Rainy Days
As a former babysitter in my teenage years and the best friend of a super-star in-home nanny, I understand the power of keeping kids occupied during a rainy day. If their attention goes unfocused for even a moment, hullabaloo can break loose and what was supposed to be a nice afternoon at home has turned into total warfare! Try these easy rainy day activities to keep everyone happy and having fun all day!
3-D Paper Ornaments:
You'll need to gather together scissors, hole punch, yarn, crayons, markers, stamps, stickers, stationery, scrapbook paper, or any other bright, colorful things to make your ornaments come to life on this rainy day. Then, everyone will need to draw two matching shapes on their paper. Tracing cookie cutters is a great way to make sure the shapes match up properly, but freehand drawing and an imagination go a long way as well. Once the shapes are drawn, cut out them out (adult assistance will be needed for younger kids) and then color, sticker, and stamp to your heart's content on both sides of both shapes. Once your creations are beautiful, take one shape and cut a slit from the top down to the center (not too far!) and on the second shape cut from the bottom up to the center. Put the two pieces together and, voila, you have your 3-D ornament! Punch a hole in the top and tie a piece of yarn through the hole. These can be hung in the window as a pretty decoration, in the child's room (or play area), on a holiday tree, or any other place that needs some color!
Name Chain:
Everyone needs a little space to call their own, especially if those people are siblings and share a room or play space. You'll need index cards or other thick paper, scissors, glue stick, hole punch, crayons, stamps, stickers, or anything else to decorate with. Have each child write their name out (one letter to each index card) using large, wide block letters. Cut out the letters and decorate away. The letters don't have to match, each one can be an expression! When they look fabulous, take the first letter and glue the bottom of it to the top of the second. Continue until the child's name is spelled out vertically. The letters don't have to match up perfectly and can hang any way you want! Once dried, punch a hole in the first letter and tie a piece of yarn through it so it can be hung up.
Rainbow Art:
A rainy day can become brighter with the addition of a rainbow! You'll need paper plates, markers or crayons, scissors, cotton balls, and liquid glue. Cut the paper plate in half and then cut out a small half circle from the flat side to make a rainbow shape. Use the markers or crayons to color in the rainbow. Make it as traditional or as funky as you want! There are no rules! Once the rainbow is complete glue the cotton balls to each end of the rainbow to make neat 3-D clouds. These can be hung up in the window, on the fridge, or anywhere you want! Hopefully these rainy day activities will help bring out the creativity in each child while providing them with a fun way to stay busy on the dreariest of days!