Keeping Toddlers Happy on a Rainy Day

Rainy days with toddlers in the house can be nerve-wrecking. Especially if your only have one, they require constant attention. On a sunny day, it is easy to take your children to the park, playground, or pool to let them run wild and burn all that energy, but rainy days require more creativity to keep them occupied. Here are some activities you can do with your toddlers to keep them happy on a rainy day.

Movie and popcorn- You don’t have to go out and spend a lot of money to get the whole movie experience. One of my 4 year old son’s favorite things to do is watch movies at the house. I pop a bag of popcorn, turn down the lights, and make an event out of it. Most Disney and Pixar movies are enjoyable for both children and adults. It doesn’t need to be a new movie the child has never seen before. It is the experience that will make them happy.

Build something- Children love to build things. Break out the building blocks and legos to keep your child entertained. For a creative twist, try building a house out of playing cards or a fort out of little blocks of cheese.

Hide and Seek- Always a favorite. Just make sure the doors are locked so that they don’t try to hide outside when your not looking.

Clean the house- Believe or not, you can make cleaning the house on a rainy day enjoyable for the children. Make a game out of it. For example, have them gather all the dirty laundry and then have a basketball shoot out, throwing each item into the washer or hamper. Another idea is to place 2 empty containers on the floor and see who can get the most toys off the floor and into their container in 2 minutes.

Color- For even more fun, color really big pictures on poster board or use crayola washable crayons to create a mural on a wall.

Learn to read- Reading books with your little one is a great way to pass the time while challenging their minds.

Board games- Candyland and connect 4 are fun boardgames that even toddlers can enjoy.

Dance- Turn up the radio and have dance party. Your toddlers will love it and you burn calories at the same time.

Sit on the porch- If you aren’t up for a dance part and just want to relax, sit on the front porch or the balcony with your child and just enjoy the sound of the rain. You can relax on a chair while your toddler enjoys holding his hands out to feel the raindrops.

Build a fort-Couch cushions, cardboard boxes, giant Tupperware containers, blankets, whatever you can find. Help them build it and then hang out with them in it for while.

Bake- Children love to eat cookies. They also love to help cook them. Keep a pack of cookie dough in the fridge and let them help you role the balls up and put them on the pan. They will have a blast.

Have a puppet show- Grab some old socks and a magic marker and squat behind the couch and put on a puppet show. If you want to be more creative, use glue, strings, and buttons to give your puppets more character.