5 Great Ideas to Make Those Rainy Days with the Kids Turn into Fantastic Fun Filled Days with the Family
Keeping your kids happy during the holidays can sometimes be a difficult task, and when you add in rainy weather it becomes even more difficult. The best option for parents is to be prepared for bad weather, and to have some options ready to keep the kids occupied. Family activities are a great option, and this time can be used to increase your quality time with your family. Varying the activities will ensure nobody is bored, and the rainy day activities here will make sure that everybody enjoys those rainy days.
Board Games
Board games are a great idea for the family to enjoy a rainy day, and most homes will have a collection that they can play. You can vary them from pure fun games to the more cerebral, and from simple to as complicated as challenging as your kids can take. Traditional favourites like monopoly will always go down well, as will games like Life and Battleships. Try to pick a game that everybody can play as another favourite, Scrabble, is great for older kids, but will exclude any younger children you have from the fun. Of course you could try games like Twister if you want to get a little more physical, but make sure that everybody has warmed up before going for the longest stretches (in particular the adults).
Creative Activities
This type of activity is a must if you have younger kids as it will improve manual dexterity as well as creativity. Painting and Play Dough models are firm favourites, but there are options like shaving foam paintings and having the kids bake their own cakes too. You shouldn’t even consider the messy fun that creative activities can become unless you have the tools for the cleanup. Therefore, be prepared for the big mess that is going to be made, and remember to have a quality cleaner like the karcher steam cleaner on hand as you could be cleaning paint and shaving foam from your floors and furniture; and one of these will do the job quickly and efficiently allowing you to return to the fun. Don’t worry about the mess, make it part of the fun.
Learning Games
Just because you want your kids to have fun, it doesn’t mean that they can’t be learning. Toy companies have recognized the need to make their toys and games educational, and educators have discovered that learning is easier for kids if they are enjoying it. You can buy board games that will educate, and there are thousands of educational games on the internet. However, adapting a simple game of cards into a counting activity or practicing spelling with hangman can be fun too.
Video Games
There is nothing wrong with using video games as a family, as long as you can all play the same game. The kids may even end up teaching you a thing or two. The Wii console can bring you hours of fun with the sports available to play, and games like Just Dance and Mario Kart should keep everybody entertained for hours. Perhaps not the best activities to teach your youngsters about life and education, but video games are the board games of the modern world, and let’s face it, they are fun.
Family Movies
If you are looking for a way to wind down your day indoors, nothing is better than watching a family movie. With all the family cuddled up on the couch, the kids can unwind while you are all eating your favourite snacks and treats; you may even find your children asleep before the end of the movie.
Rainy days can be fun too, so break out the games and activities and enjoy them to the full.
Image: Sweet toddler girl next to window on a rainy day (modified) Shutterstock / Interior of School Shutterstock /Sponsored Guest Post
Anna Marikar, mum of four and seasoned blogger, has spent over a decade sharing her parenting journey and passion for kid-friendly crafts and free printables.
Her easy-to-follow craft ideas and practical parenting advice have transformed In The Playroom into a cherished resource for parents.
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