Don't let a little precipitation keep your kids parked on the couch all day: Try one of these rainy day activities, games, or outings that encourage physical activity (and keep the "I'm bored" complaints to a minimum too).
1. Play treasure hunters.
This is one of those rainy day activities that requires a little advance parental prep, but is always a big hit with kids (whether it's a rainy day or not, really!). Stash clues around the house (adjust difficulty based on the ages of your kids; use picture cues for little ones, tricky puns for older children), directing kids to hunt for a hidden prize. Mix things up by directing kids to move to the next clue in an extra-active way: hopping on one foot or pumping arms overhead, for example. The prize can be a healthy snack, movie tickets, a new puzzle, etc.2. Let's put on a show!
Challenge a group of kids to stage a play or talent show. Give them a theme or opening lines to get them started, if they need a little jump start (how about "Once upon a time, in the kingdom of Rainy Days, a princess was born with webbed duck feet ... ").3. Bring outdoor games in for a surprising switch on rainy day activities.
Play basketball with a soft foam or sponge ball, or just wad up some newspaper; the hoop can be any basket or receptacle (either hung on the wall or resting on the floor). Have kids shoot from different parts of the room or in different ways, in an indoor version of HORSE. Basketball not your speed? Try indoor bowling.4. Take a fit field trip.
Catherine Holecko
Hit an indoor pool (if you don't have a gym or community center membership, check hotels—they sometimes sell day passes), ice or roller rink, climbing wall, bowling alley, or inflatables play space to blow off steam.
5. Make a sand-free sandbox for lots of rainy day activities.
Use a large plastic bin, dishpan, or aluminum-foil roasting pan as your box. Fill with rice or oatmeal and stock with scoops, funnels, spoons, toy cars, a plastic tea set—whatever suits your child's interests.6. Teach your dog some new tricks.
These charming, kid-friendly dog-training suggestions keep both pets and kids busy on boring rainy days.7. Let's go to the videotape!
Have any fitness videos? Break them out and do them together. If you're bored with your selection, see what's offered on cable—I love ExerciseTV—or hit the library or video store. Or challenge your kids to choreograph their own routines, then film them with your video camera!8. Get wet anyway!
Catherine Holecko
Suit up with boots, raincoats, and warm socks and get outside—you won't melt. Splash in the puddles. Belt out "Singin' in the Rain" while you twirl your umbrella. Impersonate ducks, frogs, and fish. When you come inside, swap chilly rain gear for a warm bath or a cup of soup.
9. Set up a rainy-day construction site.
Break out the couch cushions, old blankets, hula hoops, and cardboard boxes and have the kids build a fort or an obstacle course. We also like Cranium's Super Fort (compare prices), a set of foam rods, nylon sheets, and clamps to hold them all together. We've used ours to make a clubhouse, airplane, tractor-trailer, and more.
10. Up, up, and away!
Blow up some balloons and play keep-away (don't let yours touch the floor!). Or use paper fans to play a version of table tennis: Use your fan to create gusts of air to blow your balloon across the table towards an opponent—get it past her to score a point. (Remember, the scraps from popped balloons are a choking hazard, so take precautions if you have small children.)11. Get crafty.
Painting a large mural or pounding clay works your child's muscles too. Spread out a big sheet of paper (in the garage or basement if you can!) and try different ways to paint, from spattering to footprints to rolling old balls in paint and then on paper. Messy? Yes! But good for lots of laughs too.12. Get your game on.
Stock your toy shelf with games that encourage kids to move, from classics like Twister (compare prices) to new hits like the Nintendo Wii (compare prices), Wild Planet Hyper Dash (compare prices, or Cranium's Hullabaloo (compare prices).
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