Puddles: The Sun’s Magic Vanishing Act!

Hello, little puddle jumpers!

Have you ever splashed in a puddle after rain, then come back later and—poof!—it’s gone? Where did it go? The sun worked its magic! When water gets warm, it turns into invisible vapor and floats away into the air.

This trick is called evaporation. The sun heats up the puddle, making the water wiggle and bounce until it turns into tiny bits you can’t see—water vapor. Then it zooms up to the sky, ready to join clouds or come back as rain another day. It’s like the puddle said, “See ya later!” and flew off with the sun’s help.

Next time you see a puddle shrink, imagine the water taking a sunny trip up, up, and away!

Try This Puddle Shrink Experiment!

Want to watch water vanish? Let’s make it happen!

What You Need:

Two small bowls or cups
Water
A sunny spot (like a windowsill or outside)
A shady spot (like under a table)
A day to wait

What to Do:

Pour the same amount of water into both bowls—splash, splash!
Put one bowl in the sunny spot and the other in the shady spot.
Say, “Shrink, puddle, shrink!” and leave them for a day.
Check back the next day. Which bowl has less water? Did one shrink more?

What You’ll See:

The water in the sunny spot shrinks way more—maybe even disappears! The shady spot’s water stays longer. That’s the sun turning water into vapor, just like a puddle.

Why It Works:

Heat from the sun makes water turn into vapor and float away. In the shade, it’s cooler, so the water sticks around. It’s the sun’s way of drying things up!

You’re a puddle scientist now! Watch puddles shrink outside and guess where the water’s flying.