Our top 5 Rainy Day Activities for Children
It’s that time of year again; unfortunately the dull & grey British winter has arrived and sorry to say it …. but it becomes inevitable that kids (and poor parents) up and down the land will have to spend their weekends indoors. Fear not, the Heavensent team have compiled our best rainy-day activities for kids. We are aiming to share our tried and tested methods with you – in the hope we may give a little inspiration to those parents out there who don’t want their little one glued to the; iPad and T.V until Santa arrives with a whole new mountain of toys!
You’ll find some classic activities and some more quirky ones below to keep your little one entertained!
Baking
A classic rainy day activity – every kid loves making their own treats, it satisfies their sweet tooth and fingers crossed they will be good enough to share! You have to have your wits about you though – from experience, if you don’t watch out, the mixture seems to disappear before it’s even in the oven! Here’s a couple of tips to make your little one’s experience in the kitchen enjoyable and keep your stress levels to a minimum.
- Keep it simple – especially if this is your child’s first attempt at baking, as we all know the more complicated a task the quicker they become bored, so make sure you choose a recipe that’s easy to complete so they can be involved in the whole baking process – fairy cakes are a personal go to!
- Preparation is key – no matter the recipe, there will ultimately be an aspect that a little one will struggle to complete, so we suggest preparing all of the ingredients beforehand to ensure there are no tears in the kitchen when your child isn’t allowed to grate the carrot for those of you who like a slice of carrot cake or 2!
Stuck for inspiration? Checkout the specially selected links below for ideas for both a sweet or healthy snack you can make with your child!
http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipes/tag-5485/muffins-for-kids-recipes.aspx?o_is=DH_3
http://www.superhealthykids.com/recipe-category/dessert/
Have a fashion show
What girl doesn’t love to sparkle? For those parents out there with girls – helping them organise their very own fashion show is a “no-brainer” as an indoor activity.
Simply lay a sheet on the floor that can double up as a catwalk and for those parents feeling adventurous, send Dad up to the attic to dig out the fairy lights to place alongside your catwalk – gives it that extra special touch, dim the lights and Voila! Brothers can join in as the Compare and resident D.J.
Then sit back, relax and watch as your kids “strut their stuff” down their own runway … beware – your best heels may get a thrashing, watch out for the trail of make-up, nail varnish and the inevitable out-pouring of glitter.
Indoor Camping
This never fails, great for all ages – and all the family (our dogs love a spot of camping) to enjoy from the comfort of your front room. All you have to do is lay a few duvets & blankets on your living room floor, surround with the dining room chairs and hang over some sheets. Get the Kiddo’s to put cushions & pillows, here, there and everywhere. It’s the ultimate comfort for us “fair-weather campers”!
Don’t forget- make sure the tent faces the TV, so you can all snuggle down for a family movie before bed – a hot chocolate with marshmallows … that’s the perfect way to end the day!
Indoor Scavenger Hunt
This activity is guaranteed to keep your kids entertained for hours, although it does require some prior planning on your end! We would recommend organizing this when the little ones are asleep and before you settle down with that glass of wine (being tipsy could prove disastrous … albeit amusing).
Typically, most treasure hunts require Mum and Dad to hide a number of little prizes around the house and subsequently write a number of clues (don’t make them too hard or there will be tears!) which will result in your kids discovering their prize.
The challenge of working out your clues adds a little more excitement to the process and an underlying theme is a good way to keep mixing it up for those further inevitable rainy days!
For some hints and tips checkout the below top 10 scavenger hunts for kids.
https://www.notimeforflashcards.com/2014/01/indoor-scavenger-hunts-for-kids.html
Hide & Seek
Now we couldn’t end this post without suggesting what can only be described as a “golden oldie”, the world-famous hide & seek. Although kids tend to be easy to find with their constant giggling, this timeless classic can keep children entertained for hours if you play your cards right, you can extend their fun and pretend that they are impossible to find! We have to lock our dogs away – as no matter how hard we try and explain the rules .. they keep on finding everyone !
Also, be very careful (I speak from experience) your little one doesn’t jump out of their OBVIOUS hiding place when you least expect it and give you a mini heart attack!
Clay modelling
Our little Matthew’s fave activity! We don’t buy play-dough as we find it too messy and plasticine is not malleable enough. Air drying clay is our “go-to”, it’s cheap, easy to work with, not messy, is great for dexterity, stimulates imagination, gets those creative juices flowing and helps channel concentration … it ticks all the boxes for us – and ultimately it provides endless fun.
We’ve used a lot of brands and the best by far (in our opinion) is from Home Bargains, here’s the link and a few pics of Matthew’s masterpieces. It’s not hard to see he’s a fan of Dinosaurs – This is great way to spend time with your kids (I personally love making jewellery and cup-cakes, it is therapeutic – honest !), a must-have in any parents’ arsenal.
We have used the more premium brands in the past but we have found home bargains £3.99 pack is just as good if not better than a high-street toys retailer, check out the link below for more information!
http://www.homebargains.co.uk/products/2095-super-clay-12-colours-pack.aspx