It’s as they say… April showers bring May flowers!
With summer on the horizon and blooming flowers (and pollen) all around, one of the best parts about spring is shaking off the winter blues and busting out the summertime gear!
And, of course, letting your children play outside in the sunshine, except the sadness that comes with yet another dreaded rainy day.
Let’s face it moms, there’s nothing worse than having your wound-up children cooped up inside the house on a Saturday (while you’re trying to clean) and all they want to do is play outside and run around!
Your day might start off calm, but then it turns into chaos as sometimes your children are literally jumping on the furniture just itching to go outside.
So what’s a mom to do?
Here are some suggested ways to survive yet another rainy day:
1. Science Experiments:
Who says you can’t turn your rainy day into an educational experience?
And the best part of all is you don’t need a lot of supplies.
The famous “baking soda and vinegar” experiment is sure to wow them as they watch the explosion take place!
If you have food coloring you can even make homemade volcanoes out of clay and add food coloring to the vinegar for an even more colorful effect.
You can even get super creative and make your own homemade slime.Home Science Tools has this homemade recipe:
- In one bowl mix 1 oz. glue (about ¼ of the glue bottle) and ¼ cup water. If you want colored slime, add food coloring to the glue and water mixture. Lift some of the solution out of the container with the stir stick and note what happens.
- Add ¼ cup of Sodium Tetraborate (Borax) Solution to the glue and water mixture and stir slowly.
- The slime will begin to form immediately. Lift some of the solution with the stir stick and observe how the consistency has changed from Step 1.
- Stir as much as you can, then dig in and knead it with your hands until it gets less sticky. This is a messy experience but is necessary because it allows the two compounds to bond completely. Don’t worry about any leftover water in the bowl; just pour it out.
- When not in use, store the slime in a plastic bag in the fridge to keep it from growing mold.
If your child is more artistic consider allowing them to finger paint or paint empty flower pots youcan then fill up with fresh flowers later!
The possibilities are endless, and with multiple activities your children will stay entertained throughout the day.
2. Fort And Movie Day:
Every little kid loves to build a fort. So consider building a fort on a lazy Saturday rainy afternoon and popping on a family flick.
You can add to the excitement by popping up some fresh popcorn – or fun frozen treats and curling up and watching a movie together.
Or consider a “picnic” in the living room and lay out a blanket and serve some healthy finger foods like meat and veggie skewers.
Your child will love the change of pace, and enjoy spending time hiding out in their homemade fort!
And relax mama, you can clean the house a different day. Let the piles of laundry go and enjoy time with your little ones
3. Let Them Play In The Rain:
Remember moms, it’s just water!
Most little kids love splashing around in puddles and letting the rain drench them.
And as long as there is no lightening or serious windstorms, what’s the harm in letting them play in the rain?
Sure, you’ll have your hands full when they come inside helping them out of wet clothes and getting them clean again (especially with the mud puddles).
But throw some rainboots on ‘em and let them splash and have fun!
A rainy day may have originally thrown a wrench in your daily plans, but you can still have fun even with the rain!
Let your creativity spin and show your child it’s going to take more than bad weather to rain on your family’s parade.
(h/t Mommy Underground)