Best Rainy-Day Activities for Little Ones
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Ah, the pitter-patter of rain—it sounds nice until you realize that you have little ones to keep busy all day. What are you going to do with them if it’s pouring outside? Play board games? Watch movies? What else is there?
We’ve compiled a list of the best things to do to keep your children playing all day long.
1. Create an Art Gallery
How many windows do you have? Give your young artist some water-soluble markers to draw on the windows or mirrors throughout your home. Once they’re done, have them walk you through the exhibit and tell you all about each piece. The water-soluble markers should come off with just a bit of water, giving your little bub a fresh canvas for another rainy day.
2. Indoor Obstacle Course
Let the games begin! Work with the space you have to create a course to get your kid to jump, crawl, run, crabwalk, and climb (safely, of course). This activity is intended to be an energy burner, so be creative with the obstacles. Time them as they go through the course and encourage them to beat their previous speed record.
3. Alphabet Games
Is your little one learning the alphabet or starting to spell simple words? Print out pages with each letter and place them wherever you have space. Have your little buddy go through the alphabet or spell words by finding each letter and jumping on it. Keep the letters in alphabetical order for little ones, but make bigger kids work harder by mixing up the letters.
Photo created by Racool_studio
4. Fort Building
Calling all blankets, pillows, cardboard boxes, and anything else that can be used for construction! Tiny bubs only need simple tunnels (frankly, they’re happy enough playing with a cardboard box). Bigger kids will put their creativity to the test and build enormous structures. Enhance the fort experience by having a pyjama day; we have comfortable pyjamas for even the most active toddlers.
5. Dance Party
This activity doesn’t require any cleanup (good news for parents everywhere). Throw on some music and bust a move or make up a dance together. Disco lights optional.
6. Scavenger Hunt
This is elevated hide and seek for puzzle-loving kids. Have some fun surprises hidden for your little clue-solvers—stickers, colouring pages, silly family photos, etc. Set up the scavenger hunt during naptime or while your child is distracted. Keep the clues simple for younger bubs and give clues that require a bit more thought as they get older.
7. Fashion Show
If you don’t have the energy to match your little one today, get them to do a fashion show. Give them free rein of your closet and let them put together a few runway looks. Make it even more fun and help them complete their look with some creative animal face paint. Nothing says high fashion like a tiger wearing a suit—and yes, grandparents would love to see pictures.
8. Cookie or Cupcake Decorating
Every parent needs a few go-to recipes. Make your favourite cookies or cupcakes and have your kids help (if they’re big enough). Once the treats cool, make a decoration station at the table with coloured icing, and edible decorations, like berries or sprinkles, and let your little dessert chef turn it into art.
Photo created by Kireyonok_Yuliya
9. Indoor Camping
Set up the tent in the living room and pretend you’re camping. Have your little one lead a “hike” through the house, play cards, make s’mores in the oven, and have a sing-along or tell ghost stories around a make-believe campfire. This can coincide with naptime, too; have your little bub catch a few winks inside the tent.
10. Indoor Picnic
Instead of having lunch at the table, make an indoor picnic with fun finger foods. If your child is old enough to help, have them set up a picnic blanket and help you make some of the food. The more the merrier! Have your little invite their stuffed toys along and make it a teddy bear picnic.
11. Make a Racetrack
Grab a roll of masking tape or painters’ tape and create a path that your child can trace with toy cars (or other toys). Keep them busy with a track that goes up and down stairs, the underside of the dining room table, and over the couch. Older children can make the track themselves but may need supervision.
12. Rock Painting
A rainy day may not be ideal for spending time in the garden, but you can paint rocks to put out there another day. For smaller children who paint in the abstract, turn their designs into planter markers by writing the names of the herbs or plants in permanent marker and protecting the designs with a weatherproof sealant.
13. Measure the Rain
Get a plastic container and a ruler and measure the rain throughout the day. You can also collect a bunch of rain and then use it to water indoor plants.
14. Go Outside in the Rain
Who says going outside is out of the question? As long as your littles are dressed for the weather, going out to have fun is always on the menu (hello, puddle jumping). Challenge your wee one to put their rain gear to the test. For little bubs that are in a stroller, keep them warm and cozy under the rain cover with one of our baby and toddler blankets.
Plan for rainy days in advance. Have a bin dedicated to rainy day play with various supplies—smocks, water-based markers, paints, rocks, toy cars, cards, tape, and anything else your little can use. Have special treats or activities reserved for rainy days. Your kids will look forward to rainy days if you make them special. Novelty is a parent’s best friend. The best activities for a rainy day keep your little one moving around, encourage them to use their brain, and learn. Rainy days don’t have to be lazy days, there is plenty of fun to be had indoors!
The best activities for a rainy day keep your little one moving around, encourage them to use their brain, and learn. Rainy days don’t have to be lazy days, there is plenty of fun to be had indoors!