In Belgium it rains about one day in two, and in autumn it can feel like every day. Children still need to move, make things and get bored in a useful way. Here are twelve ideas we use at home, sorted by how much energy the adults have left.
When you have energy: go out anyway
Scandinavians say there’s no bad weather, only bad clothes. With waterproof trousers and wellies, rain is just another kind of play.
- Puddle measuring. Take a stick, measure the depth of every puddle on the street and find the deepest. Very scientific. Very wet.
- Bug hunt. Rain brings out snails, slugs and worms. Count them, or check who has moved into the insect hotel.
- Stick boats. Race leaves and sticks down a gutter or a stream. Same idea as Poohsticks, different weather.
- Kite after the storm. The wind behind a rain front is often steady and strong. If it’s dry for an hour, it’s kite time. Stay well away from power lines.
When you have some energy: build something
- The longest marble run. Use every block, book and kitchen roll in the house. A wooden marble run is a good backbone.
- A den. Chairs, a sheet and pegs. Or a castle that gets coloured in over the course of a week.
- Tower challenge. Who can build the tallest tower with magnetic tiles before it falls? Measure it against the door frame.
- Floor is lava. Cushions, a balance board as a bridge, and a sofa as an island. Gets energy out fast.
When you have no energy left: sit down together
- A puppet show. The children perform, you are the audience. Lying on the sofa counts as watching. A tabletop theatre helps, but socks work too.
- A co-operative game. Twenty minutes where everyone is on the same side. Otter Rapids was designed for exactly this.
- Restaurant. The children cook in the play kitchen and take your order. You only have to eat imaginary soup.
- Doctor’s surgery. You are the patient. You get to lie down. Everyone wins. (Dr. Pip’s Bag provides the equipment.)
And let them be bored
Not every minute of a rainy day needs a plan. Children who are left alone with a few open-ended toys and nothing on a screen will usually, after a short protest, invent something better than any of the twelve ideas above.
