Stuck Inside? Rainy Day Activities for Kids

Y’all. I just heard that it has been the fourth wettest February in Dallas-Fort Worth history.  I haven’t fact-checked this statement, because I’m too busy building a raft. This gray, chilly, rainy weather has resulted in low energy, boredom, and major cabin fever over here.  If your kids are also begging to “go do something active,” or if you feel like one more afternoon cooped up indoors is a recipe for bickering, meltdowns, and too much screen time, you’re probably in need of some quick ideas to channel that excess energy, lift the family mood, and inject some FUN into the dreariness. 

There are plenty of activities that can turn a gray day into a YAY day, and you don’t have to lose your breakables (or your patience) in the process.  Sometimes a little creativity and a sparkle in your eye is all you need to engage your kids in a new indoor adventure.  If your kids are old enough and like to have a say in the plans for the day, sit down with them and jot down some ideas that sound fun.  And if they’re ‘stuck’ on wanting to be outside, make a list of what they would be doing if they could be outdoors.  Then engage them in turning the outdoor activities into indoor games (i.e., shooting hoops can also be done with a nerf ball or small pillow and a wide trash can).  

To the families that do just fine having low-key, unstructured, binge-on-Netflix-or-Fortnite days, I salute you (and understand why you’ve stopped reading this).  For those of us with kids who absolutely need that extra physical activity and parental engagement to help them regulate their emotions, calm their impulses, and get better sleep, let’s get into it. 

First, the simple strategy:  Declaring a “no rules” day regarding fort-building, furniture-climbing, and playing tag indoors is a great way to get your kids’ activity needs met, plus it earns you a bunch of Cool Parent points (nevermind that these points can rarely be saved and applied to the next time you have to tell your child it’s time for bed, or no, you can’t practice karate chops on your sister).  Building a fort requires your children to use their imagination, collaborate and problem-solve, and the final product is a great place to have an indoor picnic when it’s snack time.  Climbing or jumping on furniture gives children the opportunity to use big muscle groups, provides a little rush of excitement for their brain, and the proprioceptive movement increases body awareness and helps regulate sensory needs. Playing tag not only gets the heart rate up and activates those muscle groups, that mental rush that comes with the game can act as a pre-emptive mood regulator for kids that might be prone to anxiety or irritability. 

For those who want to keep some structure (and preserve what is remaining of their intact household inventory), you can still give your kids that excitement, proprioceptive input, and energy release, if you get a little creative.  Instead of playing tag in the house and ruining the whole “no running in the house” rule you’ve had in place for years, how about creating an indoor obstacle course/circuit training area?  Mark the floor with painter’s tape and have the kids do standing jumps from one X to the next, then move on to the push-up or jumping jack station.  Create a maze with the tape and have the kids solve it on tiptoes, without touching any of the tape.  Stretch long pieces of tape from one wall to another at varying distances from the floor (hallways are great for this activity), and encourage your kids to high-step over, limbo under, stretch themselves around, or belly crawl under the ‘lasers’ to the finish line.

Want a little excitement and chaos, but still avoid damage to the house and family members?  Crumple up pieces of paper and have a “snowball fight” in the living room.  Have a handstand contest in a (carpeted) bedroom.  Play hide and seek throughout the house (or in however many rooms you want to allow).  

These are just a few ideas to turn a gray day into a YAY day.  And while it can be wonderful to create these new activities and watch how much fun your kids are having, I encourage you to get in there with them: Share a snack in the blanket tent, give a dramatic shout of glee when you find them in the closet during hide and seek, crawl with them under the lasers as you save the world together.  Finding new ways to spend an afternoon cooped up can be a fantastic way to connect with your kids, boost everyone’s mood, and add some beautiful pages to your family’s story.

Sometimes getting a few ideas to make a dreary afternoon more fun is enough to jumpstart your joy.  And sometimes getting to JOY feels like the last thing on your To Do list.  Maybe you find yourself struggling to find ways to engage and play with your kids because every day is just an exercise in surviving until bedtime.  Maybe you’d love to spend the afternoon playing but need to build some family bonds or felt safety in your children before that can happen.  If this is you, I’d love to help strengthen your family’s attachment and power-up your parenting.  Get started here.