12 Ideas to keep the Kids Happy When It Rains

1. MOVIE DAY

If you don’t have a movie camera then a smart phone will do. Dedicate the day to movie making. It doesn’t need to be staged. Once everyone has become used to the idea of a camera watching their every move, children can film some wonderful candid footage and will often pick up on things that adults would never think of filming. So dedicate the day to film making, staged and unstaged and in the evening enjoy a ‘show’ – plug it into the tv or computer and have a family screening evening.

2. PHOTOGRAPHY DAY

If you feel your child is old enough to loan them your digital camera or smart phone, they can have a lot of fun snapping away. Children often notice things that adults will often miss, like bright colours and close ups. A child’s  photographs, if left to their own imaginations, can often produce some very interesting results. The resulting photos can be printed and put in a scrapbook as a reminder of their day as a photographer.

3. DRESS UP AND DANCE!

Do your children like dressing up? Do your kids like dancing? If so get out the fancy dress box if you have one, if not share some of your old clothes, including hats, scarves, skirts and jackets and dress up as a super hero or a miss mash of attire. Turn the music up, create some space and dance until all the children are too tired to dance any more.

5. SLEEPOVER PARTY

Rainy days are perfect for the family to get together and play some games. Why not add to the fun by having a pretend ‘sleepover’?  Everyone puts on their pyjamas then get out some popcorn, pizza and squash, maybe even take it a step further and set up sleeping bags in the living room and play some board games.  Children love it when their parents pretend to be big kids and muck in with the fun.

6. GO ON HOLIDAY!

a.. Tent Making

Allot some space in the house for the kids to make a tent. Give them quilts and blankets; encourage them to use their imaginations to build a tent where they can play... and it doesn't hurt to give the little campers some snacks when they're done!

b. Create a Picnic

So the tent is up, it’s raining outside but that needn’t stop a picnic!  Clear an area of floor, spread out a mat, even put up a beach umbrella. All the children can make sandwiches, cut up some carrot sticks, makes some dips and pack them into a basket. It could all be made even more realistic by dressing up in beach clothes and packing a soft ball and beach bucket or other toys. Enjoy the picnic sitting on the floor on the mat followed by a game of throwing the ball into the bucket. The kids will love it!

7. COOK UP A STORM

Get baking and cooking.  Cakes, cookies, a whole meal; whatever you fancy. Clear the kitchen table, put on some aprons and don't be afraid to let the children make a mess (within reason!). The children can help clear up afterwards and their reward is some lovely cake or brownies or home- made biscuits. Recipe ideas here: www.cookingwithmykid.com

8. GAMES AND PUZZLES

When did you last bring out a board game or a puzzle? Both make the time fly and provide the whole family with a lot of fun. Even without games or puzzles you can create own DIY games. Try 'Who am I?' where everyone writes the name of a famous person on a card, sticks it on the forehead of the person on their right who must then ask questions to guess who they are. Charades also makes a great family game.

9. MAKE MUSIC

Get out a variety of kitchen utensils, pots, pans and accessories and let them create their own little steel band. Pepper mills make great maracas or you could try putting dried beans and pasta inside empty plastic bottles to see what different sounds can be made. The good thing about this activity is it requires little input on your part - simply lay everything out and let them go for it!

10.  PUPPET SHOW

Challenge your children to make sock puppets and put on a show. Remember to video tape it!

11. ORIGAMI

The original Japanese art of paper folding is a great way for kids to get creative and beautiful pieces can be made from very simple folding techniques. Once the basic idea of origami has been mastered more complicated models can be made. . If you already own an origami book, dig it out and teach your children how to start making basic figures and shapes. You can also try searching the web for ‘how to’ instructions on origami modelling. Try Origami for kids.  

12. CARD HOUSES

Grab a pack of cards and teach your child how to build a stackable card house. You can make it fun by setting a timer or competing against each other to see who can get the tallest house before all the cards fall to the ground. Alternatively make it into a game; take it in turns to add a card. The person who makes the stack fall loses.

Do you have a great idea not listed here? Something original? If so send your idea to enquiries@smartstart-toys.co.uk titled 'Blog - Rainy Days'. If we like it and print it, we will give you a £10.00 voucher to spend with us online.

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