Rainy days will inevitably occur. There will be days when you stay home all day, whether it’s due to a storm rolling in, an unexpected school closing, or the fact that you just couldn’t muster the will to leave the house besides for these family rainy day activities. However, it doesn’t mean you have to give in to a child’s chorus of “I’m bored,” or, worse, send them off to their rooms with their iPads.
With enough planning and preparation, rainy days may be just as enjoyable as those that involve getting out and about. (First choice: Will you insist that your household put on clothes or will you just embrace the situation and call it a pajama day? Our recommendation is to use matching family jams on these occasions.)
These are some of the best family rainy day activities. Some of them are educational and scientific pursuits meant to exercise their brains. Others are made to get their bodies moving so they can burn energy even if they can’t go outside and run around. While some of the activities are suitable indoor pastimes for toddlers, others are oriented toward older children or even teens and tweens. There are suggestions for aspiring artists, chefs, and even performers. Even if you already have the materials at home, stock up on them today and you won’t ever dread spending the day indoors again with these family rainy day activities.
15. DIY Your Own Works of Art
It’s time to get out all the markers, glue, paint, paper, and other supplies you have lying around the house and set the kids loose. When you’re finished, take the 2D pieces and hang them with clothespins from string or baker’s twine, put the 3D pieces on shelves, and host your own pop-up gallery. As a simple art project, this is one of the best family rainy day activities.
14. Start a Garden Indoors
To get the garden started, you don’t even need empty containers; a used egg carton would do. Give them diaries so they can record what they’ve grown and monitor their garden’s development to make it more of a STEM exercise.
Even the heights of their growing seedlings can be depicted. Bonus: If you grow basil or other herbs, you’ll have delectable components for a recipe. (Tip: Creativity for Kids sells kits that include all the ingredients you need to cultivate sunflowers or a pizza garden if you don’t want to take the DIY way.) This creative pursuit is one of the best family rainy day activities to try.
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13. Visit the theater to see a family-friendly movie
View specials at local movie theaters. Look up the local cinema hours, choose the most kid-friendly movie, and bring some extra cash for popcorn. This is one of the easiest things to do with kids on a wet day. Has your youngster ever voiced opposition to seeing a movie? We are dubious. Though this one involves leaving the house, it’s still one of the easiest and best family rainy day activities. Plus, no mess!
12. Obstacle Course Indoors
Young children honing their gross motor coordination or older people who might need to release some energy would both benefit from this practice. In as many of the home’s rooms as you dare, set up an obstacle course.
Boxes made of cardboard can be made into tunnels for crawling. You can wrap strings around furniture to make it look like youngsters must step over or crawl under what appear to be laser beams. Pool noodles can also be used. Additionally, you can utilize cushions, pillows, or indoor stepping stones while adhering to The Floor Is Lava regulations. Find out which member of the family clears the hurdles the quickest, and then see if anyone can beat that time. This fun idea is one of the best family rainy day activities, and it’s free!
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11. Play the part
For kids to use their imaginations, pretend play is more than just a way to pass an indoor afternoon.
According to clinical psychologist Rebecca Schrag Hershberg, “play is important because it’s a laboratory for children to learn, explore, and process the world around them, which can feel so overwhelming.” It gives them a chance to test out the linkages and ideas about which they are inquisitive.
Kids’ development of self-control, self-regulation, and social-emotional abilities is aided particularly by pretend play. Set up a makeshift shop, hold a pretend tea party, attend a makeshift school, dress up as superheroes, reenact your favorite fairy tales, or go into a world they created themselves. They’ll benefit from it more as this is one of the best family rainy day activities.
10. Let them loose in the arcade.
View specials at the local arcades. Load up on quarters, take the kids to the neighborhood arcade, and let them loose—it’s one of the simplest things you can do with the kids on a wet day. Many children are adept at playing video games and may enjoy the arcade without much parental supervision. But you might also make use of the occasion to introduce your kids to the video games you played as a kid. Pacman, anyone? This throwback is one of the best family rainy day activities to try.
9. Organize a closet
Or a toy chest, a storage space, or any other place where clutter has been building up. On an inside day, you’ll have a captive audience, so they might eventually warm up to it even if they initially object. Set out three boxes: one for things to retain, one for discard, and one for things to give away. In the end, they may feel content knowing that some of the items they no longer use will find a new home. This is a great way to teach responsibility and one of the most productive family rainy day activities.
8. Bring them bowling.
Find nearby bowling discounts. According to coach Bill Spigner, a member of the Professional Bowlers Association, “Bowling is the best social recreation sport we have in the country.” It’s one of the best family activities on a rainy day because parents, grandparents, and children of all ages may play together. This is a great way to bond and one of my personal favorite family rainy day activities.
7. Design a Friendship Bracelet
If you haven’t made a friendship bracelet since summer camp, you might not be surprised to learn that it is back and more popular than ever. Get those embroidery flosses out, and show your youngsters how to create spiral staircases, chevrons, and stripes. You can purchase a kit that will enable you to create complex patterns, or you can do it the traditional way. Though this one might take watching a few online tutorials, this is undeniably one of the best family rainy day activities.
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6. Visit a library
The neighborhood library is the best option when you want to get everyone out of the house for no cost. At the Chelmsford Public Library in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, youth services librarian Marty Mason says, “We have books, audiobooks, DVDs, fun kits, and backpacks to check out, in addition to a full programming schedule for kids.” Your local library is waiting for you and equipped with some of the best family rainy day activities.
5. Globle, please
Kids may practice and advance their geographic knowledge on a global scale by playing this online guessing game centered on geography, according to Lacroix. “The goal is to identify the mystery country by making educated guesses about the names of nearby nations. You can play it once daily or as frequently as you’d like by using the practice mode feature. My ninth-grade pupils adore it to pieces.” This game is free and fun for everyone, one of the best family rainy day activities to grow your children’s minds until school is back in session.
4. Extend a Picture
You may give drawing a fun twist by having your child cut out a picture from a magazine, print off a picture, or utilize a picture you already have. On a large piece of paper or poster board, they will put the shot in the middle and then enlarge it by adding more people and creative backgrounds around it. This brain teaser is one of the best family rainy day activities.
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3. Play as a Water Band
This one works very well when it’s pouring heavily. See what noises plastic or tin buckets, cups, lids, and other containers make when water hits them. Alternatively, take some shovels and spoons and create some music of your own. This is a fun way to get wet, get loud, and tire your kids out, undeniably one of the best family rainy day activities if you’re not afraid to get your clothes wet.
2. Make a Pizza
While cookies are lovely and simple for smaller kids, more challenging baking or cooking tasks can be enjoyable for elementary or middle-school-aged youngsters. Pizza is enjoyable since it’s simple to spread the sauce, pile the toppings, and stretch out the dough. This is one of my favorite family rainy day activities.
1. Create the Best Blanket Fort Ever
Then, pass the rest of the day inside it reading, sleeping, or eating. Crazy forts are a series of rods and connectors that help you create higher, more complex constructions if you truly want to advance your creations. You can utilize them to create structures from scratch or follow their instructions to create domes, castles, and rockets. All you need to do is cover the rods with your own sheets. Even in the dark, it sparkles! This creative and fun bonding time is one of the best family rainy day activities.
