Kids Kreate

This fun science experiment goes great with any weather station project or study on weather. It's a quick and easy project that even young scientists can do.

Soda-Bottle Rain Gauge

- Clean, empty, 2-liter soda bottle (preferably clear, not green)

- Knife (for adult use only, of course!)

- Masking or duct tape

- Transparent tape

- Water

- Waterproof marker

- Ruler

This is an easy to make weather tool to go with any study on weather.

1. This first step should be done ONLY by an adult: Using a knife, cut off the top of the soda bottle right where the slope begins.

2. Invert the top of the bottle into the bottom and tape around the edge where they meet. (This helps keep the water in the gauge from evaporating.)

3. Fill the bottom of the soda bottle with water, just to the top of the "feet." This will become the bottom of the rain gauge.

4. With the marker, mark this bottom line as "0 inches.".

5. Use the ruler to mark inches (and quarter- and half-inches) up the side of the bottle. Your rain gauge is ready to use.Put it in a safe place outside, where it's open to the rain but unlikely to be knocked over.

Use your rain gauge to track the rain in a week or month. Make predictions. Make graphs of what you find!

Belinda Mooney is the mother of seven children, a veteran homeschooler and a freelance writer. Her articles have appeared in over 70 publications. Her Kids in the Kitchen column is carried Mid-Ohio Valley Parenting, Families First and Gainesville Family. You can reach her at

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