25 fun things to do with a toddler on a rainy day…

This week we have had several days in a row of rain. A day occassionally isn't too bad, but with this many in a row you start hunting down things to keep the kiddos entertained. I don’t know about you, but if I let my little one get bored she quickly finds ways to get into trouble and make a huge mess. Not to mention she then doesn’t want to take her nap! This is a recipe for disaster…

At home:

1)     Coloring

2)    Reading

3)    Hide and seek

4)    Another variation of hide and seek is to hide a toy and have/help them find it

5)    Finger painting

6)    Grocery store- We have several reusable shopping bags and then fake food or old boxes and containers from food items that can be used to go pretend grocery shopping.

7)    Pretend cooking- We use mommy’s pots and pans, baking pans, etc. to pretend cook.

8)    Build a fort- Love this….use all kinds of blankets, pillows, boxes,  etc. to make forts around the house.

9)    Puppets- over the last year or so we have bought a slew of little animal puppets from  the Carter’s store (they are so darn cute), even before she knew what to do with them she love to hold on to them. We have definitely gotten our money’s worth out of these!

10) Have a dance party….I don’t know about your little one, but mine just looovvveesss music and to dance.

11)  Play with sidewalk chalk in the garage

12)  Watch a movie (depending on their age, you could make it like going to the movie theatre with popcorn and a darkened room)

13) Hide stuffed animals through-out an area of the house and pretend you’re on a safari

14) Finger painting

15) Bake together (age dependent on how much they are able to help)

16) Play dress up

17) Have a tea party

18) Have a picnic

Out and About:

1)     Shopping (for us girls…this is always fun)

2)    Indoor play area

3)    Indoor pool (if not thundering & lightening)

4)    Story time at a local library, community center or book store (I know our local library has it several times a week)

5)    Got to library to look at books

6)    Children’s Museum

7)   Go outside anyway (if there’s no thunder & lightening of course)

Hope this helps you guys to get the creative juices flowing…if you think of anything else…feel free to add to my list.