Ask Ollie
Ollie's Homemade Rain Gauge
Here's one to try together!
Catch the rain in a bottle and find out which day was the rainiest!
Reviewed by our team.
Safety first
- sharp scissors used to cut the plastic bottle, adult should do the cutting
- cut plastic edge of the bottle may be sharp
- stones could be a small-object or throwing concern
What you need
- Kid scissors, 1 pair
- Painter's tape, 1 strip
- Crayons or markers, 1 marker
- Paper, 1 sheet or more
- Plastic bottle, 1 clear, empty
- Ruler, 1
- Small stones, 5 to 8
How to do it
Grown-up prep: Gather everything on one table. Check the cut bottle edge for sharp spots and cover it with tape if needed.
- A grown-up cuts the top off the bottle. A grown-up does this
- Flip the top upside down and set it into the bottle. Ask: What do you think the top will do once it sits like a funnel?
- Drop a few stones into the bottom of the bottle.
- Stick a strip of tape up the side of the bottle.
- Mark the tape with the ruler, every half centimeter or quarter inch.
- Set your gauge outside in an open spot.
- Check the water level at the same time each day. Ask: Do you think there will be more or less rain than yesterday?
- Empty the bottle after each reading.
- After one to two weeks, chart the rainiest day and show the family. Ask: Which day was the rainiest, and what else do you notice?
Play it again
- Rain forecast: guess the amount before you look, then see who guessed closest.
- Two gauges: put one in the open and one under a tree, then compare what each one catches.
- Sprinkler test: use a garden sprinkler for 5 minutes and measure how much water lands.
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