If rainy weather is keeping you cooped up inside, don’t fret. We’ve put together the ultimate list of rainy day activities for kids of all ages.
If bad weather is keeping your family cooped up inside, don’t fret. I’ve compiled my favorite rainy day activities for my kids.
If you’re like me, with two toddlers at home, a rainy day is enough to send you into a tailspin. No playground. No park. No bike rides. What fun things can we come up with to occupy the time while trapped indoors?
Before you go totally off the deep end, take a breath. We at FamilyEducation have compiled our tested-and-approved rainy day activities for kids.
- Family Movie Day (or Night):
What’s better than cuddling up with your kids, a blanket, and a coffee table full of snacks for a family movie night? Not much. My kids love the opportunity to chow on munchies and watch a full-length movie.
On the next rainy day or night, turn the family room into your own personal theater. You may be stuck at home, but with a little bit of work, a special movie night can feel like a private getaway. Find a movie the whole family will like, settle in and enjoy the show!
2. Family Game Day:
If you’d rather your family time was spent sans screen, try a classic board game. Whether you’re snapping up real estate in Monopoly or resisting the tempting treats in Candy Land, playing board games is a great way to spend a leisurely day at home. You will love that your kids get a break from the screens, and your kids will enjoy having you engage and play with them. Depending on the age of your kids, team up in pairs or have your littlest ones play with you.
3. Make Blanket Fort:
All toys are better when they’re inside a blanket fort, trust me. When the next rainy day comes around, pop-up your fort in the living room, and suddenly the room takes on a whole new feel. My kids will stay busy for hours coloring with crayons, reading books, or playing with their legos. For some reason, boring old toys take on a new life when under the roof of a blanket.
4. Cook Together:
As long as the kids are stuck indoors, why not spend the day together making a family-favorite recipe? Make cooking fun with your assistant chiefs by assigning responsibilities. Whether mixing, slicing with supervision or laying out the paper plates, there’s a job for kids of all ages. Not only will they feel important and useful, but they’ll also be proud they helped make something.
Not ready to tackle cooking a meal? Try a box cupcake mix and have fun decorating. Or spread out a display of toppings and have ice cream sundaes for a special snack. It might seem simple, but this is a great activity for preschoolers who want to help in the kitchen.
5. Play Hide and Seek:
Yeah, I know this one is kind of simple, but little kids LOVE simple. Use the whole house and get creative with the rules of the game. For example, kids have to recite the alphabet instead of counting to ten.
Your kids won’t be too difficult to find. Mine usually pop out of their hiding spots as soon as I enter the room, or demand to hide in the spot they just found me in. Play it up a bit and pretend they are impossible to find. When my son is having an especially hard time finding me, we call out funny sounds. He gets so excited when he hears a whistle and knows he’s getting close.
6. Have a Dance Party:
When it comes to indoor activities, a good old-fashioned dance party is a classic. Help release some of their seemingly endless energy with some loud music. Dancing around the house will help you burn off pent-up energy and get some exercise. Pro tip: Sure, you can do this with kids’ songs, but try a playlist that includes pop and dance songs (clean kid-friendly ones), too. My kids love all kinds of music, and the heavier the beat the better!
7. Read a Good Book:
Cuddle up in a blanket with her favorite book and read together — or start a series together like Harry Potter or The Chronicles of Narnia. Take turns reading, or have her read to you to keep her focused and interested. If you made a blanket fort earlier, pull out some lanterns or flashlights and read under the fort for a more exciting and cozy experience.
8. Scavenger Hunt:
Set up a basic, or intricate scavenger hunt for your kids. For little ones with cabin fever, a quick DIY scavenger hunt will send them racing around looking for items. You can leave clues for your older kids, or pictures for your younger kids. You can keep it super basic and have them look for general items (something soft, something red, something with wheels, etc.) or specific items. If you really want to get your kid’s competitive spirit up, set a timer and see who can gather items the quickest!
9. Science Experiments:
Science is a great way to get brains turning, teach about cause and effect, and cause a lot of excitement. You can do a couple of quick searches for science experiment printables to follow along with, check out our science activities center, or just wing it. If you’re daring go with experiments that will be messy, like a baking soda and vinegar volcano or making your own slime. However, fun activities don’t have to be super messy, like dissolving marshmallows. As a bonus, a little marshmallow snack can feel pretty special, too.
10. Obstacle Course:
Particularly if you are looking for toddler activities, an obstacle course is a great way to get some wiggles out. Practice balancing, jumping, walking backward, hopping, skipping and so much more. Your little ones will love navigating their way through an obstacle course and you can easily create it with anything you have on hand, no special materials or supplies needed!
