Clever Ways to Make the Most of Rainy Days with Kids
There’s nothing like the disappointment of waking up to a weekend morning only to find the storm clouds have rolled in and it’s a rainy day! But wait, before sunny day nostalgia kicks in and the grey skies dampen your good mood, rainy days can be full of unique opportunities to have fun with your kids.
Here are my top five ways for dealing with unexpected rainy days:
- Pull out those puzzles and board games: if you’re like our family you might have a closet or drawer jam-packed with half-forgotten packs of cards, puzzles, backgammon, checker-board, and so on, these types of games are perfect for rainy days. Taking the time to play a card or board game is a great activity that seems tailor-made for rainy days and a way to make sure that Saturday morning cartoons don’t turn out to be all day cartoons.
- Build an indoor fort: my kids are fort building aficionados and can quickly turn the cleanest room into a crazy castle scheme straight from the storybooks. Truth be told, all the fun they have is completely worth the mess! With a few pillows, chairs, and blankets you and your kids can create the perfect space for letting their imagination go wild.
- Go to the movies, in your home: this is a pretty regular one for us, rainy day or not, but there is nothing like making popcorn, throwing all the pillows on the ground, cuddling up together, and renting the latest family flick, or watching, a family favourite. The biggest thing is spending time together and this is another timeless way to be entertained when it’s storming outside.
- Brave the weather: depending on how bad it’s raining, sometimes the funnest thing is to put on rubber boots and raincoats and just go outside to jump in muddy puddles. Even a brief adventure outdoors can rejuvenate and push beyond the dreariness of being stuck inside. A quick tip, after you dry off this is a perfect time for some hot cocoa or herbal tea.
- Make storytime come alive – reading favourite stories out loud is a classic rainy day activity for a good reason, it’s always enjoyable, and the ambiance of stormy weather lends itself to storytelling. However, you can take it to the next level by gathering around and making up your own stories. This activity is also a wonderful way to foster creativity in your kids and it’s always a blast to see how the plot twists as everybody takes turns adding their piece to the story.
As you can see, there’s no reason to let the weather rain on your parade! There are lots of entertaining activities your kids (and you!) can enjoy on rainy days.
Looking to plan ahead with some fun activities and rain gear? Shop for rainy day essentials:
Emily Smith is the Editor of The Best of This Life who has been writing in the lifestyle niche and creating delicious recipes for over 10 years. Her work has been featured on BRIT + CO, Today's Parent, Chatelaine, Huffington Post, The Pioneer Woman, and Food Bloggers of Canada. She writes about family, food, entertaining, home decor, wellness, travel and a litany of other topics. She loves sharing her three core values - love life, live well, share the beauty - and encourages her readers to enjoy the best of their lives every day. She lives in Ottawa with her loving husband, two darling children, and dreams of one day owning a puppy.
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not gonna lie, my heart sinks when I see rain on a weekend forecast. my son is not interested in crafting anymore – he’s 6 and even getting him into games is tough. All he wants is screen time. Ugh. I don’t give in though but it involves a lot of whining!
These are all great ideas! I’ve tried a few of these ideas myself in desperate times. I may add the other suggestions to my arsenal of indoor distractions. Thanks for sharing!
This is a great post full of wonderful ideas for those pesky rainy days! I like the idea of building a fort or doing an indoor movie!
I used to run out of ideas then. Now the kids are grown up, but I miss those days of rain and activities 🙂
Every single warm(er) day here in Illinois (so far) has been rainy! I’m ready for the sunshine! Keeping my fingers crossed for the 70 degree day in the forecast next week!