Rainy Day Activities

Do you get bored on rainy days?  Do your children whine about needing something fun and interesting to do?  Why not try a few of these activities?

1.    Start a game of Monopoly, or other board games.  These can take up a lot of time and with several participants, can be quite challenging.  Charades can be fun too.

2.    Take old Sears or J.C.Penney’s catalogs and turn to the underwear pages.  Choose a full figure to cut out and then go through the catalog and located clothing that will fit.  If you prefer, let the kids draw and color their own outfits for their homemade “paper dolls”.

3.    Watch a nature show together and discuss the differences between species, and how they fit into the ecologies where they live.

4.    Bake cookies or cupcakes, and let the kids decorate them.  Then let the children serve them for a meal, or take them to the local nursing home and donate them for the residents.

5.    Visit a nursing home and let the children get acquainted with some “adopted grandparents.”  This is good for both the residents, who crave children’s company, and for the children, who learn a new respect for the elderly.

6.    Have some seeds and potting soil on hand and let the children plant some flowers and herbs in Styrofoam cups.  Be sure to label them with the name of the flower or herb so you will know how to care for the plant in the early stages.

7.    Read some fables and fairy tales aloud and explore the morals being taught in each story.

8.    Write a song or poem together.

9.    Write a story as a group.  One person will lead with the opening line or two.  The next person picks up the story and adds a few lines, then the next, so on and so forth..then read the story aloud to the group.

10. Draw a picture in the same way, using paper folded several times, letting lines extend down just past the paper fold, so the next artist can find where to continue the drawing.  Figure drawings of people are good subjects for this activity.

There are so many other activities that can be done.  Use your imagination.  Try to include activities that includes all members of the family, rather than just allowing the children to vegetate in front of television cartoons all day.

Take some photos of your day together as remembrances of the occasion.  Start a photo album with your children.  Let them choose the photos and explore the stories behind the photos.

Let your child write his/her own book and illustrate it.  These make marvelous keepsakes that you can put away to enjoy again and again, even after your children have children.

Above all, keep the mood light.  Try not to be critical of their work, but praise them whenever possible.  This builds their self-esteem and confidence to try new projects.  And you have had a wonderful day of bonding with your children.