A rainy weekend or school holiday can feel daunting! But don't worry, we've got ten free kids activities for a rainy day that'll keep them entertained. Loads of options for different ages and all requiring very little prep!
1. Indoor scavenger hunt
This will keep them busy for a while! Create a list of clues describing items kids will know that are around the house. Children write the name of the item on the list once they find it. Younger children might need some supervision and you can make the clues more challenging for the older ones. Find ideas and inspiration for all ages at Ice Breaker Ideas.
2. Craft activities
A rainy day is a great opportunity to dig out those forgotten arts and crafts supplies. Try painting or drawing. If you've not got much to hand, a collage only requires some paper and glue. We love challenging kids to create spaceships or buildings from boxes and cartons that are ready for recycling!
Our Eco-Friendly Art Gift Set contains all you need for a creative afternoon, with six non-toxic, natural earth paints, three vegan-friendly paintbrushes and a gorgeous blank fabric notebook made by hand in Tanzania.
3. Build a den or fort
Timeless. We all enjoy a rainy afternoon creating our very own fort hideaway. Encourage kids to work together to create a cosy den using blankets, sheets and a sofa or chair. Suggest enjoying a story, film or snack together with them in their den when they're finished.
4. Baking - real or imaginary!
A day inside is a great opportunity to whip up something delicious! Children love to bake and there's loads to learn by carefully measuring and combining ingredients, timing the bake and decorating the finished product. Find 64 kids baking recipes on BBC Good Food.
If you're looking for a less messy alternative with no supervision required check out our Toy Baking Set in Fair Trade Cotton - complete with cute cotton whisk, mixing bowl and baking tins!
5. Visit the museum or library
Sometimes, even on a rainy day, we need to break free of the house! Your local library or museum might provide a great place to spend a couple of hours. Alongside the regular exhibitions and activities, many museums and libraries will hold special events for children during school holidays so you might get a break too. It's well worth having a search and finding out what's going on near you.
6. Host an indoor tea party or picnic
If you can't get outdoors, bring the outdoors to you! Make lunch or snack time a little more fun with an indoor tea party or picnic. Lay a rug on the carpet, invite some toy friends and enjoy some real or pretend food. Our Fair Trade Cotton Tea Party Toy Tea Set can make it extra special!
7. Create your own jigsaw
Great to keep them entertained with minimal supervision, all this requires is a big sheet of paper or card. Encourage kids to draw or paint a special picture, taking care to make a detailed pattern all over. Once it's finished and the paint has dried, draw jigsaw shaped pieces on the back and help children cut them out. Then turn them over and complete your very own jigsaw!
8. Play shops
A game of shops can be quickly improvised and is a great opportunity to practice some maths skills. Encourage children to set up their own shop, choosing what they'd like to sell and laying it out to make it look good for customers - maybe fruit and veg? Or shoes? Or perhaps toys? They can then take turns to play both the role of shopkeeper and customer, pricing items and practicing paying and providing the correct change.
9. Design your own game
Designing a game can be adapted to any age. Younger kids might like to create their own version of pairs or snap by making cards with drawings of their favourite animals. Older kids can get more creative, encourage them to adapt a classic or create and test their very own board game. This can make a great ongoing project to return to over several days or the whole holiday. Make sure you make time to join them for a game when they're finished!
10. Make your own music!
Can you create a "house band" by finding creative ways to make musical instruments in your own home? Try jars with rice inside for shakers, pans or containers for drums, spoons for percussion, a tube as a horn, the list goes on!
If you're still looking for ideas, we have loads of eco-friendly toys and craft ideas. Check out discovering our world for toys that help kids learn through play, toys to build, make and learn for engaging toys, games, arts and crafts to build, make and learn or dress up and decorate for dress up, role play toys and special decorative touches for kids' rooms.
At Good Things you’ll find inspiring ethical and sustainable gifts that support charities, empower people and protect our planet. Discover gifts for all ages and inspiring ideas like cards that plant trees, handmade cushions empowering people in Tanzania and eco toys made from recycled milk bottles. Have a look at our collections.
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