Keeping the Kids Busy on a Rainy Day

Keeping the Kids Busy on a Rainy Day

Rain, Rain, Go Away; We Want Our Kids Outside to Play…..With Spring in New England being predictably unpredictable, we need to be prepared for anything.  When the parks and beaches aren’t an option, here are some new ideas to keep your little ones entertained and busy without the television, tablet or video games:

• Treasure Hunts – Occupying your kids with the incentive of a treasure at the end is a no-fail activity!  If your kids can’t read, this is still an option – toddlers can follow picture clues throughout your home – surprise them with muffins or cookies at the end! 

• T-Shirt Decorating – having permission to write on a white t-shirt is a thrill in itself for young kids!  Pick up some fabric markers at the craft or big box store and a 3-pack of white tees.  Don’t forget to put a book or piece of cardboard inside the shirt so that the ink doesn’t bleed through.  If you are okay with messes – consider puffy paint or glue and glitter to add some extra fun for the kids!

• Combine work with play – take all the cushions off your couches for a vacuum and deep clean – and then surprise your kids with the ultimate fort.  With a few flat sheets, kitchen chairs and a flashlight, your kids may be entertained long enough for you to put your laundry away!

• Fruit Loop Rainbows – This is a great sensory activity. It is time consuming and tasty!  All you need is a paper plate, Elmer’s glue and a box of Fruit Loops cereal. Have your kids draw a line of glue around the edge of the plate and line red Fruit Loops around the plate – and have them do circles of color following the rainbow pattern – this is great for color identification and fine motor skills, and they can snack while they craft!

• Shaving Cream crafts – who knew that daddy’s drawer in the bathroom could be so useful!  There are loads of fun crafts and kids’ activities to try with shaving cream – visit www.crayonfreckles.com for a great list of ideas.  One of the simplest uses is pretend snow!  Use a tray or baking sheet, let your kids squirt shaving cream all over it and drive their toy cars and trucks around the snowy scene!  If you keep a bowl of water close by, they may get creative and decide to open a nearby carwash!

• Tissue paper Window Art – Give your kids the freedom of cutting or ripping colored tissue paper into little bits and pieces.  Lay out a clear piece of contact paper (in whatever shape suits you – we usually do leaf or heart shapes) and lay it sticky side up – have your kids fill the sticky sheet with tissue paper, and then attach another piece of clear contact paper on it, sticky side down, use a spoon to smooth it out and remove all bubbles, and you will have a work of art to hang in the window or gift to a relative!

• Clean – kids love to dump out their bins of toys – what better way to sort through your toys and get rid of all those broken pieces and happy meal toys!  Get them involved – make piles of like-toys or toys they no longer use!

The key to keeping your kids entertains seems to be the element of surprise – or allowing them to do things they may not normally be allowed to do!  Glue, stickers, poster-board and a pile of toilet paper and paper towel rolls are a great foundation to get you through a long rainy day at home with the kids!  In the meantime, let’s all just hope for sun!