A simple explanation of how clouds are formed and why it rains, perfect for young children.
Clouds are like big, fluffy pillows in the sky. They are made up of tiny drops of water that you can't see very well. These little drops come together to form what we call clouds.
When the sun shines on lakes, rivers, and oceans, it warms up the water. This warm water turns into tiny bits of water vapor that float up into the air. As these bits of water go higher into the sky, they cool down and start sticking together to form little droplets. When lots of these droplets join together, they make a cloud!
As more and more tiny water droplets gather in the cloud, it gets heavier and heavier. Just like when you fill a balloon with water, if you add too much, it can pop! The same thing happens with clouds. When the cloud gets too heavy, the tiny droplets can’t stay up in the sky anymore, and they fall down as rain.
When the rain falls, it helps water plants, fill up rivers, and even gives us a cool bath on a hot day! After it rains, sometimes you can see a rainbow if the sun comes out.
So next time you see fluffy clouds in the sky, remember they are full of tiny water droplets that might just fall down as rain!