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9 Fun Kid-Approved Outdoor Adventures For A Rainy Day
Rain, rain, rainy day, come on y'all, let's get out & PLAY! Don't let a rainy day get you down, playing in the rain is both beneficial & amazing fun for kids. Sometimes it's easy to overthink what our kids actually need and it holds us back from new experiences. "What if they complain?" "I haven't planned anything." "What if they don't have the right gear?" Kids don't need elaborately planned activities or fancy gear. Kids need & crave the freedom to explore, varying places & experiences to enjoy, & time and attention from us. Rainy day play is what the BEST childhood memories are made of. So grab the galoshes & rain coats & let's get on out & have some rainy day fun!
Go on a rain walk! Nature walks are even more fun in the rain. Kid's will love to carry an umbrella on their walk. Look for signs of rain all around; worms, snails, turtles, wet leaves, puddles, and more! Don't forget to look for rainbows, too!
Go puddle jumping! Kid's will have a blast finding puddles to stomp, splash, and play in.
Dance in the rain! Does it really get any better than this?
Make mud pies! There is no better time to make mud pies then in the rain. Give kids some pans or beach toys to create their own mud pies from puddles, rain water, and of course mud.
Build boats! Collect sticks & twigs to build boats with and watch them float in the puddles. If you have running water around, kids can race their boats with each other or watch them float down the stream.
Go on a worm walk! Hunting for worms in the rain might be one of my favorite past times. Kids can count the worms they find along the way or go on a "worm rescue" and put washed up worms back in grassy areas.
Collect rain! Using different sized & shaped containers kids can collect the rain. Use collected rain to measure, predict & compare volume, or just play!
Go boating! OK, not actual boating, but pretend boating. If you have a kayak or canoe, put it out for kids to pretend they are boating down the river. If you don't have a real boat, that's OK! Kids will have just as much fun in a large storage tub, too! Don't forget to find some big sticks to use as oars!
Play sink or float! Find nature items to experiment with in puddles or creeks. Kids can experiment with leaves, sticks, acorns, and other natural materials to see if they sink or float. Kids can also enjoy testing to see which natural materials move through running water faster. With multiple kids, it's fun for them to race their materials against one another (Nature items only please, we don't want to litter).
I get it, it's not always easy to feel motivated to go outside, especially when it's raining. But with a good rain coat & waterproof rain boots (or Crocs in warmer weather) - it's definitely more enjoyable (for us grown-ups) and it's always worth it. Just imagine the excitement & joy your kid's will experience by doing something they don't normally do! Besides, it sure beats being cooped up inside all day. Go for it, I promise, you won't regret it. Remember, kids are still 100% washable!
"The world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful." - E.E. Cummings