Like many four-year-olds, my daughter asks a ton of questions. Just the other day she asked, “what’s a tornado?” I couldn’t exactly go into a long winded scientific explanation of how updrafts created from a thunderstorm can produce a rotating column of air that connects the earth’s surface with the cloud. So, I kept the answer very simple and followed up with a demonstration of how to make a tornado in a bottle.
“It can get really windy and cold in the clouds. When the warmer air from down here goes up into the clouds, it can make a thunderstorm. The winds can get so strong and start to twist like how you spin around in dancing class,” I explained.
“Do you know what to do if there’s a tornado?” I asked.
“No,” she answered.
“You have to get inside to a safe place,” I said.
We talked about tornado safety tips including going down into the basement and staying away from the windows. Getting into a bathtub can help save your life during a tornado too.
The bathroom has strong framing and the pipes in the walls could help hold them together, according to Tornadoproject.com. But you should make sure to have a pillow, cushion, or blanket to protect yourself from debris (especially if there’s window close by).
“If you’re at school, make sure you get under a really strong table. You can even fit into the cupboard – just make sure you cover your head and neck,” I told her.
We ended our discussion with this fun kid-friendly science experiment. Please give this video a thumbs up and subscribe to WeatherAnchorMamaTV. Also, head over to our YouTube channel for more information on our tornado in a bottle experiment.
Do you talk about tornado safety tips with your kids?
What a great science learning lesson. This is amazing…. Thanks for sharing. .
we don’t need to talk about tornadoes since we live in AZ… but this is so cool!