Rainy day play ideas are in order when spring showers fall. I’m hearing about snow in some parts of the country, so a little rain for a day is almost a welcome cool off.
We tend to focus on outdoor play here, but we have some indoor tricks, too. Here are some classics:
- Outdoor Play Activities for Cold Weather
- Calming the Indoor Chaos: Quiet and Cozy Play Ideas
- Indoor Play Activity Ideas
- See How We Play
- Get inspired by our Superhero Playlist and have a “theme play” day indoors
- Unstructured Play with Cardboard Boxes
- Playing Board Games Without Rules
- Draw a Lego and Build
- Bean Bags Don’t Bounce
If your days are normally planned out with park play dates and sports practices, now’s your chance to give the kids free reign at home. It’s all about getting in the right mindset.
Instead of dreading today, embrace it. And whatever you do, don’t turn on the TV. Have you ever just told the kids to “play” while mommy gets her chores done. I know, you think it’s not going to work. It does! You might have to suggest “just playing” 20 times – or start an activity and sneak away – but it works! The more you do it, the better the kids get at coming up with amazing, imaginative activities of their own creation. You can actually get them in the habit of pretend play.
More ideas:
- Water painting. When I unload the dishwasher, my daughter gets to paint the floor with water. She gets 1) a towel/rag, 2) a cup with a little water, and 3) a paintbrush. We chat while she creates. You can also let the kids into the Tupperware cabinet. Let them stack and knock it over or see what sculptures they can create.
- Laundry learning. Our laundry is in our chilly garage, but she often helps me with that chore, too. We can talk about the colors or play rhyming games. We also take songs she knows and change the words.
- Unstructured alone play. My computer is aptly situated in the middle of the play area. I pull out some toys she hasn’t seen in a while or suggest a few activities and then let her run with it. It’s the kids who have the great imaginations — let them use it.
- Build forts. This is an old favorite. It’s great because you can build it together and then they will have fun making improvements and playing house or Old West or spaceship.
- Go wild. When the chores are done and your indoor creativity wanes, go outdoors. Slip and slide on the sidewalk. Watch the water go down the storm drains. Go on a discovery walk and let the kids tell you what’s different. Allow puddle jumping.
- Go to the park in the rain? I haven’t done this yet, but I think it would be fun to go to a park and let the kids go down a wet slide in their snow pants. Or build a sandcastle in the wet sand. It’s gotta be a whole new experience to be allowed to get wet and see the playground on a rainy day. Why not?
Whatever you do, have fun and play!
