Children’s Games for Rainy Days

Rainy Day Activities Ideas That Are A Lot Of Fun (Maybe Educational Too?)

Whether you are stuck inside for a day or two due to the weather or your kids are bugging you about it because they want something to do, rainy days can certainly be fun. This excellent guide will help you entertain children of all ages on those dreary days that leave the kids bored and looking for things to play with.

You can easily find many incredible indoor games that are entertaining and educational. There is no sense in wasting time indoors when there is so much fun stuff out there to enjoy!

Here are some ideas of what to do indoors on those stormy days so everybody can have a good time.

Indoor Camping

When it’s raining outside, and you can’t go camping, why not have an indoor camping adventure instead! Here are some ideas for games to play:

Camping charades: One person starts by acting out a camping activity, and then the next person takes a turn. Keep going until everyone has had a turn.

Hunt for treasures: Hide objects around the house and have everyone go on a treasure hunt to find them.

Make s’mores: Toast marshmallows over a stovetop or microwave put them on top of graham crackers with some chocolate, and enjoy!

Campfire stories: Tell spooky campfire stories around the living room fire pit (or tell scary stories, or tell stories that are spooky for younger children).

Build a blanket fort: Take over the living room by making a blanket fort! Younger children can make one with their parents. The bigger kids can make them on their own. Don’t forget to play in it after you build it!

Plastic Bottle Bowling

For a fun and easy game that can be played indoors on a rainy day, try plastic bottle bowling. This game is just like regular bowling, but instead of using pins, you use plastic bottles.

To set up the game, place 10 to 12 empty plastic bottles in a triangular formation, with the point of the triangle facing towards you. Then take your ball and bowl at the bottles. If you knock any over, they are out of the game. The player who knocks over the most bottles wins.

Tornado in a Jar

This game is simple to play and can keep children entertained for hours. All you need is a wide-mouth jar, water, food coloring, and vegetable oil.

Add 1/2 cup of water to the jar and add several drops of food coloring.
Add one tablespoon of vegetable oil.
Put the lid on the jar and shake well until the food coloring is mixed with the water.
Turn the jar over so that the lid is on the bottom, and watch as a tornado forms inside!

Kids love to watch tornadoes form in a jar, and there’s no better way to do it than when they’re cooped up inside on a rainy day.

Ping Pong Ball Throw

To set up the game, you need an open area in your home (a long hallway works best) and some rubber bands or thick elastic. With this game, you throw a ping pong ball with rubber bands wrapped around it at targets that are hung on the wall.

The catch is you must stand farther away from each target depending on how old your children are. For example, if there are three targets in total, place the first two 5 feet away and the last 10 feet away. Everyone takes turns throwing their balls at their targets. Whoever gets theirs closest to the bullseye wins!

Painted Foods

Games for children can be educational and fun, even when rain keeps them indoors. One enjoyable and instructive game is to paint pictures of edible foods with washable markers or crayons.

Not only will the youngsters have fun coloring their favorite food items, but they will also learn about the different colors and shapes of various edibles. Parents can point out which foods are good for them and which ones they should avoid as a bonus. This activity can help promote healthy eating habits in children early.

Fireplace S’mores

One fun game to play on a rainy day is “fireplace s’mores.” Here’s how to play:

You’ll need some paper, a marker, and scissors.
Cut out circles from the paper, and then draw a s’more on each one.
Hang the circles from the ceiling with string or tape, making sure that the s’mores are at different heights so that players will have to reach up to get them.

To play, take turns trying to grab a circle without touching the floor. If you touch the floor, you’re out! The player who collects the most circles wins.

Scoop Race

Another fun indoor game to try on a rainy day is a scoop race. To play, you’ll need an adult and a baby spoon.

Have your child place a bowl of water and another empty bowl on a table.
The adult then fills the baby spoon with water from the bowl and gives it to the child, who must transfer the water into the second bowl without spilling a drop.

This is an excellent game for children because not only does it keep them entertained, but it also helps them learn how to scoop, which they’ll need to know later on when eating! Players take turns using the spoons until someone wins by having their bowl completely filled with water.

Raining Cloud Craft

This is a great craft to do with children on a rainy day. What you’ll need:

Construction paper in different colors (white, light blue, and dark blue)
Scissors
Crayons or markers

Instructions:

Cut out a large cloud shape from the white construction paper.
Draw lines onto the cloud to represent raindrops. You can make them straight or curved.
Cut out smaller clouds from the light blue construction paper.
Glue the smaller clouds all around, the larger cloud.
Use crayons or markers to add finishing touches, such as rainbows or lightning bolts.

This is a great rainy day craft because kids will love to color on the big white cloud.

Paper Plate Slide Puzzles

Here’s another fun, inexpensive game for children that you can play indoors during rainy weather. This game requires two paper plates and something to cut out various shapes.

To start the game, have your child place one plate flat side up on the table in front of them. Then give them some time to draw their picture on the other plate. When they’re finished drawing, help them use the cutouts to see how many puzzle pieces they can fit onto their first plate until it’s covered completely. Whoever gets more pieces onto their plate wins.

Mini-Golf Course

If you’re looking for some fun, indoor activities to keep your children occupied on a rainy day, why not try setting up a mini-golf course? It’s easy to do, and all you need is a few household items. Here’s how to get started:

Cut two large circles out of cardboard. They should be about 12 inches in diameter.
Cut out six small circles from the cardboard, and then cut each one in half. You should now have twelve small circles.
Paint or color the large cardboard circles any color you like.
Glue the small circles onto the large cardboard circles, making sure they overlap by about half their diameter. You should end up with something that looks like a flower.
Take eight toothpicks and glue them around the edge of the “flower.” You can use as many as you need to ensure that your flower is sturdy.
Decorate the backboard by gluing on buttons, felt shapes, or stickers.
Once everything has dried, set up your course by attaching a piece of yarn to each side of the backboard.
Place these boards anywhere in your home. They can serve as a coffee table decoration! However, be sure not to put anything heavy on top because this could squash your miniature golf course!

Playing mini-golf indoors is fun for kids because they won’t be outside in the rain and can play with items already at home.

Indoor Treasure Hunt

When it’s raining outside, and the kids are stuck inside, why not have a little fun with an indoor treasure hunt? Here are a few tips to make it more exciting for your little ones.

Make a list of clues that will lead to the treasure. Be sure to include things like riddles, puzzles, or scrambled words that need to be put in order.
Hide the treasure in a fun spot that’s easy for the kids to find but challenging enough, so they’ll have to search for it!
Let them take as much time as they want to find the treasure, no pressure! The whole point is to have some fun on a rainy day.
If you’re up for it, you can even try hiding the treasure outdoors!

This activity is fun because kids will love hunting for hidden treasure.

Cardboard Tube Marble Run

A cardboard tube marble run is a great activity to keep children entertained on a rainy day. You can make your own by using a cardboard tube, some pipe cleaners, and a few marbles.

To create the run:

Start by bending the pipe cleaners into zigzag shapes.
Use these shapes to create a track for the marbles to travel along.
Ensure that no sharp edges or points could harm the children.
Finally, place the cardboard tube in the middle of the track and have your children take turns rolling the marbles down the track. They will love watching them travel through the zigzags and around curves before coming to a stop at the bottom of the tube.

This activity is a lot of fun because it will keep kids entertained for hours, and they can even try to create their marble run courses with other household objects.

Sumo Wrestling

Sumo wrestling is an excellent game for children to play on a rainy day. The rules are simple: two players face each other in a small wrestling ring, and the goal is to push the other player out of the ring.

This game is a great exercise, and it helps children learn how to stay balanced and use their strength to overpower their opponents. It can also be a lot of fun to play with friends or family members.

To get ready for your sumo wrestling match, make two small wrestling rings by drawing circles on the ground, or you can use tape to outline the circle around a chair. Then divide into teams and line up on either side of the ring.

At this point, it’s time to wrestle! The first player will step inside the ring while his opponent tries to push him out of it. If he manages to stay in the ring, then it’s his turn to try and push his opponent out. The game continues until one player is forced out of the ring or decides that they’re done playing.

This game is perfect for children because they will have fun practicing their balance while also getting some exercise at the same time!

Marshmallow Building Blocks

Marshmallow building blocks are fun to keep children entertained on a rainy day. These blocks are made of a soft, spongy material that is easy for children to grip and stack. The best part is that they can be easily cleaned with a damp cloth if they get dirty.

Children will love creating towers, pyramids, and other structures with these blocks. They can also use them for imaginative play, pretending to build houses, bridges, and other structures. This is a great way to keep children occupied and amused on a day when they can’t go outside.

Marshmallow building blocks are a fun and inexpensive rainy day activity.

Stickers and Tape Scavenger Hunt

Creating stickers and tape scavenger hunt is a great way to keep children occupied on a rainy day. All you need is some paper, crayons, scotch tape, and some sticker labels. Label each sheet with different items that the kids will find in the house or around the yard, such as furniture or food.

Then let them search for all of the items on their list using scotch tape to make X’s over the objects when they find them. When they’ve finished finding everything on their list, give them another list and let them do it again!

This game is perfect because it works on their fine motor skills while introducing children to new items around the house.

Sight Word Snowball Fight

One fun game to play indoors on a rainy day is Sight Word Snowball Fight. This game can be played with any number of players, and it’s best for children who are familiar with sight words.

Each player needs a list of sight words to set up the game. Then, everyone gathers in a common area and chooses one player to start the game.
That player says a sight word aloud and then throws a snowball at another player.
The other player must then say the word thrown at them before throwing their snowball. If a player cannot say the word correctly or does not know the word, they are out of the game.
The last player left in the game is the winner!

This game is fun because it helps children learn new words while also making them laugh. It’s a great way to keep children entertained on a rainy day.

The Lava Game

The lava game is a classic children’s game that can be enjoyed on rainy days or during any time when there is limited space. To play, all you need is a large open area and some imagination.

One player is designated as the lava, while the other players are the people who are trying to escape from the lava.
The lava starts in the middle of the playing area and moves towards the edge while the people try to run away.
If someone gets caught by the lava, they become part of it and must start moving towards the edge along with it.
The last player to escape wins.

This game is a great way to burn off some of the children’s energy. Children will love pretending that the floor is lava and trying to outrun it!

Paper Airplane Launcher

There are lots of great children’s games for rainy days. One of our favorites is the paper airplane launcher. This simple game can be played with just a few basic supplies.

You’ll need a ruler, a pencil, and some sturdy cardboard to make the launcher.
Start by drawing a straight line down the middle of the cardboard with the pencil.
Then use the ruler to draw another line 7 inches away from the first line on both sides. Make sure that the lines are perfectly parallel to each other.
Next, use a sharp knife or scissors to cut along both lines. You should now have two long strips of cardboard measuring 7 inches by 1 inch.
Fold each strip in half lengthwise to touch the 7-inch sides.
Then, use a ruler to poke six holes along both of the long folded edges that are open. The holes should be about half an inch apart and at least 2 inches from either end. You might need to make some minor adjustments for this part if your knife wasn’t super sharp or if you used thick cardboard for the holes to poke through easily.
Finally, draw two more lines on each strip of cardboard. One centered underneath each hole. These lines should also be 1 inch long and parallel to the other lines you drew before cutting out the strips. After these final steps, your paper airplane launcher is ready to use!

To play with the launcher:

Take one of the folded strips and lay it flat on a table.
Hold the other strip by its ends and let the middle hang down perpendicular to the first strip.
Place a paper airplane between the two strips and slide your fingers out from underneath.
Throw the airplane as hard as you can towards the folded strip that’s lying on the table! The harder you throw it, the better aim your plane will have when it comes flying out of the launcher.

This game is excellent for children because it helps them develop their motor skills while having fun. It works on throwing accuracy and increases hand-eye coordination over time.

Now That’s How to Keep Children Busy on Rainy Days

The next time you are stuck inside due to inclement weather, be sure to check out this excellent guide for indoor games that will keep the kiddos entertained. These ideas are sure to please, from classic games to more creative activities. So get ready for some fun-filled days indoors with these exciting activities!