Fun doesn’t have to end when the sun hides behind grey clouds! Here are five tips to make the most of a rainy afternoon.
Put on a Play
Any favorite story can become a play if you just add a few costumes and friends! To start, choose a story and decide who will play the characters (HINT: some people can play more than one role!). Then have each actor make a nametag or hat that represents his or her character. One person will need to be a narrator to read the story and everyone acts it out! Put on a show for your stuffed animals, Pokemon, GI Joes and dolls if audience members are scarce. Most importantly, don’t forget to have fun! The show must go on…
Build a Fort
A fort can be made out of anything! For best results try using pool noodles and tape to create a structure and drape a few old bed sheets over the frame. Or, if you’re fresh out of pool noodles, just drape a few sheets over a dining room table and spread a couple of sleeping bags under the table. It’s so much fun to have a camp-out with flashlights and snacks when it’s dry outside your tent!
Make Rainy Day Paintings
Using a permanent marker or crayon, draw on a thick piece of watercolor paper (use cardstock if you don’t have watercolor paper). Then color the drawing in with washable markers or watercolor paints. After you are finished, bring your drawing outside on a tray and let the rain do the rest! Watch your drawing transform into a dazzling and swirling watercolor painting! For best results, try drawing a design with shapes and lines that overlap and cover the entire page. Enjoy your beautiful masterpieces!
Make a Book
You can make a book out of a few sheets of copy paper and a stapler by folding and creasing each paper and layering them on top of each other. Finally staple the stack of paper on the spine (the folded edge) and start writing! You can write an adventure story, you can make a picture book, you can use the book as a journal to record your most secret thoughts, or a sketchbook to draw things you see in your home (such as a pet, a plant or even your little brother or sister!). You can even make a comic book about a superhero that saves the world, and looks suspiciously like you…
Make Play-Dough or Foam Dough
Playing with clay is sure to bring hours of artistic fun to your rainy afternoon. You can make just about anything out of playdough, here are some ideas: a family of penguins, a gingerbread man, a tea set, a bracelet, a dragon, a police car, a pile of spaghetti and meatballs (just don’t try to eat it!), or anything else out of your imagination. To make your dough, just follow a recipe that is included below and let the creative juices flow! See instructions for making dough below...
Foam Dough
1 box cornstarch
1 can plain shaving cream foam
Food coloring
--In a bowl, dump out desired amount of cornstarch.
I use about half a box but you can use more/less.
Add about the same amount of shaving cream and a
few squirts of food coloring. Use your hands to mix it
together. You will probably need to add additional
shaving cream to create a soft dough that doesn’t
crumble too easily. If the dough dries out too much,
just add more shaving cream. Enjoy!
There are so many things to choose from,
I hope these tips bring a little extra
sunshine to your next rainy day!