Little boy making music on pots and pans insideSome people hate rainy days, and some people love them. What we can all agree on is that the kids start to go stir-crazy after too many rainy days in a row.

If your house is coming to that point where you just can’t read any more books, or watch any more movies, or bake any other yummy treats (because you only have 1 oven!), then these activities might be for you.

Suggested by Bub Hub forum mums, these ideas for indoor activities for kids will surely cure the boredom and make the rain a little less dreary.

Marble Slide

You need:

  • Tubes – empty paper towel, alfoil or toilet paper rolls
  • Masking tape
  • Paint
  • Markers
  • Crayons
  • Empty tissue box
  • Scissors

Instructions:

  1. Decorate the tubes with crayons and markers.
  2. Let the kids create a slide using the tubes and then tape tubes together to make a long slide for marbles.
  3. Use a craft knife to make half-pipe tubes and window cutouts (parents should do this).
  4. Tape one end of the tube to a flat sheet of card that you can weigh down with books on a table.
  5. Place the lower end of the slide into an empty tissue box to collect the marbles at the end.

If the tubes are wide enough, you can use your slide for toy cars too! If you are using for younger children, make sure that the objects used down the slider are large enough to not be a choking hazard (so cars are better than marbles for this age group).

Have fun!

Cubby House Hiding Place

Big places to hide are often popular with toddlers. If you or someone you know has a large cardboard box after having something delivered, turn it into a cubby house for you toddler to play and hide in.

Turn to box on it’s side so the open part of the box become the doors. Make a small hole in both ‘doors’ at ‘handle height’ for your child. Thread a piece of thick cord through each and then knot each piece of cord at both ends. Now you have handles so your child can pull the doors shut once they are inside!

Use a craft knife to cut a window out of the box – you can even make some curtains with some old material. Cut out a piece of material that is slightly larger than the window. Place a piece of thick cord along one side – turn over the top of the material and glue or sew down to make a ‘tube’ for the cord to fit in. Make two small holes either side of the window in line with the top of the window. Thread the cord through the holes and tie a knot on the other side so the cord can’t fall out.  Instant curtains.

Then allow your child to ‘furnish’ their cubby – blankets, pillows, old pots and pans – let their imagination flow!

Here’s another idea for making a cubby house.

Place a blanket or bedspread over a table, sofa or a couple of chairs to create a private space. You may need to use a few pegs to secure the cover to your furniture so the cubby doesn’t collapse in the middle.

Children can bring cushions, blankets and toys into their cubby house.

Generally, kids love to have a door on their cubby house, so try to use a blanket or bedspread that’s big enough to create a flap they can use to shut out the real world while they enjoy their make-believe games.  Alternatively, if you also have one of those pop up little tents you can have that as the entrance that they have to crawl into, this can then be covered with a blanket.  Why not let them have their lunch or morning/afternoon tea in there, then they can have their own indoor picnic!

Homemade Instruments

Kids love making noise – so why not make some of your own instruments using household objects.

Hooters

Cover the end of a cardboard cylinder with paper with a hole poked through – children can blow or sing through the other end.

Rhythm Sticks

Cut two 20cm lengths of dowel for hitting together.

Sandpaper Blocks

Cover two small timber off-cuts with sandpaper and rub together.

Drums

Upturned pots and pans and a wooden spoon make great drums.

Tissue Box Guitars

You need:

  • empty tissue box
  • rubber bands
  • pencil
  • paper towel tube
  • paint / crayons to decorate

Directions:

  1. Take an empty tissue box (if you are using an ordinary cardboard box of appropriate size, you’ll need to cut an oval-shaped hole in the top – parents, you’ll have to do this step).
  2. Stretch a few rubber bands around the box and over the hole – across the longest width of the box. Choose rubber bands of different thicknesses – they’ll make different sounds
  3. Put a pencil under the rubber bands and glue it down.
  4. Tape paper-towel tube (or a ruler if you don’t have one) on the other side of the box.
  5. Decorate the box.

Play your new instruments along with your child’s favourite CD, or make up your own music!

Homemade Bubbles, Paint, and Playdough

These great fun and indoor activities are great for days when you’re stuck inside.

You can either buy supplies of bubbles, paint, and playdough to make sure you have them ready for the next day spent playing indoors, or you can make them yourself – it’s super easy and pretty cheap to do at home.

Follow these instructions to make your own bubbles, finger paint, and playdough – all kid friendly!

 

Make sure you’re armed with activities to do the next time you are stuck inside because of the weather – or maybe when your kids are a bit sick so don’t want to run around, but still need something to occupy their hands and minds.

Find more great activity ideas in our Things to Do Hub.

Image credit: nyul/123RF Stock Photo

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