We've all had those long and dreary days, filled with miserable rain outside and miserable and whining kids, inside. "What's there to do?" they ask every five minutes. "Why can't we go outside?" "Will this rain ever stop?"
Well, rainy days may ruin some cheerful plans of outside activities, but it doesn't have to be dull, boring, or frustrating inside. With a few careful preparations ahead of time, you can plan on the next rainy day being a day the kids will remember. In fact, they may be wishing for more days of rain.
· Play "I Spy" or "20 Questions". It's quite easy. Each person takes a turn and picks out something in the room. Then, without letting the others know what it is, the person says, "I spy" or "I have something in mind." Then, the others take turns trying to guess what the object is.
· Play cards. You can play the traditional games, or you can invent whole new games for the kids.
· Play "let's pretend" games. Let the kids pretend to be teachers, doctors, nurses, policemen or firemen. Let them dress up in whatever you may have on hand. Then let them play the roles. You might even volunteer to be the patient or bad guy that has to be arrested and taken off to jail.
· Have a picnic or camp out on the living room floor. Let the kids gather blankets and pillows, and whatever they think makes the perfect event. If you have a fireplace, it would be perfect for roasting hot dogs and marshmallows. Be creative and be a little flexible. Sure there will be a mess, but it can be cleaned up. This is the time to let go and let everyone have some fun.
· Have a scavenger hunt or clue hunt. Compile a list of items the kids must find, or, write up and hide a bunch of clues they must solve in order to find the next clue. Let the kids scamper off in search of these otherwise ordinary household items. For that day, the items are much sought after treasures they are collecting. Make it fun, and leave a few rewards for them to find along the way.
· Plan a cultural feast. If you have a handy kitchen nature, and you're knowledgeable about different cultural foods, prepare a cuisine that the kids will love. Let them help. Then, while you are preparing and eating the foods, you can help the kids learn more about these different cultures.
· Have a party. Let the kids pick out some music, then pull out the chips or make some popcorn. Let them dance around the room. Then, let them fall all over themselves with laughter, when you show them how it was done when you were a kid.
· Create simple science projects. You might even have everyday items around the house that you can use. But this is one project you must prepare ahead of time. You need to research the different projects, and make sure you not only have the items you will need, but also make sure it is perfectly safe for the kids.
· Have a fashion show. This is a take-off of the dress-up, but the kids get to try on many different clothes. Let them pick out their own unique and imaginative styles and combos, then model them for you to admire. Let them strut their stuff, and watch them beam with pride as you "oooh" and "ahhh" over their new styles.
· Tell old family stories. The kids always seem to love hearing about the "good old days." Tell them what you did on rainy days when you were a kid. Share the stories your parents used to tell you, and let the kids get to know their ancestors a little better.
· Let the kids build homemade ships and try out their sailing skills in the bathroom. You might even want to let the kids go "swimming" in the tub, while they're at it. After all, you can be sure all of you will end up at least a little wet, by the time all of the ships have been tried and tested on the waters.
· Gather an assortment of items from around the house and let the kids get creative, trying to build some new and ingenious sculpture or object from the different things. If they will be using tape, glue, or other permanent adhesives, you might want to use only those items that you don't mind the kids keeping or discarding.
· Finally, if the weather is only wet, but no thunder or lightning threatens, let the kids take a walk out in the rain. Either take an umbrella, or just let all of you go out, barefooted, and enjoy traipsing through the falling rain and jumping in all of the puddles you encounter. Kids are so used to parents telling them to come in out of the rain, they are sure to love and appreciate a rare opportunity to go out and play in it.
Whatever you do, if you make some advance preparations, the next rainy day at your house is sure to be something more than just another dull and dreary day for the kids - and for you. Let them be themselves, and learn how, where and when you can be flexible. Make the day a special one, and the kids may not ever dread another rainy day again.
