Rainy days and summer always go hand in hand, as thunderstorms pop up and continue throughout the day. The truth is the summertime doesn’t need to stop when the rainy days come. There are lots of great indoor activities you can do to keep kids and adults who are stuck inside entertained. From Camp Live Oak to you, here are some of our favorite fun and fabulous rainy day activities.
Play Classic Board Games
Kids and adults never tire of classic board games. Young and old alike love getting in on the fun of classics like Candy Land, Mouse Trap, Pictionary, Monopoly, and more. Most games can be played by just two individuals, but the more the merrier! If you have a crowd at your house, divide up and play different games rotating around the room as long as the rain lasts. You may find a tournament ensues with lots of laughter and friendly competition.
Read Great Books
Curling up with a good book on a rainy day is always a great choice. Reading is a fun activity which can be done alone for quiet times or in groups for added fun. If you have younger children, consider having the older kids read stories aloud to them. When the house is full of family and friends, chose a favorite childhood classic and take turns reading it aloud together. If appropriate, your clan may even decide to act out the story – making the book come alive! Be sure to record reading minutes for school challenges.
Enjoy Edible Edifices Together
Snacks are a part of rainy day cravings, so why not take snack time to new heights with food creations. Marshmallows of all sizes can be the yummy glue that holds together towers, houses, trucks, and even characters made of pretzel sticks, crackers, and cereals. Imagination is the only limit on the enjoyment of this activity. Consider taking pictures of the creations before the participants gobble up their edible edifices.
Create Art
Coloring, drawing, gluing, painting, and sculpting make up the ‘hit parade’ of rainy day fun. Have your little ones color coloring pages of their favorite summer creatures or activities, while older kids can draw and decorate their own. While they are at it – the kids can make greeting cards for grandparents or other relatives illustrated with the fun activities they’ve been doing all summer. (As an added bonus, once the rain clears, you can head to the post office to mail the freshly made cards.) If you have poster board or large paper on hand, have kids make a collage with craft materials and cut outs – choosing collage topics like “About Me” or “Things I Love” or “My Favorite Animals.”
Bring Outdoor Games Inside
Bowling
If your kids enjoy bowling, use empty water bottles to create pins (you’ll need 10). Let the kids decorate the ‘bowling pins’ and then fill them about a third of the way up with sand/soil). Make a ‘bowling lane’ and get a ‘bowling ball’ (a soccer ball or kick ball) and let the games begin.
Scavenger Hunt
Hide some small treasures (toys, snacks, prizes) around the house. Now create clues to help your kids find the items or draw a treasure map for the little ones to follow.
Tag
While you may immediately think – no way are you going to let the kids play tag in the house – think again. Indoor tag is played in slow motion – every movement, every communication, every step of the game has to be performed slowly. Prepare yourself though, this often results in uncontrollable laughter from everyone!