The rainy-day silver lining? They can be good fun, and even beneficial for your children. Plus, they slow things down and give children time to sink into ideas properly. Here are five easy ideas to make the most of them, whether you’re at home or heading out.
1. A Living Room Adventure
Rainy days are made for rearranging furniture. Blankets on the sofa. Chairs in a row. Cushions everywhere.
For little ones, this might be a crawl-through tunnel, building a pillow fort, or a soft climb-and-roll zone. For older children, give it a story. Is it a pirate ship? A secret den? A museum after hours?
You don’t need to plan the whole thing. Set up the basics and let the children take it from there. The best play usually appears when adults step back and pretend to be very busy holding a cushion.
2. Go outside anyway (yes, srsly)
As a wise person once said, “there’s no such thing as bad weather, just unsuitable clothing”.
Grab your Mac and head out with a few simple challenges:
- Who can find the deepest puddle?
- Where does the rainwater go?
- What sounds does the rain make on different surfaces like metal, leaves, or concrete?
Younger children will splash and squeal. Older ones will notice patterns and ask questions. Even ten minutes can reset the mood completely, and coming back inside feels like a treat rather than a defeat. Wellies off, socks on the radiator, ready for snuggle time!
3. Try Some Kitchen Science
You don’t need a lab or goggles. A bowl of water will do.
Test what floats and what sinks. Freeze toys and work out how to free them. Drip food colouring into water and watch what happens next.
For toddlers, it’s all about pouring, splashing, and watching closely. For older children, it turns into predictions and experiments. Either way, you’re sneaking learning in under the radar, which is always satisfying. Parenting brownie points!
4. Make Art That Doesn’t Have to Be Perfect
Rainy days are not the time for “don’t get messy”.
Stick a load of newspaper on the floor or table and let everyone have a go. Draw, paint, scribble, mix colours, change your mind halfway through. How would you draw a rain storm? A rainbow? A TORNADO??
For some children it’s quiet and absorbing. For others, it’s dramatic and loud. Both work, and are great fun (especially if you’re not the one cleaning up afterwards).
5. Go Somewhere built for rainy days *ahem*
Sometimes the best plan is to leave the house.
Places like Eureka! are perfect for any day – rain OR shine. Indoors and full of hands-on things to explore, build, climb, test, and imagine. Children can follow their curiosity without worrying about the weather, and adults don’t have to keep inventing activities on the fly.
Rainy days don’t spoil a visit – They’re the perfect excuse to dive in!
Rainy days don’t need to be packed with activities. A bit of space, a few ideas, and time to play usually does the trick.
And if all else fails, there’s always that massive puddle outside that definitely looks jumpable… Hold my brolly!
