In my pre-mom life, there was something comforting about a rainy day at home. Brew a cup of tea, listen to calming music, curl up with a good book. Now, add children into the equation, and inclement weather can leave us feeling more like we’re under house arrest. Save this post for a rainy day as we give you some unique ideas for surviving a day inside with your children of all ages.
Create:
1. Do an art project. There are too many ideas to list, so let Pinterest be your guide!
2. Bake. Let your child stir the batter, roll the dough, or add frosting.
3. Construct things using marshmallows and toothpicks.
4. Build a tower out of whatever you can find in the recycle bin.
5. Make homemade Playdough.
6. Let your child sit inside a cardboard box and color all over it.
7. Make a playlist of your favorite songs for your next car trip.
8. Record a song together on your phone. Encourage your children to sing along or use musical instruments.
9. Record a movie.
10. Assemble a drum set out of pots and pans.
11. Make a paper chain to count down to an upcoming birthday, holiday, or fun event you have planned.
12. Draw a map of your neighborhood.
13. Design your dream home together.
14. Make paper airplanes and see how far you can fly them.
15. Make paper dolls. You can do a quick Google search for printable templates.
Sensory:
16. Make a sensory bin using cotton balls, packing peanuts, shredded paper, or get more ideas here.
17. String buttons, beads, or noodles to make necklaces.
18. Bury toys in a large bin of rice and dig for artifacts.
19. Play with shaving cream on a high chair tray or in the bathtub.
20. Mix different types of dry noodles and practice sorting them.
21. Blow bubbles in the house.
22. Place different foods in clean baby food jars (think: herbs, citrus rinds, or essential oils) and smell them.
Write:
23. Write a letter to someone you admire. Search for the addresses of characters and famous people. Here’s a link on how to send mail to Disney characters.
24. Write a letter or draw a postcard for a friend or family member who lives far away.
25. Call a local nursing home and ask if your kids can send cards to the residents.
26. Write/illustrate a story. (You can even publish it using a service like this.)
27. Tell a story together by taking turns each saying one word.
28. Make a time capsule. Write down information like the cost of a gallon of gas, current news headlines, and a list of your child’s close friends and favorite things (songs, movies, books, toys). “Bury” it in their closet to look back on later.
Explore:
29. Go on a treasure hunt around the house. See how many things you can find that start with the letter B, for example, or how many things you can find that are red.
30. Scavenger hunt.
31. “I Spy.”
32. Measure things around the house to see what’s longer/shorter.
33. Search for hidden treasures with flashlights under furniture and in closets. (Who knows, you may just find a stray puzzle piece that’s been MIA for a while…)
34. Freeze toys in blocks of ice and have your children “excavate” them in the bathtub with utensils.
35. Look at a map and ask everyone to pick somewhere they’d love to visit one day. Spend time learning about each place and planning what you would do there.
Relax:
36. Give yourselves mani/pedis.
37. Give each other back rubs or foot massages.
38. Soak your feet in an Epsom salt bath.
39. Take bubble baths.
40. Meditate.
41. Pajama party in the living room with sleeping bags.
42. Quiet reading time.
Move:
43. Dance party.
44. Hide and Seek.
45. Yoga. Search Youtube or listen to Musical Yoga Adventures on Amazon Music.
46. “Red Light, Green Light.”
47. “Simon Says.” (Help your little ones develop their listening skills. Win win!)
48. Invent a new sport.
49. Play catch and count how many times until you drop the ball.
50. Build an indoor obstacle course.
51. Place pillows and blankets on the floor and play “don’t touch the lava.”
Pretend:
52. Play restaurant. Older kids can create a menu with meal options and prices.
53. Tea party with dolls and stuffed animals.
54. Put on a puppet show.
55. Play house.
56. Play store.
57. Play dress-up.
58. Play zoo with toy animals.
59. Fashion show in Mom or Dad’s clothes.
60. Play doctor or dentist.
61. Play library. Organize your books by author, genre, color, or size, and then check them out.
62. Play movie theater. Make tickets, set up a concessions stand, and watch a movie together.
63. Christmas For a Day. Set out a few decorations, listen to carols, watch holiday movies, bake cookies, and wear your Christmas PJs.
64. Pretend it’s Halloween and bring out your favorite old costumes.
65. Give your plastic toys a bath in the sink with soapy water and an old toothbrush.
66. Indoor picnic.
Miscellaneous:
67. Photo shoot.
68. Look through photo albums or watch a photo slideshow on your computer. Talk about the people in each picture and what was happening.
69. Play with puzzles.
70. Create your own puzzle out of an old cardboard box.
71. Play board games.
72. Pool party in the bathtub. (Bust out the goggles and snorkel gear, if you have them.)
73. FaceTime with a friend or family member.
74. Rearrange your bedrooms.
75. If all else fails, bundle up for the elements, go outside, and play in the rain. After all, no childhood is complete without splashing in a few puddles.
What are your go to to rainy activities? Which from the list do you think your kids would love to try?
