Rainy days ideas and activities for kids ages 5-10.

It seems like today the kids need so much more than we did growing up. I remember when our TV had 4 sometimes 5 channels (3,9, 18, 36, and 46 if it was working) and you had to actually get up and turn the knob to watch! We could not even have the TV on after 9:30 that was when The Electric Company.

Now if you don't watch them TV, which I fully agree with, it seems like it is on us to find things for them to do. Our daughter is only 2, but we already have multiple board games (she just moves around at the moment) but we want her to know the principle of the games so when she is old enough we have so many options that we can use for hours of entertainment.

If your children aren't into board games per se, another option requires a little pre planning. Set up a few games and put them in a box. Close up the box and put it in sight but out of reach. Put on it "Rainy Day Games". Get some excitement generated prior to the actual rainy day. Then on that day bring down the box and let them play :).

Some options for games would be a platter that you can put objects on. Once you have 10 objects on there cover it up and then bring it into the room for them. Take off the cover (a napkin or towel is fine) for 10 seconds, one second for every object. Cover it back up again and let them list how many they remember, the one who remembers the most wins. Then let them work together to remember them all.

Hot and cold is always a good stand by. Have a ball or something medium sized that one can hide and the others can look for. When the lookers are getting close they are warm to hot, when they are moving away they are cold to freezing.

Building a fort and having a picnic is a great rainy day activity. Sandwiches are just so much better when eaten on the floor, under a table, covered by a sheet!

A deck of cards is total entertainment. Besides the standard games Gin Rummy, Poker, Solitaire, War, etc. we had a fun game that I don't think really existed but boy did it keep us occupied for hours! Take a deck of cards. Set 2 chairs on opposite sides of a room (not too far apart), then take turns throwing one card at a time. If your card lands where it is touching another one you get to pick up both cards. This continues until someone has all of the cards.

Hopefully some of these help, we had a blast as kids I don't know how my mom did it! I constantly call her for advice today!