Rainy day boredom busters:

A rainy day can be fun! Here are some quick play ideas to keep the kids occupied and happy:

Put on a homemade puppet show

There is a use for those odd socks, left over buttons you have held on to after all….put them to use by making some homemade puppets. Also those paper bags in the kitchen draw and markers in the kids room can come to use on days when going outside is not an option. As you're cleaning the house or shopping at grocery, thrift, or dollar stores, keep an eye out for fun adornments for your puppet box. Other items that can come in handy: glitter, sequins, tinsel, pipe cleaners, string, ribbons, yarn, buttons, holiday decorations, stickers, seashells, along with the must-haves like glue, scissors and washable markers. But of course beware of small objects, though, that could pose a choking hazard for small children.

Assemble an indoor fortress

Get out the old sheets, blankets, or comforters and drape them over the living or dining room furniture. You can use ribbons, hair scrunchies and ties to secure the bottoms of the fabrics to chairs and tables.

Create a dress-up chest

When you’re doing the wardrobe clean out and when relatives or friends are, keep an eye out for interesting old clothes items and accessories that could be useful for the dress up chest. Also gems can be found on discount racks and at two dollar shops. Scarves, cowboy hats, sombrero, construction hard hats, costume jewellery, shoes, shirts are always a winner. In fact, any piece of clothing or accessory that could lend itself to make-believe is.

Thank-you or I love you gifts

It can be a good time for the kids to thank their grandparents, aunts and uncles, teachers, babysitters, neighbours, and childcare workers. Bake a few batches of cookies that your child can lovingly decorate and wrap with colored plastic wrap and ribbons; or create thank-you cards on regular old printer paper or construction paper. You could also add special glued-on adornments like family photos, ribbons, glitter, and buttons.

Indoor “balloon” volley balloons

Blow up some balloons and create an indoor volley ball court in the living room. You could use paper fans to help keep the balloon in the air.

You could also make some play dough or play I Spy. 

Also if all else fails and you need to get out of the house, don't forget your local play centre!

Do you have an indoor play idea? Share it with other mums…