Being a parent of a toddler is challenging, even at the best of times. The challenges can become all the more intense when the weekend has finally arrived, your child is ready to play, and suddenly the heavens open. Suddenly, you’ve got a hyperactive, bored toddler on your hands as well as a list of chores to do and meals to cook. The situation gets even worse when more than one child is at home, even when they’re a little older. How do you handle the stress? You turn to this list of simple rainy day activities to keep them busy.
- Start a building project. Toddlers love to create and build almost as much as they love to destroy the things they’ve created. Buy hobbyco lego and have it ready for those grey, rainy days indoors. They can create whole towns and universes out of blocks and be entertained for hours on end. Set them up with their own building corner and join in with the fun when you get a spare moment.
- Make a super-secret fort. Children love building their own tents and forts – don’t you remember the thrill of your secret cushion clubhouse as a child? Help your little one build their own little fort with sofa cushions, blankets, and sheets. Don’t worry about the mess – you can always clean it up when they go to bed. Set them up with snacks, toys, and games inside their fort and they’re sure to be happy all day long.
- Involve them in baking. All kids love to eat cookies, and yours might just like to join in with the baking process, too. Get a simple recipe out, put on the aprons, grab a stool and let your toddler help. Toddlers can easily knead dough, stir mixtures, and help mould the cookie dough into the shapes they like. Best of all, you get to eat them together once they’re cooked.
- Gather rocks for an art lesson. If your toddler loves to paint and get artistic, grab a few rocks from the garden and give them a quick wash. Then, sit them down at a table with their paints and brushes, and let them turn your boring garden stones into miniature works of art.
- Set up a car wash station. For toddlers with a car obsession, car washes can be an exciting way to pass a few hours. The bathroom sink makes a perfect car wash – just provide some sponges, soap, and plenty of toy cars, and you can even set up a payment system with toy money. Hopefully they’ll enjoy the washing process so much that they’ll want to help you out in the house every now and again.
- Hold a dance party. Once you’re sick of the sound of the rain, put on some of your kid’s favourite songs and throw your very own kiddie dance party. Encourage them to get all that extra energy out by dancing around the room.
When all else fails, play a DVD. There’s no shame in surrendering to a boring rainy day and putting on a classic favourite movie. Let your kids cuddle under a warm blanket, dish out some hot chocolate, and settle in for a Disney marathon.