More than ever, parents are moving to replace their kids screentime with time spent outdoors. There are endless amounts of activities and adventures you can have when the weather is fair but when the rain rolls in, many families move inside! If your family is anything like mine, if they are cooped up they get wild, start having meltdowns, and fight amongst each other. This is because their routine has been interrupted and they are struggling to refocus their energy…they HAVE to move. There is not reason for the adventures to stop though – there are so many things that you and your kids can do in the rain!
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Rain Walk
Put your rain gear on and go explore your neighborhood! Take your time and let them jump in the puddles, look at nature around them, and collect worms. They are simply learning and enjoying their themselves. Through movement, play, and learning, you are also helping your child create a rhythm that provides structure and comfort for them. On our walks, we love to do scavenger hunts too. It helps them to start looking at their surrounding and gets them excited.
Rain Hike
The biggest difference between a hike and a walk, in my opinion, is that a hike is surrounded in nature while a walk is in a more structured, urban area. When we go hike in the rain, we usually go into our woods or a local park with trails. We all wear our rain gear and go an explore! This is one of my favorite times to use the Seek app. There are a ton of plants and wildlife that only show when it rains. We started with short trails and moved our way up in length when the kids were little.
You might like this read: 5 Ways to Make Hiking Fun for Kids
Worm Hunting
Hunting for worms is one of our favorite rainy day activities. We always read the book Worm Weather and then get our raingear on, grab buckets, and go into the rain to find the worms. We will check out garden, the yard, along our driveway and walk way, and by the curbs. When we make it out to the curb, we are guaranteed to have to go walk the neighborhood. We collect all of the worms and then when we get home, we put them back in the garden and observe them. One of the coolest discoveries for us was that there are multiple types of worms in our backyard!
Water Exploration
This is an easy, low prep activity that is great for infants up! Grab a couple cups, containers, or buckets and take them outside. From there, the containers will fill up with water and your child is set up with tons of fun. They can pour water into different containers, put treasures inside, watch what floats and sinks, and more! I typically turn the hose on or being a pitcher of water to get them started. The beauty of this activity is that you can let your child lead. Sit back and just watch what they do.
Puddle Jumping
It feels silly to even list this but puddle jumping is a favorite pastime of mine and my kids love it. With this activity, you can go barefoot or with shoes – you just need to choose. Adventure in your backyard, on a walk, or adventure and jump! It’s free, messy fun that not only is entertainment but promotes learning too!
Wet Sandbox Play
When you build a sand castle, you need sand and water. When it’s raining (and if you have a sandbox or sand) it is the perfect time to build sand castles and sand art! Even if your child is young, getting them into this sensory rich activity will leave them with smiles.
Camp in the Rain
One of my favorite rainy day activities is camping in the rain. We pop our tent in the backyard, put our sleeping bags in and our latern! Then we listen to the rain, read books, and play. This is the perfect weather for snuggling naps outside too!
You might be interested in this blog post: What to Know When Camping With Kids
Parent Tip for Rain Play
Being out in the rain tends to be more uncomfortable and tasking for the parent. A child is going to find excitement in playing in the rain. Come prepared and don’t stress about the mess. The benefits of rain play are incredible and you’ll find yourself looking forward to the weather.
Benefits of Rain Play
Playing in the rain is fun but there are huge benefits for children when it comes to rain play! Rain Play helps to develop better physical skills, such as balance, coordination, and gross motorskills. It promotes a healthier lifestyle by getting your kids active in something other than fair weather. They are learning – by being in the rain they can observe their world in a new light and have new sensory experiences.
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Are there any activities, tips, or tricks for rain play that you love? Let me know below!
