Today I present you a list of 10 fun things to do with your kids on a rainy day. Or a really hot day; sometimes in South Texas it gets so hot and humid you don’t even want to step foot outside.
These are all things I do with my kids. Maybe some of these will interest you or perhaps spark an idea for something new to try.
1- Play hide and seek
A perennial favorite; this is even more fun at night. Give each participant a small flashlight and the game takes on a whole new atmosphere. If you really want to spook things up you can hide some Halloween decorations (bats, skeletons, etc) around the house before hand. Then when whoever is “it” goes searching they’ll never know what they’ll find. They’ll get a real kick out of that! So will your spouse if you leave them up when the game is over!
2- Sword Fight
My son especially likes this one. We started with old wrapping paper rolls (I always save them) but after a few sessions they get torn and start to unravel. We now use foam swords we got at the dollar store and a foam lightsaber. Another alternative is those pool noodles but you have to be careful, those are pretty stiff. It’s hard to teach my 6 year old son restraint, he swings like his life depends on it. It sure is fun, just make sure to stay away from breakables and shelves full of Star Wars action figures.
3- Bronco Bustin’
I used to do this a lot when my kiddos were younger but it’s a lot more difficult now that they’re much bigger. What you do is get on the floor on your hands and knees like you’re going to give the kids a pony ride. But once they’re settled you start bouncing around, trying to throw them off. You have to be somewhat gentle about it and be aware of how hard you’re tossing them around but it’s fun and my kids absolutely love this. They still ask to me to do it.
4- Suitcase Ride
This one started when I was packing for a trip when my daughter was about 2 years old. I had her sit down inside my carry-on with her feet hanging out and i pulled it around the house. Again, she loved it. To this day everytime we get a suitcase out for a trip or overnight stay the kids ask for rides. Super silly but super fun.
5- Board Games, Play-Doh, Card Games
I’m putting all these together in one category. Everyone knows about these but sometimes we forget. Kids love to play games and even more so if you play with them. Most of the time it doesn’t even matter what game it is. I still play Candy Land with my kids.
6- Make a Fort/Tent
Another one most people know about but can easily be forgotten. It can be as simple as a blanket draped over the table or setting up a circle of chairs and putting blankets and sheets all over it. Any of these are fun. Its taking your everyday norm and changing it- this is good for everyone and gets the imagination rolling. It’s always fun to read, play, draw, or even watch a movie inside a fort/tent.
7- Camp out in the Living Room
I like to drag the mattresses off my kids bed and set them up in the living room. You could just grab a bunch of blankets and pillows; either way it’s again changing the normal and doing something different. My kids really enjoy when I do this. Most of the time it turns into a huge wrestling match followed by a movie. Can’t beat it!
8- Nerf War
Another favorite of my sons, although my daughter will play sometimes. We always start with a nice supply of darts but by the end of the battle we usually only have 2 or 3 left and one broken one. I suspect if we ever move the last thing we’ll find is a million darts behind all the furniture.
9- Tag
Depending on the size of your house and layout this may or may not be applicable. Naturally it won’t work in an apartment but if you can make it happen it’s fun. Not my wife’s favorite but if it makes the kids laugh I’m cool with it. If you have tile, wood or vinyl flooring it is fun to slide around on as you run for your life.
10- Crafts
You can find tons of arts and craft projects on Google and Pinterest but I wanted to share some of the fun stuff we do. I have a box of scrap paper, paint and art supplies, we’ll bust that out and just see what happens. My kids have discovered another fun art project: painting Hot Wheel cars and Littlest Pet Shop toys. It is always fun to see what color schemes and ideas they come up with.
So there you have it; my list of fun things to do. Most of these don’t cost any money; only a little time and maybe some clean up. I suspect if I were to do this list again next year these 10 would be on here plus a bunch of new ones. That’s the fun of having kids, you get to be a kid yourself; enjoy it! Once my kids get big enough they’re going to pull me around in that suitcase!
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