Summer is most kids’ favorite season for obvious reasons: They get to ditch indoor activities and be outside in the sun and fresh air. There’s time to run around with the neighborhood kids, and there are possibly days at camp, swimming, finding bugs — whatever kids do in summer weather. It’s still sometimes hard to keep kids occupied for so many hours every single day of the week, though. With older kids, that’s basically eight hours or more per day that now have to be filled. It’s not easy (which is why camp is a pretty great option for some families). Sometimes, however, the weather isn’t sunny, and doing fun summer activities outside such as visiting parks, playgrounds, farms, fairs, etc., isn’t an option. The only place for kids to be is indoors. This is usually where parents panic, but mama, it will be OK!
“Mom, I’m bored!” Sound familiar? Entertaining kids isn’t too bad during the school year, but in the summer, when the days never seem to end, finding things for them to do can be brutal. Finding them things to do within the confines of a house? Forget it. But don’t fret. There are actually lots of things to keep kids busy on a rainy day. Some require a little effort on an adult’s part, whereas others don’t. It depends on kids’ interests and what supplies are at home. If not, taking a trip to get supplies could be an activity in itself. No matter what, there are options — from more creative art projects to more imaginative games. And hey, there’s no shame in enlisting help for something mom likes, too.
We tried to round up some ideas to exhaust kids so mamas (and their homes) can get through the rainy day in one piece and repeats of the phrase “I’m bored” are kept to a minimum. Check them out.
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Have an indoor picnic.
Picnics are normally outside activities, but there’s no reason why they can’t be inside. Grab a blanket and whip up some snacks or put out small sandwiches and fruit. Boom! Indoor picnic.
Finger paint.
Finger painting is more than just a preschool activity. It’s actually quite relaxing. Let the kids tap into their creative sides by breaking out nontoxic paint and paper and allowing them to use their fingers as brushes.
Play with Play-Doh.
Before all the moms reading this groan “No!” remember that Play-Doh can be contained in proper environments! Put down placemats or put the “doh” on a nonstick surface and see what creations the little ones come up with.
Make a pillow fort.
Pillow forts never go out of style, and there’s no telling what imaginative play will go on inside them. In other words, moms, these things will do the entertaining for you.
Have a Lego-building contest.
Legos are always a good idea. Spill them out onto the floor and encourage the little engineers to try to make different things. Just clean up well afterward, for the sake of everyone’s feet.
Put together a puzzle (or two).
Puzzles are a perfect activity for a rainy day because they work well inside and can take a while to figure out. Depending on how long the rain is coming down, kids may have time to finish them or will need to continue the project another day.
Pay a visit to the library.
Libraries are indoors, which means they make wonderful places to hang out on rainy days. Take the kids and let them plop down and start reading. You might even find something on the shelves to borrow for reading at home.
Break out educational games.
Bigger kids may know better, but littler kids? Not so much. Break out the number and letter games and watch the Little Einsteins soak it all in.
Play "school."
For the bigger kids, school is a fun, inside game to play that mom can participate in as well. Maybe it’ll even be possible to convince them to do “homework” assignments.
Print out some coloring sheets.
Coloring is a classic rainy day activity and for good reason. It’s therapeutic no matter what one’s age is, and these days, it’s easy to just print out pages from online sources. Or you can draw your own and copy them.
Conduct a science experiment.
Got any science enthusiasts in the family? If so, a rainy day is an ideal chance to put those skills to the test. Find an age-appropriate experiment online and get to work.
Bake a treat.
Baked goods somehow taste even yummier on rainy days. Grab a little helper or helpers, and bake a sweet treat to pass the time.
Have a game tournament.
Get competitive with games. Play board games such as Candyland or Life, or start a Jenga match and see who can keep the tower standing the longest.
Make some slime.
Slime is a phenomenon we don’t quite understand, but kids love it and many know how to make it. Oversee their chemist efforts to make slime of their own.
Go to the movies or create a 'theater' at home
Movies are one of the best indoor activities. If going out to a movie at a theater isn’t an option, put on a showing at home. Pop some popcorn and break out snacks for the full moviegoing effect.
Make friendship bracelets.
Another activity that’s fun and takes up some time? Making bracelets. Gather some beads and string, and let the kiddos get to work creating fun and pretty designs for themselves and others.
Go camping indoors.
Rain won’t stop this camping “trip.” Set up a tent in the living room and, with parental supervision to heat them up, make some s’mores. “Campfire” stories highly encouraged.
Have an indoor treasure hunt.
Put together a rainy day scavenger hunt. Hide a toy or surprise and leave clues all around the house. Next level: Write a riddle on a piece of paper and tell them they’ll get a surprise when they can figure it out.
Make paper bag puppets.
Puppets are old school but such a fun and cheap way to get creative. Grab some paper bags sitting in the pantry and break out the markers. Act out a story with the puppets once they are finished.
Visit an animal shelter.
People usually only visit shelters when they’re ready to adopt, but there’s no issue with paying a visit to the animals on a rainy day. They’ll love the attention. Maybe ask about volunteer opportunities if you have older children.
