Creative Ways to Keep Kids Active on Rainy Days

October 1, 2018 Guest User

When the weather is beautiful, it’s a piece of cake to get the kids out and about, running around until the sun goes down. Beach days and park playdates are a dream for parents and sitters. But do you ever feel like there are just more rainy days than you bargained for? Spring and Summer roll around, and so do those afternoon showers. We know how important it is to keep kids active and moving - not only for their health, but also for developing their imagination, and socialization with other kids.

So put aside those rainy day blues, because we've got 5 fun ways to stay active, inside, all year round.

1. Take to the Stage!

If you’re anything like me, you spent hours as a kid practicing and performing plays for your parents. Once you get the kids started, we guarantee it can occupy an entire day.

Encourage them to unleash their inner thespian, and pick a performance (a play, choreographed dance, talent show, comedy hour, etc.). They will love going the whole 9 yards, with sets, costumes, tickets, snacks, and anything else they can dream up!

2. Plan a Scavenger Hunt

This one takes a little more planning upfront, but the fun will be worth it! If you want more of a challenge, you can do a traditional scavenger hunt, with riddle-like clues. Ex: “You can find your next clue where you brush and scrub, and play with suds…” (Answer: next clue is hidden in the bathtub).

Or if you’d like something a little bit simpler, you can do a list of “things to find.” Ex: Something bumpy, something that starts with “A,” something that makes noise… etc. If several kids are playing, try setting a stopwatch, and turning it into a race!

3. DIY Hopscotch with Painters' Tape

Who says a rainy day has to wash away all of the outdoor fun? Bring the outdoors inside with DIY hopscotch. This works best on hardwood floors or tile using blue painter’s tape, but if you only have carpets you can also use yarn to draw out the squares.

Start small, and see how long you can go. Before you know it, the whole house will be one big hopscotch!

4. Host an Olympics

Turn the living room into your own little Olympic Village and compete in different games all day long! You can get as creative as you want - maybe design some country flags, athletic gear, a judges table, host an opening ceremony, etc.

Here are some game ideas you can use for competition: jump rope, high jump, long distance slide on the hardwood/tile floors in socks, hula hooping, ring toss. Keep score, and present the winners with Gold/Silver/Bronze medals in a closing ceremony!

5. Put on a Fashion Show

Kids love playing dress-up and putting on a show. Come up with some different “styles,” like evening-wear, beach day, or futuristic, and have the kids raid their closets and the craft bin for a fashion show.

Long hallways or open living room spaces work great for a makeshift catwalk - or find some red fabric and lay down a “red carpet.” This will keep the kids up and moving for hours. (Just make sure they know they are responsible for putting all of the clothes back afterwards!)

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