Parents love spring because it means better weather and more chances to send kids outside to play. Spring may bring warmer days, but rainy weather is still unavoidable. When the bad weather keeps kids inside at home or preschool in Olney, MD, it doesn’t take long for boredom to hit. Indoor movie days are fun, but it’s also nice to keep the kids engaged without putting them in front of a screen. Keeping kids entertained indoors is easier said than done!
It’s okay if kids are bored at home or preschool in Olney; it teaches them how to have fun on their own. But, sometimes, parents need to step in and help beat the boredom. Here are some of our favorite rainy day activities for kids of all ages.
For kids of all ages, there is nothing better than building a secret fort. They get their own space they can personalize just as they like. Let them use kitchen chairs, couch cushions, extra blankets, and sheets—whatever you can spare for the day. What makes this activity even better is the chance to curl up inside the fort with some snacks and a good book!
There isn’t anything quite like the smell of freshly baked cookies on a rainy day. Baking treats is a fun way to use all your senses, so it’s the perfect activity to keep kids entertained and learning. From measuring ingredients and mixing batter, each step is a math or science lesson. It’s kind of like hiding veggies in their favorite meal—they’re enjoying themselves so much that they don’t even notice they’re learning important skills!
Kids are full of energy, and rainy days can make them even more restless. Even just being cooped up for a few hours seems like a lifetime to kids. The longer they are inside, the more energy they have. To help release all of this energy, you can design an indoor obstacle course.
To create the obstacle course, you can set pillows on the floor for kids to jump over, set out chairs to crawl under or step on, and use masking tape to create lines for kids to follow. You can change up the obstacle course throughout the day or add a timer to see who can complete it the fastest.
If you really want to get them excited, tell them you are playing “The Floor is Lava.” After rearranging your furniture, tell your kids the first one to touch the floor is out.
Picnics can be fun even when they’re not outside! The next time it’s raining outside, let your kids help you plan a picnic. To keep it feeling like a picnic, lay a blanket out on the floor where you can all sit and eat.
Grab an empty box and let the kids fill it with drawings, photos, and other treasures that are important to them. Then, find a spot to tuck it away so you can open it up again in a year. Don’t forget to set a calendar alert with the details of where you put it!
While filling a time capsule with things sounds fun, it doesn’t always show the entire picture. Have your kids make note of some of their favorite books, TV shows, and games. They can also write about their hopes and dreams and any short-term goals. After about a year, bring the time capsule down and have your kids look at their notes to see if anything has changed.
Since everyone has a camera on their phone now, making homemade movies is super easy. Your kid can totally create a documentary about family life or put on a show with their stuffed animals. You can use easy editing software to stitch together quick clips and create a movie.
Do you have a young writer or actor in the house, why not encourage them to put together a play? They can whip up a fun little plot, get all dressed up in costumes, and spend the day practicing to put on a show for you.
You don’t need anything fancy to start your seeds indoors; an old cardboard egg carton works just fine. When filling the egg carton with dirt, use potting soil or seed starting mix. Plant the seeds using the instructions on the back of the seed packet. When finished, place the egg carton in a southern-facing window to help with germination. And the fun doesn’t have to end there. Your kids can watch what happens over the next few weeks. Once the seedlings are ready to go outside, enlist your kids’ help in transplanting them.
A rainy day is the perfect time to pull out those messy art supplies your kids are always begging to use. You can even make good use of any empty Amazon boxes you have sitting around. Instead of giving your kids a specific craft, let them use their imagination. Letting kids explore with open-ended art materials is such a great way to boost their creativity and imagination.
For kids attending an Olney preschool, rainy days can feel long when they’d rather be playing outside. Rainy days don’t have to be boring; they can be a lot of fun! Indoor obstacle courses, baking parties, crafts, reading forts, and so much more can brighten up a gloomy spring day and make it fun and exciting. Next time the rain keeps you indoors, try out these fun ideas to keep your kids entertained.
MCCA has been recognized by the Maryland State Legislature for its commitment to Montgomery County issued a quality programs and special needs child care Proclamation in 2016 to MCCA for its commitment to Montgomery County child care for more than 50 years. MCCA was also selected as a 2018 nonprofit finalist for a MOXIE Award for boldness and innovation
MCCA is the oldest nonprofit licensed child care provider in Montgomery County and started its work in 1968 as a Community Action Project of the War on Poverty. Recognizing the need for quality child care programs in their neighborhoods, a group of local activists formed an association to establish centers in Montgomery County that would serve a diverse population and establish high standards for child care. Now, more than 50 years later, MCCA’s dedicated and expertly trained staff continue their tradition of providing high quality child care and play-based education for children.
Families with school aged children who can afford their child care expenses during the school year often struggle to afford the all-day programs they need when school is out for the summer. The Richard Krampf Summer Adventures Scholarship Fund was established to help provide children a safe and stimulating place to spend their weeks when school is out. Please contact an MCCA Director for details on how to apply.
