Rainy days and happy kids
August 10, 2009
St. Charles County, MO
Looks like today may be a rainy day in the neighborhood. Kids who normally play in cul-de-sacs and backyards may feel cooped up. What to do?
First of all, resolve to dedicate a good chunk of the day to not doing housework. Get messy. What’s one day of skipped chores going to hurt? Enjoy this unexpected break.
Consider the following activities:
Close the blinds and turn on loud, thumpy dance music. Make some noise of your own and get really silly. This is a great idea for kids who are nervous about thunderstorms. Remain apprised of potential weather warnings, though.
Teach the kids how to play an instrument. The piano is a cinch to locate, but if you haven’t seen your banjo in a while, go on a search. Amaze the kids with your musical skills—and teach your protégés a little ditty.
Play sock ball basket. All you need are some sock balls from the laundry and a box or basket. See who can make the most goals. Try throwing from funny positions or with eyes closed. (This is such a simple game but occupies kids for a long while!)
Pull out photo albums. Delight the kids with wonderful family stories. A quickly-sketched family tree will make relationships apparent.
A toddler, or even a really bored older kid, may love to dig and scoop into oatmeal. Set the child at a table and pour a big pile of oats in front of him. Present some measuring cups and bowls and let them go at it. It’s a huge mess…but sweeping is easy.
Was last year’s birthday present a craft kit of some kind? Maybe a stitching kit, paint by number set, model airplane kit? Pull it out of the closet and get busy.
Make a trip to the “salon” followed by a fashion show. Do nails, hair and make-up, then dress up (don’t forget the heels!). It’s way more fun when Mom (or Dad) also takes a turn on the runway. Teddy bears make for quite a respectful audience.
If you have cats, create houses for them from boxes. Aldi boxes make the very best houses, because they boast a “doorway” when turned upside down. Decorate with markers. When kitty tires of the game, it’s best to move onto something else. Angry cats are mean cats.
Is there a microscope in the house? Kids absolutely love to nurture their inner scientist.
Throw a party. Decorate the house with construction paper chains. Pull out a party game, like Pin the Tail on the Donkey. If you don’t have a party game, have the kids make their own. These pretzel bars are perfect party noshes and need only micro waved. Invite some neighbor friends or throw a surprise party for Dad.
If the kids absolutely must be outside…pull the cars out of the garage then let the young artists decorate the garage floor (if it’s clean and safe) with sidewalk chalk.
If the above ideas don’t strike your fancy, rely on these stand-by rainy day activities: reading, watching a DVD, playing with clay, putting a puzzle together, coloring, painting a picture or playing board games.
Remember…there are always flash cards.
Copyright 2009 Neighbors About Town
