10 Activities for those rainy Spring days!

Spring is almost here!  I love Spring because everything comes to life once again.  Colors are new and the most vibrant they’ll be all year.  However, after the weather the winter months bring, spring rains can be taxing on parents who are desperately trying to find ways to keep the kids entertained.

Here are a few fun rainy day activities your kids will love:

1. Board Games:  As a kid I always thought these were called “bored games” because they were what you’re supposed to do when you’re bored.  Look for games that are age appropriate for your kids as they will be easier for your kids to play without a lot of adult intervention.
2. Lava: Though you may have a different name for the game, you probably remember playing this as a kid.  Help your kids gather up pillows, piles of stuffed animals, etc., and arrange these in a room where you feel comfortable letting your kids jump around on stuff.  We let our kids climb on the couch and the ottoman so we play lava in the living room.  The kids jump from the couches to pillows on the floor until finally they make their way back to a designated safe point.  Just be careful not to touch the floor or you’ll be in the lava!
3. Hide and Seek: Classic game and kids LOVE it.  Need I say more.
4. Puppet Show:  My kids love this!  Our puppet shows are always unscripted so they end up with a lot of weird 5 and 3 year old humor, but they have a fun time!
5. Science projects: Pinterest is a great place to search for these!  There are so many really fun science experiments for kids of all ages!  Even kids who are less than enthusiastic about learning will have a blast!
6. Shaving Cream Painting: This is something I used to do when I taught preschool.  It’s a clean kind of messy. 🙂  Simply squirt a generous dollop of shaving cream onto a laminate table or the floor, gently rub over the surface to spread it out, then have fun drawing letters, faces, shapes and other pictures in the shaving cream.  When you’re all done take a damp towel and wipe the shaving cream off.  Not only will the kids love playing in shaving cream, but the shaving cream will also clean the surface you’re playing on!
7. Origami: This activity is great for older kids and preteens.  After years of having Japanese exchange students as a kid, I developed a love for this unique paper-folding art form.  If you don’t have special origami paper you can just cut regular or colored paper into squares.  I found this website with a bunch of origami tutorials.
8. Forts: Another classic indoor activity.  Gather up all the blankets you can, find some tall chairs, and start building!  Fort Building Tip: a little duck tape goes a long way with fort construction.
9. Set up a Book Nook:  Use a blanket, sheet, cardboard box, or whatever else you have handy to create a little quiet reading haven.  Stock it with books and a couple non-messy snacks and send the kids in!
10. Make cookies!  When you’ve run out of ideas, get the kids in the kitchen to stir, pour, and taste!  They’ll think you’re the greatest mom ever!
11. Bundle them up and send the outside! If all else fails, nothing makes a better childhood memory than puddle jumping.  Bundle your kids up, grab your camera and prepare to get wet!