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Here in Florida, there are weeks when it rains a little every single day. When my girls were small, we’d skip the video games and pull out the craft supplies instead. Here are 25 rainy day crafts and activities that kept us busy.
Our favorite homemade play dough
Mix 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup salt and 2 teaspoons cream of tartar in a pot. Add 1 cup water, 1 tablespoon oil and a few drops of food coloring. Stir over medium heat until it forms a ball, about 3 minutes. Cool, then knead. Store in an airtight container. (It’s salty, so remind kids not to eat it!)
25 rainy day ideas
- Wooden spoon puppets: draw faces and glue on yarn hair, then put on a show.
- Homemade play dough (recipe above). Add a drop of lavender oil for calming dough.
- Chocolate play dough: add 1/4 cup cocoa powder to the recipe.
- Newspaper fashion: make hats, capes and shirts from newspaper and tape.
- Tissue paper suncatchers for when the sun comes back.
- Paper plate ladybugs with black dots and pipe cleaner antennae.
- Clothespin dragonflies with paper wings.
- Rice busy bags: fill zip bags with rice and tiny toys to find.
- Paper crowns from craft foam or cardstock, decorated with stickers.
- Handprint sunflowers.
- Pretend “magic potions”: water, food coloring, glitter and a few drops of dish soap in jars.
- Cheerio bird feeders: string cereal on pipe cleaners and shape into circles.
- Homemade slime (see our creative activities post).
- Cardboard didgeridoos from paper towel tubes.
- Fuzzy paper plate lamb with cotton balls.
- Cork stamps: dip wine corks in paint and stamp.
- Color-matching butterflies with paint chips.
- Popsicle stick park bench for toy figures.
- Homemade silly putty: equal parts glue and liquid starch.
- Treasure map: stain paper with tea, crumple and draw a map, then hide a treat.
- I spy jars: fill a jar with rice and small objects; make a checklist.
- Popsicle stick bookmarks decorated with washi tape.
- Blanket fort reading party.
- Indoor scavenger hunt with picture clues.
- Rain painting: put watercolor-dotted paper out in a light rain for a few seconds!
Craft-time tips
- Cover the table with newspaper or a cheap plastic tablecloth.
- Set out supplies before calling the kids over.
- Let kids make it their own; it doesn’t have to look like the example.
- Grown-ups handle hot glue, ovens and sharp tools.
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FAQ
What can kids do inside on a rainy day?
Play dough, puppets, forts, scavenger hunts and simple crafts are all great indoor fun.
How long does homemade play dough last?
Several weeks in an airtight container.
What are good rainy day activities for toddlers?
Play dough, sensory bins, I spy jars and color-mixing bags.
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