Rainy days can feel very long when kids are stuck indoors with energy to burn. The good news is that a wet afternoon is also a chance to slow down, get creative and try things you don’t usually have time for.
This list of rainy day activities for kids covers every mood, from energetic games that get the wiggles out to calm activities for winding down. Each idea includes a suggested age range, how long it takes to set up and what you’ll need. Most use things you already have at home, none of them require a screen, and many work as everyday indoor activities for kids long after the rain stops.
Quick Picks: Rainy Day Activities by Age and Mood
| If your kids are… | Try this | Best ages |
|---|---|---|
| Full of energy | Indoor obstacle course, balloon volleyball, freeze dance | 3–10 |
| In a creative mood | Cardboard box city, painting, comic strips | 4–12 |
| Curious | Baking soda volcano, ice excavation, walking water | 4–10 |
| Ready to calm down | Audiobooks, puzzles, blanket fort reading | 3–12 |
| Bored of everything | Indoor treasure hunt, family game tournament | 5–12 |
Active Indoor Games to Burn Energy
1. Build an Indoor Obstacle Course
Use cushions, chairs, blankets and tape to create a course with crawling, jumping and balancing sections. Time each run and challenge kids to beat their personal best.
Ages: 3–10 · Prep: 15 minutes · You’ll need: cushions, chairs, painter’s tape
2. Play Balloon Volleyball
Tie a piece of string between two chairs as a net and keep a balloon in the air. It’s active but gentle enough for indoor play.
Ages: 4+ · Prep: 5 minutes · You’ll need: balloons, string
Safety note: supervise young children with balloons and pick up any broken pieces straight away.
3. Have a Freeze Dance Party
Play music and dance until it stops, then freeze in place. Anyone who moves sits out for a round, or does a silly challenge.
Ages: 2–10 · Prep: none · You’ll need: music
4. Try a Painter’s Tape Floor Maze
Create a maze, hopscotch grid or balance lines on the floor with painter’s tape. Kids can walk, hop or drive toy cars through it.
Ages: 2–8 · Prep: 10 minutes · You’ll need: painter’s tape
5. Play Animal Moves
Call out animals and have children move like them: hop like a frog, waddle like a penguin or stomp like an elephant.
Ages: 2–6 · Prep: none · You’ll need: nothing
6. Set Up Hallway Bowling
Line up plastic bottles or paper cups and roll a soft ball to knock them down. Keep score on paper for older kids.
Ages: 3–8 · Prep: 5 minutes · You’ll need: plastic bottles or cups, soft ball
Arts and Crafts for Rainy Days
7. Build a Cardboard Box City
Turn delivery boxes into houses, shops, cars or a rocket ship. Add windows, doors and signs with markers.
Ages: 4–10 · Prep: 10 minutes · You’ll need: cardboard boxes, tape, markers, scissors (adult help for cutting)
8. Make Paper Plate Masks
Cut eye holes in paper plates and decorate them as animals, superheroes or monsters. Add string or a craft stick handle.
Ages: 3–8 · Prep: 5 minutes · You’ll need: paper plates, crayons, string or craft sticks
9. Create a Comic Strip
Fold paper into panels and invite kids to draw a short story with speech bubbles. It’s a fun way to practice writing and storytelling.
Ages: 6–12 · Prep: none · You’ll need: paper, pencils, markers
10. Paint With Rain
Sprinkle a few drops of washable paint or food coloring on paper and hold it outside in the rain for a few seconds. The raindrops create unique patterns.
Ages: 3–8 · Prep: 5 minutes · You’ll need: thick paper, washable paint or food coloring
11. Make a Rainy Day Collage
Cut pictures from old magazines and catalogs to create a collage with a theme, such as “my dream house” or “things that make me happy.”
Ages: 4–12 · Prep: 5 minutes · You’ll need: old magazines, glue stick, safety scissors
Simple Science Experiments
12. Erupt a Baking Soda Volcano
Place a cup in a tray, add a spoonful of baking soda and a drop of dish soap, then pour in vinegar and watch it fizz. Shape modeling dough around the cup for a volcano look.
Ages: 4–10 · Prep: 10 minutes · You’ll need: baking soda, vinegar, dish soap, food coloring, tray
13. Try Walking Water
Fill alternate cups with colored water, then connect the cups with folded paper towels. Over a few hours, the water “walks” into the empty cups and the colors mix.
Ages: 4–10 · Prep: 10 minutes · You’ll need: clear cups, paper towels, food coloring
14. Do an Ice Excavation
Freeze small toys in a container of water the night before. Kids use warm water, spoons and salt to rescue the toys.
Ages: 3–8 · Prep: overnight freezing · You’ll need: container, small toys, salt, spoons
15. Test Sink or Float
Gather household objects, ask kids to predict whether each will sink or float, then test them in a bowl of water.
Ages: 3–7 · Prep: 5 minutes · You’ll need: large bowl of water, household objects
16. Build a Paper Airplane Test Lab
Fold different paper airplane designs and test which flies farthest. Measure the distances and record the results.
Ages: 6–12 · Prep: none · You’ll need: paper, tape measure
Pretend Play Ideas
17. Build a Blanket Fort
Use chairs, sofa cushions and blankets to create a cozy hideout. Add pillows, a flashlight and books to make it the best spot in the house.
Ages: 3–12 · Prep: 15 minutes · You’ll need: blankets, chairs, pillows, clothespins
18. Open a Pretend Café
Kids create menus, take orders and serve snacks or play food. Use real snacks for extra fun.
Ages: 3–8 · Prep: 10 minutes · You’ll need: paper, play food or simple snacks
19. Go on an Indoor Camping Trip
Set up a tent or blanket fort, use flashlights, tell stories and have a picnic on the floor.
Ages: 3–10 · Prep: 15 minutes · You’ll need: tent or blankets, flashlights
20. Put on a Puppet Show
Make puppets from socks or paper bags and perform a show behind the back of a sofa.
Ages: 3–8 · Prep: 10 minutes · You’ll need: socks or paper bags, markers, glue
21. Play Post Office
Kids write letters and draw pictures, then “deliver” them to family members around the house.
Ages: 4–8 · Prep: 5 minutes · You’ll need: paper, envelopes, stickers
Games and Challenges
22. Run an Indoor Treasure Hunt
Hide a small prize and write clues that lead from room to room. Use picture clues for younger children.
Ages: 4–10 · Prep: 15 minutes · You’ll need: paper for clues, a small prize
23. Host a Family Game Tournament
Choose a few board games or card games and keep a scoreboard throughout the afternoon. Award a homemade trophy at the end.
Ages: 5+ · Prep: 5 minutes · You’ll need: board games, cards, paper
24. Play Charades
Act out animals, movies or everyday activities without speaking while others guess.
Ages: 5+ · Prep: 5 minutes · You’ll need: paper slips with ideas
25. Tell Jokes and Riddles
Take turns sharing jokes for kids and riddles for kids, and see who can make everyone laugh or stump the group.
Ages: 4+ · Prep: none · You’ll need: nothing
26. Play Hide and Seek
A classic for a reason. Set clear boundaries so kids don’t hide anywhere unsafe.
Ages: 3–10 · Prep: none · You’ll need: nothing
Calm and Quiet Activities
27. Listen to an Audiobook
Curl up with blankets and listen to a story together. Kids can draw scenes while they listen.
Ages: 3–12 · Prep: none · You’ll need: audiobook, paper and crayons
28. Do a Jigsaw Puzzle
Choose a puzzle that suits your child’s age and work on it together. Leave it out so you can return to it later.
Ages: 3+ · Prep: none · You’ll need: jigsaw puzzle
29. Watch the Rain
Sit by a window, watch the raindrops race and talk about where rain comes from. Count how many drops reach the bottom.
Ages: 2–8 · Prep: none · You’ll need: a window
30. Start a Rainy Day Journal
Kids write or draw about what they did, how the weather looked and how they felt.
Ages: 5–12 · Prep: none · You’ll need: notebook, pencils
31. Try Kids’ Yoga
Practice simple stretches like cat, tree and butterfly poses. Play calm music and keep it playful.
Ages: 3–10 · Prep: none · You’ll need: a soft space or mat
Kitchen Activities
32. Bake Simple Cookies
Choose an easy recipe and let kids measure, mix and decorate. It’s also a great way to practice counting and fractions.
Ages: 4+ · Prep: 15 minutes · You’ll need: baking ingredients
33. Make Your Own Pizza
Use English muffins, pita bread or flatbreads as bases and let kids add sauce, cheese and toppings.
Ages: 4+ · Prep: 10 minutes · You’ll need: bases, sauce, cheese, toppings
34. Create a Snack Board
Let kids arrange crackers, fruit, cheese and vegetables on a board in fun shapes or patterns. Find more ideas in our guide to easy snacks for kids.
Ages: 3+ · Prep: 10 minutes · You’ll need: snacks, plates or boards
35. Make Homemade Play Dough
Mix 1 cup flour, ½ cup salt and about ½ cup water with a few drops of food coloring. Add a spoonful of oil for a smoother texture.
Ages: 3–8 · Prep: 10 minutes · You’ll need: flour, salt, water, food coloring, oil
Safety note: homemade play dough contains a lot of salt and isn’t meant to be eaten, so supervise young children and keep it away from pets.
Outdoor Rainy Day Fun
36. Go Puddle Jumping
Put on raincoats and boots and head outside for some splashing. Have towels and dry clothes ready for afterward.
Ages: 2+ · Prep: 5 minutes · You’ll need: raincoats, boots, towels
Safety note: stay inside during thunderstorms or lightning.
37. Race Paper Boats
Fold paper boats and race them in puddles or gutters near home with adult supervision.
Ages: 4+ · Prep: 10 minutes · You’ll need: paper, rain boots
38. Collect Rainwater
Place cups outside and see how much rain falls in an hour. Older kids can measure and compare results.
Ages: 5+ · Prep: 5 minutes · You’ll need: clear cups, ruler
39. Go on a Worm Hunt
Rain brings worms to the surface. Look for them on paths and gently move them to safe soil.
Ages: 3–8 · Prep: none · You’ll need: rain boots
40. Take a Rain Walk
Walk around the neighborhood and listen to the sounds of rain on different surfaces. Look for rainbows afterward.
Ages: 3+ · Prep: none · You’ll need: raincoats, boots, umbrella
Make a Rainy Day Activity Kit
Keep a box ready for wet days so you’re not searching for supplies when boredom strikes:
- Painter’s tape and washable markers
- Paper, crayons and stickers
- Play dough or modeling clay
- A deck of cards and a few board games
- Flashlights for forts and camping
- Balloons and a soft ball
- Craft supplies like glue sticks, pom-poms and pipe cleaners
- A list of activity ideas (like this one!)
Tips for Surviving a Rainy Day With Kids
- Mix active and calm activities. Follow an energetic game with something quiet to avoid overexcitement.
- Let kids choose. Write ideas on slips of paper and let children pull one from a jar.
- Keep it simple. The best rainy day activities for kids often use cushions, boxes and imagination.
- Plan snack breaks. A snack can reset moods during a long day indoors.
- Accept some mess. Cover tables with newspaper or an old tablecloth to make cleanup easier.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can kids do on a rainy day without screens?
Build a blanket fort, set up an obstacle course, try simple science experiments, bake together, play board games or create crafts.
How can I keep toddlers busy on a rainy day?
Toddlers enjoy simple activities like tape mazes, animal movement games, sink or float experiments, music and dancing, and play dough.
What are good rainy day activities for older kids?
Older kids enjoy comic strip drawing, paper airplane experiments, family game tournaments, baking and treasure hunts with tricky clues.
How do kids burn energy indoors?
Obstacle courses, freeze dance, balloon volleyball and animal movement games are great for burning energy indoors.
Is it okay for kids to play outside in the rain?
Yes, playing in light rain can be fun and healthy with the right clothing. Stay inside during thunderstorms, and have dry clothes ready when you come back in.
Make the Most of a Rainy Day
A rainy day doesn’t have to mean boredom. With a few simple supplies and a little imagination, a wet afternoon can become one of your family’s favorite days. Pick a handful of these rainy day activities for kids, mix active and calm ideas, and enjoy the extra time together.
For more family fun, browse all of our ideas.
