
Subjects:
Thank you for your input.
What You Need:
- Blue construction paper
- Paper towels or newspaper
- White paint
- Colored pencils/thin markers
What You Do:
- Lay out some paper towels or newspaper in your workspace. Lay the blue paper on top.
- Assist your child in squeezing a glob of white paint near the top center of the blue construction paper.
- Carefully fold the paper in half vertically.
- Have your child press their fingers on the paper to squish the glob of paint around, pressing from the fold outward.
- Open the paper to see the paint cloud they just created. Allow it to dry.
- Use a thin black marker to trace around the cloud and make its borders more pronounced.
- Now have your child look at the cloud picture. Ask them to think about what the shape looks like. Encourage them to really use their imagination. Does it look like a dragon? A train? A butterfly? The sky’s the limit!
- Use the black marker to write a fill-in-the-blank sentence at the bottom of the page: "It’s a ___________ cloud!" Hand your child the marker and have them write a word or letter in the blank to complete the sentence. For example: "It’s a dragon cloud!"
- Finally, have your child illustrate around the cloud to complete the scene as they wish.
- Repeat to create additional cloud pages, and compile into a book!
Related learning resources
Alphabet Cloud Catcher: A-G
Game
Alphabet Cloud Catcher: A-G
Take a look at letters A-G in this online Cloud Catcher game for early readers.
Preschool
Game
Alphabet Cloud Catcher: Q-Z
Game
Alphabet Cloud Catcher: Q-Z
Explore the end of the alphabet and find letters Q through Z in this fun, cloud-filled game.
Preschool
Game
Alphabet Cloud Catcher: N, P, W
Game
Alphabet Cloud Catcher: N, P, W
Students soar into the sky and catch uppercase letters in the clouds.
Preschool
Game
Writing About Cars
Worksheet
Writing About Cars
This worksheet encourages preschools to practice writing all about cars.
Preschool
Worksheet
Alphabet Cloud Catcher: Lowercase Letters
Game
Alphabet Cloud Catcher: Lowercase Letters
...Help your young learner expand their letter knowledge with Alphabet Cloud Catcher: Lowercase Letters!...
Kindergarten
Game
Fill It Up Shape Writing
Worksheet
Fill It Up Shape Writing
These shaped writing prompts will get students writing and illustrating until there isn’t a spot of white left.
Preschool
Worksheet
Writing Uppercase Letters
Worksheet
Writing Uppercase Letters
Assess your students’ ability to write uppercase letters using this quick alphabet writing exercise.
1st Grade
Worksheet
Writing Lowercase Letters
Worksheet
Writing Lowercase Letters
Assess your students’ ability to write lowercase letters using this quick alphabet writing exercise.
1st Grade
Worksheet
Alphabet Cloud Catcher: Capital Letters
Game
Alphabet Cloud Catcher: Capital Letters
...Kids boost their letter knowledge as they help Tutu differentiate between uppercase and lowercase letters in the game Alphabet Cloud Catcher: Capital Letters!...
Preschool
Game
Alphabet Cloud Catcher: H-P
Game
Alphabet Cloud Catcher: H-P
...In the educational game Alphabet Cloud Catcher: H-P, preschoolers and kindergarteners who are learning the alphabet will practice recognizing letters as they float through...
Preschool
Game
Autumn Writing Practice
Worksheet
Autumn Writing Practice
Kindergarteners will practice their autumn writing and learn about the seasons with this colorful worksheet about the fall.
Kindergarten
Worksheet
Practice Writing Z
Worksheet
Practice Writing Z
Get excited about the letter Z with this cute worksheet that has kids tracing and writing their Zzz's.
Kindergarten
Worksheet
See this activity in a set:
Wordplay for Kindergarteners