Busting April showers: Indoor fun for when you can’t go outside
We’re all about that “no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes” vibe, but sometimes there are days when you’re just not leaving the house - there’s lightning, it’s raining, a kid is recovering from an illness, and so on.
Here’s our tried and true list of ideas to combat the rainy-day blues:
Sensory Play
Make a sensory bin with cups, spoons, and an empty plastic tub.
Fill with rice for a taste-safe option for ages 0-3.
Use kinetic sand, dried beans, or water beads for kids 6+.
Play dough (store-bought or homemade) is great for all ages!
Kids 0-2 might enjoy a taste-safe recipe.
Ages 6+ can practice spelling words or making 3D sculptures using play dough.
Freeze tiny figures or objects (plastic animals, Lego Minifigures, pom poms, etc.) in a tub of water. After it’s frozen solid, run the tub under some warm water until the ice block comes out, then let your child free the objects! An older child can use a small hammer (throw on some eye protection just in case!), or a younger child can use a squirt bottle of warm water.
Need a few more ideas? Check out Popsicle bath, color bath, Lego bath, or pom-pom bath.
Get Crafty
Have a roll of craft paper or wrapping paper?
Have your child lie down on the paper while you trace their outline (flip the wrapping paper over to the plain side!). Let them fill in their features and favorite outfit.
Older kids can practice mixed media and add yarn hair or buttons on their shirt!
More of a cook than a crafter?
Instant pudding is a quick and easy treat, and if you have an older child, they can do it entirely by themselves.
If your family is more experienced in the kitchen, have you tried homemade pasta? It’s delicious; even the littlest one can help roll dough or sprinkle flour.
Add food coloring to plain yogurt to make taste-safe finger paint for babies and toddlers! You can put it on paper or let them paint on their highchair tray.
For those who love drawing, check out directed draws on YouTube.
Our favorite is Art for Kids Hub. Check out the surprise drawings - a preteen favorite - or the preschool drawings for the younger crowd.
Teenagers? Lure them from their device and build a Lego marble run!
CityKiddo Henry beating the rainy-day blues playing board games.
Move Around
Plan a scavenger hunt!
Let them run around while you sit on the couch, a win-win! You can personalize the scavenger hunt to your child’s developmental stage: Working on letter sounds? “Find me something that starts with an ‘ssss’ sound!” Colors? “Find something red!” Number sense? “Find me five things that are the same!”
Try our Cosmic Kids Yoga (here and on YouTube).
Check out their stories for every interest, pop culture included.
The videos are a good workout if you want to join in, or keep your child engaged if you need a minute to yourself!
Grab some blue painter's tape and make roads on the floor.
It’ll stick to carpet, hardwood, or tile but will remove easily. Kids can line up toy cars, action figures, small animals - whatever they feel led to fill their city with!
Want another simple rainy-day activity? Take inspiration from Bluey, and play Keepy Uppy with a balloon.
INDY Mamas:
Check out our FAV places to play indoors on a rainy day!
Wind Down
When you need a quieter indoor activity, check out these options:
The read-alouds on YouTube (we love this PBS playlist), or your library’s ebook app for free ebooks and audiobooks - Hoopla or Libby are common options.
A good podcast helps everyone wind down - we’re big fans of But Why and Wow in the World!
If you're looking for an audio player that your kid can operate solo during quiet time:
Tonies Player is a big hit for preschoolers! They can easily place a small plastic figure on the speaker and hear a story featuring that character.
For the older crowd, a Yoto Player is the same idea but with customizable content - you can put those favorite podcasts on a card for them to play on demand!
