DIY Umbrella
Puddle Bubbles
When you are finished jumping in puddles, use them to make bubbles! Simply squirt a little all-natural dish soap into a small pool of water and blow into it using a straw. Just be sure to let the kids know not to suck on the straw!
Rain Art
Help your budding artist use raindrops to make an abstract painting. Have your child spray craft ink or sprinkle powdered tempera paint onto a canvas. Then leave it out, and let nature take its course. Once your child is happy with the results, bring it in to dry!
MORE: Fun Crafting for When Cold Weather Keeps Your Kids Indoors
Rain Shaker
Before going out in the rain, make a few rain sticks using a paper towel tube, 1-inch nails, plastic beads (or rice or dried beans), small squares of paper and masking or duct tape. Push the nails about 1/2 of an inch apart into the seam of a cardboard tube. Then cover one end of the tube with a piece of paper, and tape in place. Fill 1/4 of the tube with beads and close the open end with paper and tape. Decorate the rest of the tube with tape (or markers) and then head outside to do a rain dance!
Rainbow
Send the kids outside with a flashlight and white piece of card stock paper, and challenge them to make a rainbow by reflecting the light off of water and onto the paper. It’s fun and should keep them busy for a bit, but is also pretty tricky, so be prepared to make one indoors when they are finished. You can do this by shining a flashlight through a glass of water, onto the white paper.
Tub Toys
Give your tubby toys and water crayons a little change of scenery by bringing them outside to play with in the rain!
Water Fight
If the weather is warm enough, embrace the rain as nature’s sprinkler and get geared up for a water fight! Think squirt guns, water balloons and Slip 'n Slides. Oh, yes. Slip 'n Slides are a ton of fun in the rain.
