Of course, everything sails along smoothly under clear, sunny skies; but rainy days create special opportunities for family fun and games. Next time the rain falls from morning until night, carpe diem!
As you plan rainy day activities, keep in mind developmental psychologists forcefully deliver one unforgettable message: You are your children’s favorite plaything and companion, and rainy days will be far more fun for your children and you when you share activities. The experts stress you have only a couple of years between the time your child starts walking and talking and the time she starts school. Every minute is precious, because you prepare your child for her solo ventures into the world, and you create priceless memories for both of you. Similarly, with older children, you have only a couple of good years before they go off to college and get real lives of their own.
• Go on outdoor adventures. Devoted fans of Winnie the Pooh remember that Christopher Robin didn’t care what kind of weather it was so long as he could be out in it. Most kids share Christopher Robin’s opinion. In a slow, steady all-day rain, nothing—absolutely nothing—is better than making a mess in some good clean mud. For health-conscious moms, allergists reassure that children who get good and dirty have fewer allergies and fewer allergy attacks than children who stay perfectly clean and tidy all the time. For moms with light-colored carpets and beautiful hardwood floors, the veterans point out that the kids are already wet; just hose them off, and then get them straight into a hot bath.
• Cook and bake. Always fun, cooking and baking are extra fun on rainy days, when beefy chili or a hearty soup and biscuits or muffins are extra appealing. Experienced, strategic moms encourage the kids to make a mess in the kitchen while they’re preparing their favorite recipes, because a good mess enhances the fun factor; but, more importantly, getting the kids to an added bonus: After a long morning of cooking and cleaning, kids eat well at lunch and then take good, long naps.clean-up their mess assures that both they and the kitchen end-up cleaner and neater than when they began. Mom’s point out
• Break-out the butcher paper. A 1000-foot roll of butcher paper costs about $17 at a restaurant supply store, and kid-savvy moms agree that $17 investment pays dividends for years. Of course, the butcher paper gives you an inexhaustible source of art and craft paper, and it encourages kids to draw big pictures, so they have a lot to color. Butcher paper also is great for making big books and ginormous cross-words; it works especially well for making story boards or scroll stories. In fact, most moms recommend you simply set-out the roll, some scissors, crayons, and other basic art goods, allowing the kids’ imaginations to guide them to all kinds of unexpected fantasy destinations.
• Play your favorite board games. The Parker Brothers surely had rainy days in mind when they invented “Clue” and “Monopoly.” Among fiercely competitive ‘tweens and young teens, a hotly contested game of “Monopoly” can continue all day, especially when accompanied by good snacks and their favorite Disney Channel shows in the background. Card games have similar appeal. Uno, of course, is a perennial favorite, but you may want to prepare the kids for summer sleep-over camp by teaching them the basics of Texas Hold ‘Em.
• Books! Read them, write them, illustrate them. Of course, left to their own devices, kids gleefully will spend entire days glued to the television set—easy, but neither healthy nor genuinely fun. You can, of course, help the kids make imaginary movies in their minds’ eyes by reading to them. No one ever met a child who did not love having an adult read to him or her. Harry Potter is a rainy-day natural; so are the Lemony Snicket Series of Unfortunate Events . Really to engage kids’ imaginations and get them writing their own amazing, adventure-filled stories, look for Chris VanAllsburg’s The Mysteries of Harris Burdick, a brilliantly illustrated collection of provocative story starters.
If your children are a little older, you may want to borrow a page from the Mary Poppins playbook: “In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun.” Seize the opportunity to clean-out the closets and toy boxes, collecting items for donation; or take the day to deep-clean floors and walls and rearrange furniture in the kids’ bedrooms. Add music and a little competition, and these terrible tasks can become fun and games.
Photo credits: Sky Arts Interactive Masterpiece by futureshape/flickr; Reading is fun by John-Morgan/flickr; Life by Will Folsom/flickr
Author Thomas Hathaway is a financial consultant and suggests there are times when instant payday loans may come in handy while waiting for your regular paycheck date.
Do you mind if I quote a few of your posts as long as I provide credit and sources back to your site? My website is in the exact same niche as yours and my users would really benefit from a lot of the information you provide here. Please let me know if this okay with you. Cheers!
@Bernard you are welcome to quote as long as you give the due credit because I think that is what blogging is about. Writing your own piece, reading and then sharing others experiences.
I would love to visit your website and so do the readers. You are welcome to share the link of your website.
utopian recently posted..Your Parenting Style?
My family members all the time say that I am killing my time here at web, however I know I am getting familiarity everyday by reading such pleasant content.
These are all cool and I think this will be the best for rainy days too…Thanks for the idea…
Jezziel recently posted..how to cure acne
I like all the information you give as very useful..This kind of idea is really good..Thanks for sharing..
WendyLavigne recently posted..Mixing Music Mix 101 (1)
Thanks for sharing this kind of idea..Very cool about rainy days..
Tana recently posted..PPI
Those are all great ideas; I also recommend about teaching them to reuse and recycle, you can have a lot of fun recycling paper, by shredding it and adding flower and turning it into new paper. Or you can make paper dolls with paper shreds as hair.
OH !! For sure !! I love rainy days !! So cool they are
There are lot of kids activities which can be done indoor. You can engage them with toys, cars for boys and dolls and like minded stuff for girls. But if they in the middle ages then video games, Internet games, Wii games, PSP or PS3 types of games are very famous. But please keep in mind that there should be a time limit for children who plays indoor games because it’s a medical study that most of children who mostly use indoor games become dull and lethargic. So there must be some physical activities and which can’t be performed in indoor except using indoor exercises. For this, I prefer Wii games which is very good for any age, as my son is 7 years old and was addicted to cartoons. It also affects eyes for excessive watching on TV. Now I made a time table for my children for indoor, outdoor games and for studies.
Lovejoy recently posted..Student Insurance Advice
My spouse and I stumbled over here from a different web page and thought I might as well check things out. I like what I see so i am just following you. Look forward to looking over your web page repeatedly.
I love the pics you’ve included…they really add to the
power of your post. And of course, pull us away from
the dull, drearies of a rainy day, into the vibrancy
and fun of spending quality time together!
Great job.
Thanks for the pick me up!
ML
Martha@Mesothelioma Lawyer recently posted..Mesothelioma Outcomes
I believe that having indoor activities for children are very helpful. Thou it rains outside, It is still fun to have activities indoor with parents.
Mika Castro recently posted..חינוך
This is a good suggestion! Activities like painting and drawing can be done by kids inside the house or schools during the rainy season. Aside from the fun they will experience, it can also developed their creativity and talent.
Divina recently posted..Printable Maxwell House Coffee Coupons
I have gather my children in different kind of activities at home, But still i letting them playing with rain as long as that I am there watching them over, Because i want that my children will not be curious about these thing while they are young.
Lux.12 recently posted..ppi refund
Excellent post! Keep up the informative work!
Thanks for sharing this wonderful activities during rainy days. This is a good idea to develop their talents in drawing and other fun activities. And this is one of the best way to prevent children in playing computers games all day.
karla recently posted..Happy New Year To All Of You And Hope You Like The Aquarium Fish Photos Here …
I remember when I was young mom and dad letting me playing with rain but giving up some advice in my limitation, Its really full of fun, especially when I was together with my friends.
Doane*16 recently posted..Trouble Getting Pregnant
Great ideas, definitely will use some of them during rainy days.
Thank you for the post.
Great ideas, definitely will use some of them. Liked playing monopoly the best board game ever!
Carol recently posted..Toronto Real Estate In High Demand
TV is evil, these ideas are great! Do not want that my children staying all day in front of TV.
Jean recently posted..Investing For My Future
I use an iPad to entertain my kids during rainy days. There are so many very cool apps.
Herb recently posted..Whey Herbie Likes Herbs