April showers may indeed bring May flowers, but they can also bring boredom to the kids staring out the windows longing to be outdoors. The next time your picnic or trip to the park gets rained out and your little one bouncing off the walls, try one of these rainy day activities!
1. Play indoor hopscotch.
Tape off with masking tape on the floor or use a cardboard cut-out like the found here on education.com. This is a fun way to expend some of that energy and get kids moving!
2. Create Play-Doh Monsters.
You’ll need several containers of Play-Doh (or you can just make your own), wiggly eyes, and pipe cleaners. You can also use toothpicks, pom poms, gems, rocks, or whatever your child’s creative mind can come up with! Check out these monsters from Kidspot.
3. Set up an indoor scavenger hunt.
Hide several items around the house and write those items on a sheet of paper. Give it to the kids with a crayon or pencil so they can mark off each item when they’ve found it.
4. Movie Day
Pop some popcorn and cuddle up on the couch for one of these great kids’ movies.
5. Slime Time
Make slime for some ooey gooey fun! Here are 50 ways to make it!
6. Measure the rain with your own homemade rain gauge.
Here are instructions from weirdsciencekids.com.
7. Visit the library.
8. Make paper bag puppets together.
These are so much fun to make, and then you can put on a puppet show! Check out these puppet ideas from Easy Child Crafts.
Check out the next page for more great activities!
9. Dance Par-tay!
25. Play musical chairs.
9. Dance Par-tay!
Put on loud music and have a dance party in the living room.
10. Community Service
Round up toys and clothes to donate.
11. Letter Writing
Write letters to family, friends, and pen pals, and actually mail them out!
12. Read aloud from a great book.
Here are the top picks from Read Aloud America!
13. Craft Time
Cook something together.
15. Learn how to sew, knit, or crochet.
16. Exercise
Hold a PE class in your living room. Jumping jacks, push-ups, squats, frog jumps!
17. Make one of these handprint crafts.
18. Create a treasure box!
Make one out of a cardboard box, tissue paper, and markers. Decorate and fill with your child’s most beloved keepsakes.
19. Play a board game.
20. Dress Up Time
Dress up in wild outfits and take silly pictures.
21. Act out a favorite children’s book.
One easy idea is throwing a sheet over 4 chairs sitting in a circle, get flashlights, and get inside to tell stories!
While you’re waiting for the sun to come out, create an indoor rainbow. Here are several ways to make one from Seattlepi.com.
Make a thumbprint tree craft like this one from Fun Family Crafts.
More ideas
25. Play musical chairs.
26. Make some pretty window clings.
Here are easy instructions from Merry about Town.
27. Put together a jigsaw puzzle.
28. Scrapbooking!
Gather up old photos, craft paper and work on a scrapbook together.
29. Play a card game.
30. Listen to some podcasts for kids!
Here is a great list by Fatherly.
31. Make one of these cute water bottle crafts.
32. Create an indoor obstacle course!
Use pillows, cushions, chairs, etc.
33. Write a story together.
34. Create one-of-a-kind paintings on canvas and hang them in your home.
35. TP Rolls Craft
Make a craft with empty toilet paper rolls.
36. Have a rainy day party!
Hang up balloons and bake a cake.
37. Start an indoor herb garden.
38. Make a crazy, messy, super fun swamp bath!
39. Tape paper plates to paint sticks and use them to play balloon tennis.
40. Play minute-to-win-it style games. Here are some ideas from Happiness is Homemade.
41. DIY Art Mat
Get a shower curtain liner from the dollar store and several dry erase markers. It makes a great reusable art mat!
42. Get out and play in the rain!
Sun Hats and Wellie Boots shows us 20 ways to play in the rain.