Indoor Activities for Families on Rainy Days
It’s raining, it’s pouring, but your day doesn’t have to be boring… If you’re stuck inside on a wet weather day, and you’ve run out of books to read or movies to watch, this is the blog for you! Below is a short list of indoor activities we’ve compiled that are sure to entertain you and your loved ones for hours, if not days. So check them out, and fill your rainy days with fun!
Create your own board game
There are a lot of excellent board games out there, but sometimes you want to try something you haven’t played 100 times. This is one of those indoor activities that lets your imagination run wild, and gives your kids an opportunity to create something personal to them.
What you’ll need:
- Scissors
- Glue
- Tape
- Marker pens
- Multi-coloured square post-it notes or construction paper
- A large roll of paper or large piece of cardboard – this can be plain, or have some design on it (e.g. wrapping paper)
- A single die
- Playing pieces – these can literally be anything small enough to move around your board (e.g. coins, toys, buttons, other game pieces)
Making the game:
- Unroll your paper over a large desk, table, or flat surface and cut it to a size that suits you, or place your large piece of cardboard on the flat surface
- Let your children create their own game path by placing the post-it notes (or construction paper cut into squares) on the large “board”, mixing up the order of the different colours. Once they’re happy with the positions, glue each square onto the board to secure it.
- Using more paper squares, work with your kids to write game instructions or actions, such as: hop on one leg across the room, spin around three times, create a unique beat by drumming on the table, sing a song lyric and others name that song, name the countries in the UK, answer multiple choice questions, invent a creature by combining two animals etc.
- Leave most of the glued game path squares blank, but on some of them write movement blockers or adjusters such as “move backwards/forwards 3”, “miss a turn”, or “roll again”.
- Establish your own family rules for who goes first, what happens if someone can’t perform an activity, and if there are any other fun rules you all agree on.
Playing the game:
- Take turns rolling the die and moving along the board according to the number shown.
- Choose an action card that matches the colour you land on each time, and perform that action. If you can’t perform the action, refer to your established rules.
- The winner is the first player to reach the end and perform that final action correctly.
Scale modelling together
Whether you have young children, or they’re in their teenage years, scale modelling is an excellent way to bond with them and work on a long-term project that will eat up those rainy days. If you’re yet not convinced of its merits, check out our Top 5 Reasons to Build Scale Models with your Children. And if you’re ready to take this hobby seriously, check out our latest DIY Projects Guide!
Our easy scale models, including the famous 1:16 scale Fokker Dr.I Red Baron plane, come with simple plans that will have you and your children building a model the whole family can be proud of. And if you’re in need of more challenging indoor activities, take a look at our wide range of large scale model kits!
Baking or cooking together
Yes, baking and cooking with your children may leave your kitchen looking like a warzone. But this is a fun-filled activity that not only keeps them entertained, but if you’ve done a decent job you’ll also be rewarded with a delicious meal or baked treats. That’s good enough for us!
For a huge range of fun and tasty baking recipes, check out this list from Delicious Magazine.
And for some easy meal idea for your mini chefs, here are some great options from BBC Good Food!
From board games to scale models to cooking, these are only a few of the fun indoor activities you can try to keep you, and your children entertained during those rainy days. The important thing with all of these suggestions is that you keep things light, encourage cooperation, and enjoy the experience, not just the result. What are your go-to indoor activities? Share your suggestions in the comments, and on our social media channels!
