I have three weather apps on my phone, and yet there are still summer days when the plan for entertaining my kids gets rained out (bless my little type-A heart). Sometimes this is a great excuse to explore the Doseum, catch a movie, or jump at the trampoline park. As my pregnant belly grows, however, I foresee myself not always wanting to venture out. In that case, it helps to have some good rainy day activities available at home to keep the kiddos busy.
Make no mistake; I’m a big fan of letting them be bored and use their own creative juices to figure out what to do. That being said, sometimes it is both appropriate and desirable to provide some guidance. Not to mention, rainy days can make for some great memories! Hope you enjoy these ten activities the next time you find yourself at home on a rainy day with your tiny humans!
Sensory Bins
The sky is the limit here! Use your favorite sensory material (play dough, slime, bubble foam, pinto beans, water beads, rice, kinetic sand), add some scoopers/small toys, and voila! Alternatively, some crafty mamas sell pretty, pre-made sensory bins. Check out locally-owned Narwhal Sensory Box!
Nerf Guns
Whether it’s an all-out war, strategic team play, or target practice, Nerf Guns are a great way to keep moving and keep entertained.
Reading
This former English teacher hopes you’ve got reading on your daily activity list no matter what the weather! But rainy days are the perfect opportunity for extra books. Make things interesting by reading in a blanket fort, or throw pillows and blankets into the bathtub to create a silly but cozy reading spot (no water, of course). Also, check out the programs offered by our local libraries.
Board Games and Puzzles
Having a small collection of age-appropriate board games is pure gold on rainy days. H-E-B sells a few budget-friendly classics for about six dollars. My favorite puzzles for kids come from Melissa and Doug, but we’ve also bought some winners from the dollar store.
Crafts
Tap into your kids’ inner artist with a fun craft! Beados and Aquabeads are always a hit and not overly complicated or messy. Pinterest is full of easy craft ideas for kiddos of all ages. Additionally, Target’s dollar spot usually has prepackaged crafts that are easy to grab and save for a rainy day. My kids also enjoy the step-by-step drawing videos on Art for Kids Hub on Youtube.
Baking
My kids LOVE baking with me. Sure, I have to accept that the cookies won’t turn out as perfectly as I’d like and there will definitely be flour all over the place. But it’s always an activity they’re excited about, and it ends with a sweet treat!
Exercise
Making sure the kids have enough physical activity is tough when there’s bad weather. This is where some intentional YouTube videos can save you. Do workout or dance videos as a family. Or find a kid-specific workout on GoNoodle or Cosmic Kids Yoga. Another fun option is playing Minute to Win It games.
Build Something
Put those mini engineers to work! Legos, paper airplanes, Magna-Tiles, marble runs—whatever works! The blanket fort is always a solid option, as well.
Clean
Kids may not initially be excited about this, but I believe in your Mom superpowers! A great technique I read on HR Mom’s Facebook is called interval cleaning. Do a cleaning task and then a fun task. Keep alternating clean task/fun task until the chores are done! Maybe bribe the kiddos with the cookies you made earlier.
Play in the Rain
If lightning isn’t a concern, play in the rain. Take a walk with umbrellas and jump in puddles!
What does your family like to do on rainy days? Let me know so I can try new things with my kiddos the next time we are facing cloudy skies!