Types of Clouds Fold Out Printable (Free Cloud Foldable)

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Turn a few sheets of paper into a cloud book that stretches out from top to bottom! This types of clouds fold out printable gives kids a place to color cloud pictures, describe what they look like, and write about the weather associated with them.

The finished accordion foldable works well for a weather lesson, a homeschool notebook, or a little cloud-spotting project. Children can fill it in a few panels at a time, then unfold the whole strip to compare their notes.

For a hands-on art activity alongside the writing, try our cloud templates. Our raindrop templates also make useful labels for a classroom weather display.

What’s Included in the Cloud Fold Out Printable?

The free PDF has five US Letter-size pages. Four pages contain the foldout panels, and the fifth has the cloud-shaped “Types of Clouds Foldouts” cover to color and cut out.

• Sheet 1: Cirrus, stratus, and cumulus.
• Sheet 2: Cirrostratus, altostratus, and nimbostratus.
• Sheet 3: Cumulonimbus, stratocumulus, and cirrocumulus.
• Sheet 4: Altocumulus, mammatus, and “My Favorite Cloud.”

Each named cloud panel has an outline illustration and blank lines labeled “Looks like” and “Weather.” These are writing prompts for children to complete, rather than prefilled fact cards. The final panel asks them to name their favorite cloud and explain why they like it.

A useful teaching note: the sheets cover the ten main cloud types plus mammatus. Mammatus describes the rounded pouches beneath a cloud, rather than an additional main cloud type. The World Meteorological Organization’s Cloud Atlas classifies it as a supplementary feature.

Supplies

• The cloud foldable PDF and a printer.
• Five sheets of US Letter paper, 8.5 × 11 inches.
• Crayons or colored pencils, plus a pencil for writing.
• Scissors and clear tape or a glue stick.

Regular printer paper is easy to fold into an accordion. If you use cardstock, crease each fold carefully before joining the sheets so the finished book closes neatly.

How to Make the Cloud Foldable

1. Print the pages. Use single-sided printing and the same scale for all five pages. Check that the outer guides and cover fit within the printable area before printing the full set.
2. Color and write while the sheets are flat. Color the illustrations and title, then add notes to the cloud panels. Leave the writing lines clear enough to read.
3. Cut out the four long panel strips. Follow the outside dashed outlines, keeping the three panels on each sheet connected. Keep the narrow blank margins at the ends for joining.
4. Join the strips in page order. Arrange them from cirrus at the top to “My Favorite Cloud” at the bottom. Overlap the blank end margins and glue them together without covering the pictures or writing. You can also secure the joins with tape on the back.
5. Fold the long strip like an accordion. Fold along the horizontal divisions between panels, alternating forward and backward. Keep the panel edges aligned and press each crease flat.
6. Add the cover pieces. Cut around the cloud-shaped title and separate it along the horizontal dashed line. To make the arrangement shown in the example, attach the upper half above the first panel and the lower half below the last panel. Keep adhesive on the joining areas so the strip can still open.
7. Unfold and share. Open the finished strip to read the cloud notes together, then fold it back into a stack.

Ideas for Filling in the Cloud Panels

Look at real cloud photographs together before children write. The drawings are a starting point, and photographs help them notice details such as wispy edges, flat layers, or tall shapes. NOAA’s cloud guide is a useful reference.

Keep the answers short enough to fit the lines. For example, cirrus can be described as thin and feathery, cumulus as fluffy white heaps often seen in fair weather, and nimbostratus as a dark layer associated with steady rain or snow. Cloud appearance gives clues about weather, rather than a certain forecast.

Younger children can dictate a sentence for an adult to write. Older children can compare similar names, such as cirrostratus and altostratus, and explain how their appearance or height differs.

More Ways to Use Your Cloud Fold Out

• Keep a sky observation journal. On a separate sheet, record the date, a quick cloud sketch, and the weather you observe. Compare it with the foldout without expecting to spot every cloud type in one day.
• Play “Which cloud am I?” Read a description from one panel while a partner finds the matching name. Start with three familiar clouds and add more as children learn them.
• Make a favorite-cloud display. Have each child finish the final panel and share one reason for their choice. Display the foldouts open so classmates can read their answers.
• Build a weather art corner. Pair the books with our rainbow printables or a paper plate sun craft for a mix of observation, writing, and art.

For outdoor observations, choose calm weather and look away from the sun. If you hear thunder, move indoors and use cloud photographs for the activity.

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