Rainy day activities for kids

We seem to be right in the middle of monsoon season lately with rainy day after rainy day in the UK. The rain is lovely, but there comes a point where you think, enough is enough, I want to go outside again! The park is wet, passing cars splash water all over you, and the kids think it’s a great idea to sit down in the puddles and cover themselves from head to toe in rainwater. It can be hard to think of rainy day activities for the kids to do that won’t break the bank.

So what can you do when you’ve been cooped up in the house for days and you’re all beginning to go a little bit stir crazy?

Staying in the house

There are lots of activites you can try that will make staying at home for another day a little bit more interesting. Put the phones away, turn the TV off and have some good old fashioned fun. Show your children what life was like before technology was at their fingertips.

Board games

Board games aren’t just for Christmas Day when you’ve all eaten too much turkey and don’t want to move, they can be fun any day of the year. Dig out all of your favourite games and show your children how it’s done. Think Monopoly, The Game of Life, Snakes and Ladders and Twister. Have some old school fun while you argue about what the rules actually mean.

Jigsaws

Why not introduce your children to the world of jigsaws. Hunt down one of those lovely big puzzles where you all sit around the kitchen table for days only to find the last piece is missing, and you have to make it yourself out of the back of a cereal box. Have fun creating a master piece, but remember to do the edges first!

Charity shops are great for finding jigsaws that aren’t too expensive.

Baking

Autumn is made for baking. Pumpkin pies, spooky cupcakes and apple pies are some things you could try. Also, any type of crumble is usually relatively easy to make with children.

Write a story

Kids have amazing imaginations, so why not try writing a story together. Create some characters, plan the setting and let your imaginations take flight.

Sofa fort

Sofa forts are the classic rainy day activity. You can’t go through childhood without builidng one at least once! You could even dress up as different characters and act out a story.

Getting outside

Just because it’s raining, it doesnt mean you cant venture out of the house. There are plenty of fun things to do that dont involve getting cold and wet.

Soft play

Soft play is always a favourite for children of any age, and it can keep them entertained for hours. Most places offer food and drinks too, so you can even make a whole day of it if you want to.

The library

The library is perfect for a rainy day, with bounce and ryhme, story time, and school holiday activities regularly taking place, and of course, more books than you could ever read in one day.

Museum/National Trust

It’s always worth checking if there are any events on in the museums in your area, as lots of them offer interactive learning play for children.

Also, the National Trust quite often have interactive activites on at their sites too. Check out their amazing rainy day activity page for some inspiration.

Arcades/2p machines

2p machines are great fun for children, and can be fairly cheap too. They used to just be a ‘day out at the beach’ activity, but I’ve seen them popping up all over the place now, so it’s worth checking out if you have any in your area.

Emracing the rain

If youre feeling brave, you could throw on some waterproofs on and embrace the rain!

Puddles

Children love jumping in puddles, and there’s no reason why we shoudnt have a go too! Grab you wellies and see who can make the biggest splash.

Poohsticks

Poohsticks is such a simple, but fun game, and it’s even better when it’s windy and rainy. It’s a game which comes from the book The House at Pooh Corner (1928). Why not have a play, and teach your children a little bit of history at the same time.

The beach

You may think im crazy for saying this, but the beach is a great idea when it’s raining. It’s the perfect place to see nature at it’s best, and if you’re lucky, you may even see a thunderstorm over the sea! Go down onto the sand and see if you can find any interesting shells or crabs, or park up on the seafront and eat fish and chips while sheltering in the car, and watching the waves splashing about.

I hope you enjoy my rainy day activities, and I hope they make your rainy days a little bit brighter. Do you have a favourite activity to do with your children when it’s looking a bit grey and miserable outside?

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