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8 Fun Rainy Day Activities for Kids
By Holly Campbell
As a mom with a young kid, I know how aggravating it can be having your kids stuck in the house on rainy days. You need new fun ideas to keep children busy. A kid stuck inside the house without a lot of space to romp around could start whining and get really cranky, and the same collection of old toys can do little to jolly a crying child. These creative and fun activities are really worth their weight in gold, low on cost and high on fun. Let's chase those rainy day blues away and bring the fun indoors!
Super Fun Indoor Activities that Kids Love!
1. Create an obstacle course in the house using common things like chairs, boxes, quilts to go under and over, couch cushions to climb over and toys to jump over. Or, play "hide and seek" – take 3 plastic cups and your kid's favorite small toy. Hide the toy under one of the cups and ask your little one to guess which cup has the toy.
2. Butterfly painting and hand printing are exciting, if you don't mind mess. Mix your tempura paints in 2 or 3 colors onto a paper plate. Fold a large piece of white construction paper in half. Show your kid how to spoon a little paint onto one half of the paper, taking care not to go over folded crease.
Then fold the paper in half on the original fold line and gently smooth over the outside and spread the paint between the folds.
Reopen the paper and you will have a mirror image on both sides of your paper. This activity is fun to repeat with a whole series of different patterns. Allow paintings to dry completely.
When paintings are dry, cut out butterfly shape wings while the paper is folded again on the original fold. If they're small then you can decorate your kid's masterpieces on bedroom window or if large enough, stick them on walls to admire.
To jazz up hand printing crafts, try gray paint for an elephant, paint junior's fingers for legs and thumb for the trunk. Then a finger print for eye and so on.
You can also paint just your toddler's palm and fingers black, and do two over-
3. If your kid get tired of regular old paint, or if he enjoy finger painting, then
this is a great activity to do – in a bowl, mix daddy's shaving cream with a little
food coloring. Then, let little Picasso spread the colored cream over a piece of
construction paper to draw creative designs that bleed into each other.
Finger paints
need not be limited to store bought paints. Many food and baking supplies can be
transformed into great edible paints. Edible paint is so much fun for young kids
to explore texture, taste and create art at the same time!
Pudding Finger Paint:
1 large package instant vanilla pudding
2 cups ice cold water
Food coloring
Whisk
instant pudding and water together in a bowl for 2 minutes. Refrigerate for 5 minutes.
Divide the pudding paint into several small containers or a muffin tin and add different
food coloring to each for a thin paint. If you want a thicker texture, just mix up
the pudding as per package instructions or buy the canned, ready-
To make Kool-
Mix
the dry ingredients in a bowl. Add water and oil, stir. Kids just love to watch the
color change. Use glossy finger paint paper sprayed with a bit of water.
For Jello
Finger Paint, simply mix 1 packet jello ( any flavor) into 2 tablespoons hot water
until it is a good consistency for finger paint. Let cool for 5 to10 minutes before
giving it to your kid. Kids love the smell and feel of jello finger paint, the trick
here is to paint for a tin foil for a neat effect.
If you don't have the ingredients
for edible paints, here's a "bread" art that toddlers love. Get a few slices of white
bread, food colorings, milk, small cups, a new paintbrush and a bread toaster. Pour
a little amount of milk into each cup and drop a few food colorings (different cups
of milk for different colors). Using a new paintbrush, your toddler can paint designs
or pictures onto the bread. Don't soak the bread, just use enough "paint" for the
picture to show up. Now, pop the bread into the toaster for edible art!
4. Bake something without heat! You need a banana, 3-
5. Put on a DVD or CD geared for kids (such as "Old Den Tucker", "Muffin Man", "Polly
Wolly Doodle" etc) or even switch on the radio, your little ones will jump right
in and dance all over the place! Keep-
6. If it has stopped raining, put on his gumboots, take your child out for some splashing
in the puddles, search for worms, catch water coming out from rain spouts, etc. Or,
stand him on a chair at the sink, fill the washing up bowl and give him plastic containers,
jugs, sieves and funnels to play with. Pouring, filling and emptying gives your kid
an off-
7. Another fun activity for the water lover is to go fishing but indoors – create a fishing pond in the house – grab a small tub, add in some water, fake fish, and other little toys or things in it. Then take a fishing ‘net’, scoop and go fishing!
8. Build a tent out of blankets and kitchen chairs or other household furniture. Use pillows, stuffed animals or anything soft for the sides and flooring to protect your kids. I used some old sheets and tied some string to the four corners. Then tie them to door handles, bedposts, or baby cribs for their roof. Just be sure it is sturdy and nothing will fall on them while playing.
You can make safe, non-
Make New Crayons from Old Broken Stubs
Learn how to make new crayons out of old crayons easily and save money on kids' art supplies.
How to Make Safe Toys for Children
Who says homemade kids toys can't be just as fun as store bought ones? Learn to make kids toys for less!
Learn tips on how to cook with children and help them learn in the kitchen while doing so.
Benefits of Cooking with Your Children
Read how and why cooking helps your kids grow and learn in life.
Teach kids to be safe while swimming or around pools and what you can do to make your home water safe.
Learn to pick safe kids toys so that your kids stay safe and avoid injuries while playing with their favorite toy.
A guide to choosing age-
5 Fun and Easy Summer Crafts for Kids
Keep kids busy this summer with easy-
Homemade Valentine’s gifts are a wonderful way for children to express their love to special people in their lives, and to see the joy that their gift brings to others.
Find tips on how to teach children to knit, including a knitting rhyme to help kids remember the basic steps.
Step-
A n easy kids crafts made from recycled plastic spoon. Great fun and good for the environment too!
Kids Craft Using Reycled Materials
Let kids learn how to recycle common household items into creative crafts with these easy ideas.
How to Make Seashell Wind Chime
The sweet melodies of wind chimes create a sense of peace and relaxation. Learn to make homemade seashell wind chime. Easy for kids too!
7 Super Fun Family Exercise Ideas
Make exercise fun with inexpensive fitness activities to get your whole family moving and laughing, and into shape in no time!
10 Cheap Family Entertainment Ideas
Ideas and activities for the whole family that are affordable or even free!
10 Creative Ways to Recycle CDs
Don't toss those unwanted CDs. These fun ideas make you want to reuse and recycle disks into something really useful for yourself and your home!
