“Rain, rain, go away, come again another day.” If you’re a parent, I’m sure you’ve heard that song a million times—often on repeat. Rainy days are usually not greeted with open arms. Being cooped up in the house because of the rainy weather can cause boredom and nerves to unravel—both for parents and children. However, there are many activities that everyone can participate in using everyday household items. And if for some reason you don’t already have these items lying around, be sure to stock up on the supplies—this way next time the storm cloud is in your forecast, you’ll be prepared.
- Karaoke: The average household probably doesn’t own a karaoke machine. If you do, dust off that machine and start singing your favorite tunes. If not, no worries—check out the apps available with your local cable provider. There are a variety of apps available through the “On Demand” function. Your children will love to belt out the lyrics to their favorite songs and will enjoy watching you sing too.
- Dress-Up: Get out the old Halloween costumes and any other dress-up clothes that you have around the house. Let your children wear some of your attire and accessories—shoes, ties, jewelry, hats, and any other items that will complete their imaginary session. Parents, make it a family engagement by also dressing up—break out the wedding dress or perhaps your favorite suit. Pretend to have a fashion show or just play pretend—either way, your little ones will absolutely love to play dress-up.
- Create a Time Capsule: First things first, find an old tin box or Tupperware where you can hold all of your time-capsule items. Then have the children write future letters to themselves. In their letters make sure that they include their best friend’s name, favorite TV shows, and other facts that are relevant to the year. Gather up recent pictures or take some new ones and print them out. Once everyone is finished, put everything into the time capsule and stash it away for an unveiling on another rainy day.
- Make a Yummy Treat: Popsicles are loved by all—adults and children. Fun and fruity ice pops will be a huge hit! Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries—combine your favorite fruits into a Popsicle mold, add juice and then freeze. In a few hours, you’ll have a delicious treat everyone will enjoy!
- Puppets: Making paper bag puppets is very simple. Your children will have fun creating their puppets and putting on a production. You will need a few brown paper bags and some construction paper— it doesn’t have to be fancy. Martha Stewart offers an excellent tutorial that’s completely free and provides simple directions that children of all ages can follow.
- Create an Art Gallery: Recruit everyone in the household to contribute a few pieces of artwork for the display. The artwork can be a combination of old and new creations. This is a great way to show off your child’s artistic talents—paintings, clay molds or drawings.
- Cook Together: Cooking is a great way parents can bond with their children. Commemorate the rainy the day with some fun baked goods. Pinterest has a lot of options. Check out these creative cupcake options compiled by the How Does She? website. Get your children on board and give them a choice of which cupcake to create. Or maybe you don’t have a sweet tooth, make a pizza and have an indoor picnic with your loved ones. These fun times together will create great memories your children will treasure.
- Be a Superhero: The best superheroes have capes. You’ll need an old T-shirt, some felt fabric, and adhesive. That’s it—voila! A cape tutorial is available to provide a step-by-step directional. Give your little ones the opportunity to channel their creative energy into making the cape unique. When your children are finished designing their cape, then they can battle evil and save the world!
- Make a Splash: Put on the rain boots and jackets and jump in puddles. Sometimes playing in the rain is exactly what a free-spirit needs. Afterward, have hot chocolate ready for the children and unwind with a good movie.