It’s spring in New England which means, chances are, it’s probably raining. Again. But just because it’s another wet day and there’s standing water in your basement, doesn’t mean it has to be dreary! Here is your rainy-day survival guide for your family with some great ideas to survive those drizzly spring days ahead.
Movie Matinee
Choosing a favorite movie, popping some popcorn (maybe with some candy), and snuggling up on the sofa can be a perfect way to spend a rainy afternoon. If you want to add a little bit of magic, print out some pretend movie tickets and give them to your child before ushering them to their seat.
If you need to get out of the house, most movie theaters in Massachusetts offer discounted tickets on Tuesdays and often run specials on snacks, too!
Indoor Olympics
For those kids who have bounds of energy, try hosting an indoor Olympics! Use household items to mimic traditional Olympic sports or create your own silly ones (think that one episode of The Office where they do this). Make your own medals with construction paper and string.
Here are some ideas to help you get started:
- Pillowcase sack race
- Balloon volleyball
- Fencing with paper towel rolls or wrapping paper rolls
- Cardboard box bobsleds
- Stuffed animal weightlifting (who can stack the most in their arms without dropping)
- Sock speed skating
- Tupperware stack (who can get the highest)
Bake off
This can be fun with just one parent and child but is particularly awesome if you have multiple kids. Host your own baking competition in the style of Nailed It. Choose a crazy theme, like outer space, unicorns, or extreme weather. Then grab a bunch of ingredients (the more random the better), set a timer, and off you all go! There are a lot of variations on this depending on the age of your children. You can use cake mixes, you can bake from scratch, or you can go no-bake! If you want to add more of the game show feel, take video interviews of your children during the creation process.
Reading Forts
Gather chairs, pillows, and blankets and build a reading fort with your child. If you have more than one child, try building a mega fort or building individual forts that display their personality. Once the fort is built, have them decorate it to make it feel cozy – maybe some holiday lights, favorite stuffed animals, or even some freshly drawn artwork just for the occasion.
Once your fort is complete, it’s time to gather your favorite books and enjoy on this rainy-day! A few special, optional embellishments to this activity are taking a trip to the library to gather your reading material and making hot cocoa to sip in your cozy hideaway.
Art Show
Host a homemade art show! Gather all your art supplies and have your child create a piece of art in various styles: impressionistic, still life, sculpture, modern art, etc. Next, create name tags for each piece of art and put them on display throughout the house. You can then tour their art show, while they answer any questions you might have about their creations.
Spa
Time for some self-care – spa style! Set the mood by playing soothing music – think classical, sound bath, meditation playlists on Spotify. Do bath time with a bath bomb (or a shower with a shower steamer) and then follow it up with pampering! Use a facemask or cut up some cucumbers and relax with a slice over each eye (my youngest daughter thinks this makes it the real deal). Then do a foot soak followed by home pedicures and manicures. You can also do makeup and a special hairstyle if you wish to complete your look!
Rain Regatta
If you don’t mind getting a little wet, put your raincoats and rainboots on and head outside for a rain regatta! Start by building boats with recycled products that float. Your kids can then decorate them with stickers, paints, markers, and construction paper sails. Once your boats are ready, head for the biggest puddle or stream of water and set sail. You can create races by using a stopwatch and blowing on or fanning the sails to get your boats to move across the water.
Get Out of the House
Maybe these at-home activities aren’t for you, or maybe it’s the 5th day in a row of rain and you need to get out NOW. We’ve got you covered! Check out our Guide to Indoor Play Places in Central Mass for ideas on where to go when you need to get out of the house.
What are some of your favorite rainy-day activities to do?
