Rainy Day Fun: 12 Indoor Ideas for Kids and Parents
The best rainy day activities for kids are cheap, quick to set up and use what you already have at home. Here are 12 indoor ideas – six to burn off energy and six quieter ones – that need little more than cushions, paper, masking tape, a balloon and a few favourite toys. Most are ready in under ten minutes.
Before the rain: pack a rainy-day box
The hardest moment of a wet afternoon is the first one, when everyone is fed up and nobody has a plan. A shoebox in the cupboard solves it. Fill it with masking tape, a pad of plain paper, felt tips, a few balloons, a ball of string, dried pasta and a torch. When the rain sets in, open it together and let your child choose the first activity.
Six ideas for burning off energy
The NHS suggests school-age children average at least 60 minutes of moderate or vigorous activity a day across the week, so it's worth slotting in a few active games even when you're stuck indoors (see the NHS activity guidelines).
1. Masking-tape roads
Stick lines of tape across the floor to make roads, roundabouts and a car park. Toy cars, trains and soft toys can all move into town. Peel the tape off slowly at the end so it doesn't lift anything with it.
2. Cushion stepping stones
Lay sofa cushions across the room as stepping stones over a pretend river. Time each crossing, then change the rules: hopping only, walking backwards, or carrying a soft toy without dropping it in the "water".
3. Musical statues
Put on a playlist and stop it without warning. Anyone who wobbles is out – or, with younger children, gets to pick the next song, so nobody sits out for long.
4. Balloon keepy-uppy
Count how many taps you can manage before the balloon touches the floor. Try heads only, elbows only, or everyone as one team. Pick up any burst balloon pieces straight away, as they are a hazard for small children.
5. Living-room obstacle course
Crawl under the table, tiptoe along a line of tape, circle a chair and climb over a pile of pillows. Then let your child design the next course and time you.
6. Paper aeroplane contest
Fold three different designs and launch them down the hallway. Mark each landing spot with a sticky note. Longest flight, loopiest flight and best crash landing all win.
Six quieter ideas (three starring soft toys)
7. A sofa-cushion den
Drape a sheet over two chairs, weigh the corners down with books and fill the inside with cushions and a torch. Invite the family soft toys in, add a stack of picture books and you have a reading den for the rest of the afternoon. For more ideas, see our guide to a cosy reading corner.
8. Soft toy talent show
Every soft toy gets an act: a dog that "juggles" socks, a cat that sings, a wolf that tells terrible jokes. Your child is the presenter and the judge, and every act needs a stage name (here is how to name your ESSA dog if you're stuck). A scarf or a paper crown makes a smart costume for the headline act. Make paper rosettes for everyone – in this show, nobody loses.
9. Hide-the-teddy treasure hunt
Hide a soft toy somewhere in the house and leave a trail of clues. For children who aren't reading yet, draw the clues instead: a picture of the bath, then the fridge, then the shoe rack. Older children can write a trail for you to follow.
10. Raindrop races
Sit by a window and each pick a raindrop near the top of the glass. Cheer them down – the first to reach the bottom wins. It sounds too simple to work, but it rarely fails.
11. Six-box comic strip
Fold a sheet of paper into six boxes and draw a story across them. Offer a first line – "The dog woke up and the garden had turned into a lake" – and let your child take it from there.
12. Pasta necklaces and pictures
Thread dried pasta tubes onto string, or glue pasta shapes onto card to make a picture. Skip this one with children who still put things in their mouths.
Matching the ideas to your child's age
- Two to three: cushion stepping stones, musical statues, raindrop races and picture-clue treasure hunts. Short bursts work best.
- Four to six: tape roads, dens, the talent show and paper aeroplanes.
- Seven and up: designing obstacle courses, comic strips, writing clue trails and judging the talent show.
Alternating a busy game with a quiet one keeps the afternoon from tipping into either chaos or boredom.
Frequently asked questions
What can I do with kids on a rainy day without spending money?
Almost everything here uses things you already own. A den, a treasure hunt and musical statues cost nothing.
How do I stop indoor games getting too wild?
Agree the limits before you start – which rooms are in play, what's off limits and how the game ends – and follow each energetic game with a quieter one.
Why use soft toys in indoor games?
They are soft and light, so they can be hidden, carried and cheered on without breaking anything. Check any toy suits your child's age: our Douglas® soft toys are recommended for children aged 24 months and up.
Need a new star for the talent show? Browse Douglas® dogs in UK stock.
