I don’t know about you guys but this spring/start of summer has been a rainy one for us. It seems like every weekend it is raining and it’s at times a struggle to keep the kids entertained indoors all the time. Here are some great activities that you can do to keep the kids (and you) from going stir crazy if you’re stuck inside like us because of the rain.
- Play a board game – My family’s personal favorites are Pretty, Pretty Princess, Matching Game, Hi Ho Cherry-O, Guess Who, Operation and Candyland.
- Read a book – Both of my kids love books. Mackenzie is reading well now, Kylie still looks at pictures – but reading together is a favorite activity – its even better when you are the one being read to.
- Complete a Craft or Activity – Throughout the year I pick up various activity books, small crafts, and keep them tucked away and use them for a road trip, or a day that I know we will be stuck inside. I usually find the stuff for a $1 and it’s new to them so it keeps them occupied for a while.
- Dance Party – Turn up the music and just start dancing in the house. My kids love to dance and they always laugh when mommy and daddy come up with wacky moves.
- Parade – Have a parade in your house. Dress up, line up the stuffed animals as “spectators” and parade through your house – upstairs, downstairs and all around the furniture.
- Take them to an Indoor Park – We have Sky Zone close by which is an indoor trampoline park. It’s a little on the pricey side – about $17/hr per kid, but if you’re desperate to get their energy out, it’s a great way to do it. Anytime we’ve gone to Sky Zone my kids are so tired they pass out in the car on the ride home.
- Engage then in Imaginary Play – The last weekend it rained I opened up a grocery store in my kitchen. We got our play cash register, made paper money, and used canned goods and boxes from my pantry as well as reusable grocery bags. Both of my kids loved it – we have a shopping cart that they used, they made “grocery lists” – it was a lot of fun for both me and my kids.
- Bake or cook something together – Kids love to be helpful and do things that grown ups do. Grab a cake mix or cookies from the store or ingredients to bake from scratch and make something that can be enjoyed after dinner.
- Build a Fort – Throw a huge sheet or blanket over a table and have them create their own hide out. Add pillows, blankets, stuffed animals – and it’s an super fun fort that they can play in for hours.
- Movie Theater – In our city they offer discount movies during the summer on certain days and times and $5 movies all day on Tuesday. If it’s raining – making it a movie day either at the theater or at home may be a good idea.
- Play Scientist – I have a book of kitchen science experiments that my brother bought Mackenzie last year for Christmas. You can also find a bunch of easy experiments on Pinterest. They are fun and keeps the kids interested in learning and science.
- Go to the Mall – This may or not work for you, but walking around the mall is something my kids love to do. We can walk around for hours, they ask to ride the rides there ($1 a ride) and couldn’t be happier. By the time we are ready to go home, they are wiped.
- Go to Michael’s – If you look online at Michaels.com and click on classes, in store classes, kids programs, see schedule by store and then type in your zip code – you can see what classes they offer. The Michael’s near me offers classes M, W, F, and Saturday from 10-12pm and they range from $2-$5 per child. They do fun things like make masks, a bird feeder, clay creatures etc. It’s fun for the kids and adults too!
So those are just some of the things that I do with my kids to keep them occupied when it’s raining. I love things that keep them active, engaged and off the electronics! What are your go to activities to do on a rainy day? Tell me in the comments.
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