Rainy Day Fun
So, summer is here and the kids are out of school. Are you worried that the kids will start the “I’m BOOOORED” anthem? What about rainy days? How do you occupy the kids when it’s raining cats and dogs out, and the kids are cooped up inside?
We at CanadianNanny.ca hear these thoughts, and we want to help! Here’s a list of activities we've found that don’t include watching TV or playing electronic games. There’s lots more out there, so use this as a base point for creativity, and HAVE FUN!!
- Pull out all the pillows, cushions, and blankets and make a super-cool fort in the living room. Spend the morning constructing the fort, then have lunch inside and let the imagination soar!
- Make an indoor obstacle course with various things from around the house. Hold races to see who’s the fastest, just make sure everyone … and everything is safe! (watch those slippery floors with socks, and don’t run into mom’s china cabinet!)
- Write and practice a play, puppet show, or magic show, then have it ready for the evening’s guests (mom & dad). If you have a video camera, try filming it and making a movie, with clips from start to finish! It could turn into a two-day activity (spaced as needed) of one day of filming, and one day of editing to create a movie!
- Go puddle jumping! Its lots of fun, but make sure that you wear warm and waterproof clothing and boots and don’t forget the umbrella. You can also use those same puddles to see what sinks and what floats by bringing things from home (coins, corks) and picking up small things (twigs, pebbles, leaves) along the way.
- Throw a party! Put on some music, get some snacks, get the kids to help decorate, then have some fun sharing dance moves and listening to music.
- Make an alphabet collage. Going through old catalogs and magazines, clip out various pictures that start with specific letters of the alphabet. Assign letters to different children, or let them get what they want, then paste them onto construction paper. Afterwards, discuss each picture, the name, and its place the in the alphabet.
- Make a picture jumble. Fold a piece of paper in 3. Have one child draw one body part of an animal (such as the legs) on the bottom portion, keeping it hidden from everyone else. Then the next person does the middle section and so on, without anyone seeing the other person’s work. This can also be done by separating the sections and taping them together after. When it’s done, reveal the finished product and give it a name!
- Play some ‘old-fashioned’ games, like Blindman's Bluff, Red Rover, or Red Light, Green Light. Need the rules or other games? Check Wikipedia!
- Fill a large shallow plastic bin with beans or rice, then put stuff in it for the kids to find. (Other sensory activities here!)
- Use masking tape or pillows/blankets etc to make ‘islands’ on the floor, different distances between them so some are easy and some are hard. Encourage the kids to jump from island to island, or risk being ‘eaten’ by sharks, or something else.
There’s lots of great ideas out there, and the kids can sure be a big help in coming up with new variations. Thanks to our Twitter friends for help on this! Follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/CanadianNanny . If you have other ideas, share them by commenting below.
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