Rainy Day Activities for Kids

Stuck on what to do with the kids when it's raining?  We've had lots of practice here in Bundy!!  Here are our favourite things to do with kids when it's raining.

Games:
For younger children, classic games such as "Simon says," "heads up, seven up" and "hide-and-seek" can keep their attention. These games require little conversation, so great to play inside.
In Simon says, the children have to follow the directions of the leader, "Simon," whenever he says "Simon says." If he fails to say "Simon says," anyone who follows his directions anyway is out of the game.

In "heads up, seven up," seven children are "it." All of the others put their heads down and close their eyes, while each child who is it taps someone on the shoulder. Those who are tapped have to guess who tapped them. If they guess correctly, the two switch places.

In "hide-and-seek," one child closes his eyes while the others hide. He then has to find them in their hiding places. The last child found wins, and gets to look for the others in the next round.

Board Games:

For older children, board games are a great way to keep them engaged. There are lots of simple games that children as young as kindergarten can enjoy. Classic games includes chess, checkers, Connect Four, Battleship, Mancala, Othello, Mastermind and backgammon. Group games include Sorry, Trouble, Candy Land, and Chutes and Ladders. Older children might enjoy strategy board games such as Risk, Monopoly or Settlers of Catan.Card Games:

Card games are also a great indoor game. "Go fish," for two to four players, is one of the easiest to learn and play. Seven cards are distributed to each player, while the rest of the deck stays in a pile face-down in the middle. Each player takes turns asking a player of his choice whether she has any of a particular set of cards, such as queens or threes. If so, she must hand them over, and the player gets another turn. The object is to make as many sets of four as possible; whenever a set is made, the player who collected it sets it aside. If the player asks for a card but the other person does not have it, the player has to "go fish" and draw a card from the middle. Play continues around the circle until all of the cards are used.

Other Card Games include “war," "slap Jack," "old maid" and "crazy 8s." More complex games for older players are "hearts," "spades," "pinochle" and "rummy." As an alternative, some children enjoy specialty trading card games such as Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh! These games work best when players bring their own cards.

Computer/IPad and Video Games:
Many parents and caregivers might be hesitant to encourage children to sit in front of a screen, but a number of computer games are educational and build skills. Websites such as FunBrain.com and PBSkids.org offer games that help kids work on subjects like language, math, logic and science. Not every video game is created equal, so do your research if the quality of the education matters to you. Check out our blog on great IPad apps for kids.
Head to your local Indoor Play Centre or Shopping Centre. There is usually lots to do!

The local bowling ally is a great place to head in the raining weather. Our local is fantastic with lots of activities to keep you enterained for the entire day.

Library - Your local has lots of things to see and do.

Head to the cimemas.
Hire a movie for the kids. Take them with you to choose, it might take a bit longer but they will have fun.

Have a tea party or indoor picnic

Build a rainy day box, full of craft bits and pieces

Have a fashion parade, include the teddies!

Make some finger paints and get painting

Make your own playdough and get creative

Straw painting.. combine straws, food colouring and dishwashing detergent!

Marble painting…combine marbles, paint and a container

Play indoor bowling tin cans from the pantry and a ball

Enjoy a bubble bath and splash in the water

Try some indoor fort building

Try Skating

Make a sock puppet and host a puppet show!

Have fun on the computer together

Make homemade musical instruments

Make potato prints in paint

Make paper planes and fly them around the house

Play “What’s the time Mr Wolf!”

Build a castle from blocks

Toy hunt: hide toys around the house, close the curtains and search for them with a torch

Write an email or a letter to someone special

Head outside and jump in the puddles

Blow up some balloons

Cook some piklets

Get out pens and paper and draw

Make necklaces from pasta, food colouring and string

Play “Hide and Seek”

Use old cardboard boxes to make cities and car garages

Make roads on the carpet with masking tape

Cutting and pasting from magazines

Make a mud pie kitchen!

Do puzzles

Play music and dance!

Read books

Make a book!

Make a bingo board - with colours, numbers or letters!

Go outside and watch the rain and talk about it.. take some tins and catch the rain and listen to the different sounds

Get stuck into the colouring books

Make your own pizzas

Get out the camera and take funny pictures

Play shop!

Set up a doctors surgery with the first aid box (or a vets)

Make some masks from paper plates or cardboard

Paint some rocks

Make some monster men from toilet rolls

Make gingerbread people and decorate them

Show them their baby books- fill them in!

Make some phone calls

Play indoor hopscotch

Play hairdresser

Do some yoga with your Wide Bay Kid

Play restaurants

Host a teddy bear picnic or birthday party for a teddy

Make some papermache

Dye some rice and then play with itPlay “Musical statues”Make a time capsule

Do collage!

Let them just play whatever they want to!

Make a fun car ramp

Make a Cereal Box Sidewalk!

Make an Egg Carton Bus!

Play Bean Bag Toss
Create an Indoor Wall Garden with printouts
Make Hands and Feet from cutouts
Create a Toddler City

Go Laundry Basket Shopping
Play Toddler MTV and Music Moves!