What do we do when the weather doesn’t cooperate and the kids have to stay inside? I don’t know about you but I am always looking for some new ideas to help bust the boredom. Here is a fresh list of ideas to help your family beat the rainy day blues with some indoor play.
10 Rainy Day Boredom Busters
“Let them Make a Mess” Ideas
Homemade Play Dough
Raise your hand if you are sick of making slime? My kids love a fresh batch of homemade play dough to beat boredom and it’s one thing I can actually get to work. Sometimes we add different spices like cinnamon or nutmeg to give it a fun smell.
Pour Painting
Take painting to the next level by pouring it onto the canvas. No brushes needed for this, but it does require a little preparation. Once you have the supplies on hand it is an easy project that you can do over again.
Baking Cookies – Kid Style
Give your kids free reign in the kitchen and see what miracle (or mess) they can come up with.
Play in the Garage
Sometimes just backing the vehicles out and letting your kids explore a new space will help with the rainy day boredom.
LEGO Color Challenge
One day my 7-year-old came home from school and was talking about a color challenge with markers or crayons. We took that idea and turned it into a LEGO building game.
“Trying to Keep the House Clean” Ideas
Traditional Card Games
Depending on the ages of your kids, there is nothing more simple than a deck of cards. Teaching kids solitaire is a great way to have everyone play independently.
Deck of Cards Workout
We needed a change-up in our workout routine during the quarantine. Using a deck of cards is a great physical activity for all ages. You can modify the workout based on how much time you have or the ages of your kids.
Laundry Sorting
We all seem to have laundry that needs to be sorted and put away. In order to spice up laundry day, I took a basket of clean clothes and would toss the clothes at my kids at rapid speed. They thought it was hilarious and it got the clothes put away faster.
Have a Podcast Storytime
Podcasts are a great way to entertain the whole family without using a screen. Snuggle up with blankets and pillows or build a fort to listen to some stories.
Popcorn and a Movie
Of course, sometimes you can’t completely avoid screens. Our family loves a good popcorn and movie time together. If you have Disney+, check out the movie Gus. It was my husband’s favorite as a child and now our kids love it, too. Trust me on this one.
What are some of your family’s favorite rainy day boredom busters?