Rainy days and Mondays
April 11, 2012 1:53 pm
I used to love rainy days… until I had children. Why is it that toddlers don’t appreciate rainy days? Now I just wistfully reflect on the Karen Carpenter song and the days I could curl up on the sofa and read or watch movies all day long without interruption.
The same goes for sick days, bed-rest during pregnancy or any of those other types of days where you just want to stay in bed all day. Once you have children, these days often become a new sort of challenge, something you may even dread rather than look forward to.
I’ve found one of the best ways to survive a rainy day (or four) is to try new things. Some of my children’s favorite memories are of days I felt like giving up and tried a new activity out of sheer survival. Sometimes when the going is rough, you can’t always think of what to do next. Thankfully the wonders of the internet, social media and blogs mean you don’t have to be original to survive. Here are some of my family’s favorite rainy day activities:
Indoor picnic. Slap together some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and throw a blanket or sheet on the floor for an indoor picnic. Perfect for a day you don’t feel like cooking! Take it up a notch by sitting near a window so you can watch the rain fall and have a nature moment indoors.
Holiday Reprise. Kids love all the special activities that go along with holidays. Often they want to do them more than once a year. Decorate boiled eggs, write valentines, make paper snowflakes or play Christmas music. Reliving favorite holiday moments will turn a dreary gray day upside down fast!
Make a home video. Break out the camera or phone and let your child create a show. Do they like to tell jokes, act out a favorite book or dance? Catch it on camera and play it over and over again. Even the youngest kids love to see themselves on a screen.
Indoor bowling. Take a quick trip through your recycling bin to find plastic bottles, cardboard oatmeal boxes and more to create your own impromptu bowling alley. Create an early physics lesson using a variety of materials as they roll their favorite ball down the hallway.
These are just a few of our family favorites that all of our children enjoy, regardless of age. What are your favorite rainy day, indoor activities?
About the Author
Heather is mom to four, born within 40 months (single, twins, single). She writes transparently about her chaotic household to encourage others through the twists and turns of parenting.
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