April showers are right around the corner. Though the days may be getting warmer and you want to get outside and enjoy the sunshine, the rains are bound to send you back inside to keep dry. With small children at home, being kept inside for long periods of time, can be a challenge. It won’t take long before you’re feeling like you’d rather chance it in the mud than stare at the walls one second longer.
It’s important to have a few tricks up your sleeve in case of a rainy day. Here are a few activities you can enjoy with your kids to make a rainy day seem a little less dreary:
Make a Fort
All kids love a good fort. You can pull some chairs into the living room and drape some sheets or blankets over them to create a fun fort. Set up some pillows inside and cuddle up to read some stories together and enjoy some snacks. If you’re looking for something a little more adventurous, use your fort to play a game of knights, defending your “castle” against dragons
and intruders.
Enjoy Arts and Crafts
The imagination is unlimited, and it can take you anywhere — even when you’re stuck inside on a dreary day. Get out some crayons, markers or finger paints and create beautiful pictures that you can hang on your walls. Put out some colored papers and scissors and create fun and interesting collages. Have fun seeing what you can come up with using the materials on hand.
Put On a Show
Maybe your little ones prefer to express themselves on stage rather than on paper. You can put on a fun show for each other, either acting out a favorite story or making up one of your own. You could even put on a fashion show or a puppet show. Have fun exploring the options!
Bake Some Cookies
Warm cookies are comforting on a cold, dark day. Invite your kids into the kitchen to get their hands messy and to make some delicious treats. When you’re finished making your favorites, you can decorate them and then enjoy them with some cookies while you read stories or watch a favorite movie.
Make a Treasure Hunt
Turn your home into an exciting new land by making a treasure hunt. Leave clues throughout the house, and offer up a fun prize to get the kids even more excited. The prize could be something simple like getting to pick the movie, or it could be something bigger, like a trip to the store to pick out a toy.
There are many, many more fun ways that you can pass a rainy day with your kids. Use your creativity to come up with some ideas that will keep you and your kids busy all day –and maybe even wish for your next rainy day so you can enjoy them again.
What are some of your favorite rainy day activities with kids? Share your ideas in the comments!
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About the Author:
Bridget Sandorford is a freelance food and culinary writer, where recently she’s been researching culinary art schools in California. In her spare time, she enjoys biking, painting and working on her first cookbook.
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