Clouds watching is incrementally becoming an enjoyable hobby for children and adults during the current pandemic era. Is it a dog? Is it a rabbit? Is it a king sitting on his throne, or a monkey eating an apple? It offers tired eyes a therapeutic break from reading printed material and/ or staring at digital screens. 

With imagination you can create whole worlds from the shapes you see. It alleviates stress as your mind becomes engaged with decoding the shapes of constantly mutating clouds. It is also one of the few hobbies that doesn’t require any equipment — just some spare time and a little imagination. Since the pandemic lockdowns and travel restrictions, this activity has garnered many followers and admirers who believe the best place for vacationing during the pandemic is your own terrace and backyard.

Here are some suggestions for creative clouds watching:
• Some clouds are white and fluffy, like cotton wools. Others are grey and thin. Use your imagination to discern shapes and pictures in the clouds as they drift by. Do they resemble animals, trees or cartoon characters?
• Ideate a story using the ‘characters’ you see in the clouds. Write down your story or draw it on a sketchpad. Invest them with different colours using shades of blue, grey and green. Clouds watching is not only entertaining, it also provides clues about impending weather conditions. Try and guess the weather from watching the clouds — do they look grey and stormy or white and fluffy? Will there be rain?
• On a warm, sunny day you will see white, cotton-like clouds. These are often an indication of good weather, but they can grow into towering thunderstorms on a humid day.
• Flat, grey clouds signal that it is going to drizzle. Fog is a grey cloud that is low near the ground. So when you walk through fog, you are actually walking through a cloud.
• If the sky is bright, it’s a good idea to wear sunglasses. Remember not to look directly at the sun, it can damage your eyes.

Also Read:Beat lockdown blues with DIY activities