Our Favorite Activities for a Rainy Day

The struggle with spring and small kids is real. Yes, the days are finally getting longer. Chances of a blizzard are low (but not impossible, knock on wood!). And summer planning begins. But then comes the rain. Getting cozy with a movie or having a lazy day inside just isn’t as appealing after a New England winter.

So what to do to avoid succumbing to rainy day cabin fever with kids? 

Build a fort

Haul out blankets and sheets, clothespins, and extra chairs. Turn a living room, playroom, or any room into a rainy day oasis. My kids like for me to help them drape the blankets across the couches, pull in extra chairs for reinforcement, and clip everything in place with clothespins or some sturdier clamps. They drag their stuffed animals and lots of books to their new hideout, and they pretend they’re somewhere else. Until it’s…

Time for a snack

There’s nothing like a rainy day (and an online search) to inspire me to get creative with snacks or lunch. I break out the cookie cutters for sandwiches or build things with pretzels and fruit. And it’s super exciting to eat your snack IN the fort! In my house, fort time usually ends when someone wrecks it, and then I look outside and hope it’s tolerable enough for a…

Puddle walk

When the heavy downpour disappears and you’re left with just drizzle or mist, break out the raincoats, rain boots (snow boots work too!), and clothes you don’t mind getting muddy. My kids love to gear up and head out. Umbrellas are a must! Everyone inevitably ends up wet and muddy. But we’re all a bit more zen and ready to go back inside after some time outside, even in a bit of rain. We put on dry clothes, and then it’s time for…

Games to keep little bodies busy

I’ve made hopscotch on the floor, led an impromptu yoga class, created indoor obstacle courses, played round after round of Simon Says, and more. The “sit still” games work for short periods of time, too — tic-tac-toe, Go Fish or Uno, or rock, paper, scissors. 

One last idea: Make a summer bucket list

My preschool-age kids are old enough now to request their favorite activities. And I feel like we often don’t get to all the fun summer things we want to. This year I want to have a list on our fridge to plan from and to go to when we don’t have something planned. We’ll use some rainy day time together to draw pictures and write up fun activities for when the sun comes out!