Rainy Day Fun: Tips to Keep Kids Busy

In this article:
Go Outside Anyway
Outside In
Treasure Hunt
Dance Party
Shake, Rattle, and Roll
Singing (You Guessed It) In the Rain
Story Time and Make-Believe
Pure Poetry
Nothing Says Lovin'
Take in a Show
Out of the House and Out of the Rain
Running Amok Indoors
The Art of Being Entertained
Museums: Not Just for Paintings
Saving for a Rainy Day

Continued from page 4

Museums: Not Just for Paintings

Not all museums center on art. History museums, science museums, children's museums, and those focused on other cultures all offer you something wonderful.

History museums are less likely to be great entertainment for the very young since they have not yet developed a sense of the past; however, older kids will have great fun seeing how people just like them lived 200, 100, even 30 years ago. It's best to spark their imaginations by relating museum displays to real life people. "Many years ago, children your age had to do their homework by candlelight. They didn't have electricity to light lamps, they used oil." Keep it simple and those gentle lessons will be learned because it's just too much fun imagining the way things used to be. When you get home, organize some activities that relate to a specific time period. How about a 1960s day where you make a tie-dye and listen to the Beatles?

Cultural centers are also an excellent entertainment possibility. For example, if you have a Chinese Cultural center nearby, immerse yourself in that culture for the day: eat Chinese food, go to the center, and find some Chinese music to enjoy. All ages will have fun with this idea. Learn how to say "hello," "I love you," "thank you," and "good-bye" in a different language. Learn an age-appropriate game from another culture. The possibilities are endless.

Almost all children can enjoy science and natural science museums. Little ones will be fascinated with many displays, which tend to show how things are put together, how they work. Cause and effect are fairly consistent lessons in many science museums, and they are the lessons young children just love to learn. Are your kids dino-nuts? Want to learn about the weather? Perhaps they are fascinated with cars, planes, and trains. Many science-oriented museums have discovery rooms where kids get hands-on experience.

Saving for a Rainy Day

It's not money that's going to save those rainy days, it's creativity, attitude, and a few supplies. Be excited and keep your child excited about the possibilities ahead of you. Try to be prepared, too. Consider keeping a special Rainy Day box filled with arts and craft supplies and craft books. You don't want to find yourself staring out the window at the rain; you want to know that you have a craft book filled with ideas and materials waiting in the hall closet. Explore the offerings at your public library before purchasing a book, so you can try a few ideas in each book to make sure the directions are clear and the projects age suitable.

Consider adding a supply of self-contained arts and craft projects, as well. Most craft stores sell small projects that can be completed by children in an afternoon, and the necessary parts prepackaged for you. Small games and toys from a party store work well as treasures, game prizes, and so forth. Keep your play-dough recipe and paper mache recipes available. Print out a copy of this article, and write notes to yourself about your own ideas.

Take a page from the Cat in the Hat and make your motto on rainy days:

"I know it is wet
And the sun is not sunny.
But we can have
Lots of good fun that is funny!"

Be sure to check out Amazingmoms.com for more rainy-day fun and ideas!