My Top Indoor Activities for a Rainy Day with the Kids

Here in not-always-so-sunny North Wales, I try to get the kids outside as often as possible. Enjoying the great outdoors is a big part of learning about the world, so we get out and explore when we can. Usually, we go out come rain or shine. If we didn’t, we would have to miss out on going outside a lot. Sometimes, though, it’s just not realistic to go out. When there’s a torrential downpour, it’s much better to occupy ourselves inside. Although, sometimes there’s something to be said for running through the rain! If we’re stuck inside for the day, I have plenty of indoor activities to keep the kids occupied.

Art and Crafts

Getting arty is one of my favourite things to do – and the kids too, of course! Children are fond of colors, and many even want to try nail paints and eye colors when they see their parents do it. So, you can buy children’s nail polish and other similar accessories online and have them experiment with their creativity and learn something new. It is a fun rainy-day activity.

Some parents are afraid of getting the arts and crafts things out, in case they end up with a mess. But I say that a little bit of mess is worth it to give your kids a chance to get creative. Plus, you can always have them clean up after themselves. I think it’s a good idea to keep a craft box, full of things they can use. Anytime you have something random that you could recycle or throw away, put it in the box instead. It could be an egg carton, a piece of ribbon or some bottle tops.

Imaginative Play

There are so many ways that children can use their imaginations to play. They can think up something completely imaginary. I’m sure nearly every playground has seen children pretending that they have horses! Or you can use toys and other items as props to inspire them. They could run a business using little replica Eddie Stobart trucks or set up a shop with tins from the kitchen cupboard. They could have a tea party with their teddy bears or pretend to be a firefighter. It’s a great way for kids to learn how to entertain themselves.

Helping Around the House

Staying on top of the housework can be hard when you have children to entertain. So why not kill two birds with one stone and get them to help out? They might already have chores they have to complete, but you can make it more fun. Turn it into a game by challenging them to a race or seeing who can make their room the tidiest. Even little ones can help out by dusting with a cloth or doing other easy tasks.

Reading Time

If you need some quiet time, you can’t beat reading. Older children can read by themselves or you can sit and read a story. Even smaller ones who can’t read yet can sit and look at their picture books. You could even get the older ones to read to the younger ones. It’s a great way of calming down if everyone’s going a bit stir-crazy inside.

You don’t have to get that feeling of dread when you realise it’s pouring with rain. When it’s wet outside, there are plenty of activities to keep everyone occupied indoors.