How to measure rain

Make the most of the next rainy day

How to measure rain
by Sara Conway

Have you ever wondered how much it rains where you live (apart from a lot?!). You can help your child learn how to measure rain and make their own rain gauge with our quick and easy step-by-step guide. You might even be pleased to see the rain falling for a change.


You will need:

  • Plastic bottle
  • Stones
  • Pen 
  • Ruler

How to make a rain gauge

Step 1

Cut off the top half off a plastic bottle – younger children might need a grownup's help for this part, as the edge of the halved bottle might be sharp.

Step 2

Take the plastic bottle outside and find a good space for it. Somewhere sheltered from the wind, where it will still catch the rain.

Step 3

Leave it outside and check it throughout the day (or over a few days).

Step 4

When rain has fallen, draw a line on the side to see how much rainwater you have collected. You could compare how much rain falls each day for a week. Draw a new line each day.

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Maths

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Science

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Physical

Learning guide

Get little ones excited about the weather with this easy experiment! Without even realising, your child will learn key scientific skills like observing and recording as they check how much rain they’ve collected each day. Use a ruler to help little ones develop number recognition as they measure the water, while older children could create a table or draw a graph of their results.