Rainy-Day Activities for Kids

There’s no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes – so grab their wellies and raincoats and make the most of these fun rainy-day activities for toddlers and kids

Content editor

Dulcie Emerson

Keep kids busy

Rainy days needn’t be a bore with fun activities lined up – and the right weatherproof gear, of course

Head outside:
Grab a raincoat and explore the great outdoors with laminated bingo cards to help children learn to identify different plants, trees and wildlife, even in the city. Keep eyes peeled for creepy-crawlies that love wet weather.

Dig it:
Take buckets and spades outside for hours of fun, whether it’s making mud pies or digging over the allotment while the soil is soft and damp. Create prehistoric-looking landscapes for dinosaur toys to roam.

Splash about:
Make a rain-gauge or water collector using plastic bottles and use them as a starting point to explore eco-friendly ways to conserve rainwater for household and garden use.

Screen-free fun

Get creative:
Draw around puddles with chalk to create puddle monsters. Watch them evaporate and observe science in action. Use a stopwatch to time how long it takes for them to disappear – you can even make it into a race.

Take shelter:
If it’s really pouring, head indoors. Create a snug environment by building a pillow fort or den. Change into cosy loungewear joggers to play board games and read story books. Fairy lights add the final flourish.

Hunker down:
Make popcorn (in a saucepan with a glass lid to make the most of the visual spectacle) and watch films while the rain patters on the windows. Naps almost guaranteed.

Kids’ clothing for rainy days

£35 – £39

This colourful coat by Monsoon will brighten grey days

£50

Polarn O. Pyret has waterproof outerwear covered

£36

A clever three-in-one design for maximum versaility

£22

Little ones will love this fun frog puddle suit