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Safety first: Always supervise little ones, and skip small parts for kids who still put things in their mouths. Please read our play safety notes before you start.
Key takeaways
- Start with movement, build or make in the middle, finish quiet.
- Most ideas take 0 to 10 minutes to set up and use things you have at home.
- Switch activities every 15 to 30 minutes.
- Keep a rainy day box with painter's tape, index cards, dice and flashlights.
- Skip puddle walks in thunder or lightning.
In this post35 sections
- Quick facts: rainy day activities for kids ages 4 to 8
- Rainy day movement activities for kids (burn energy indoors)
- 1. Painter's tape hopscotch maze
- 2. Cushion obstacle course
- 3. Paper airplane tournament
- 4. The floor is lava stepping stones
- 5. Beanbag toss to hoops
- 6. Freeze dance with action cards
- Rainy day building activities for kids
- 7. Cardboard marble run
- 8. Blanket fort camp out
- 9. Index card tower challenge
- 10. Draw a prompt build
- Rainy day science experiments for kids at home
- 11. Rain cloud in a jar
- 12. Rain gauge jar
- 13. Vinegar and baking soda muffin tin
- 14. Sink or float tub
- 15. Magnet hunt
- Rainy day crafts for kids
- 16. Rain stick craft
- 17. Shadow puppet theater
- 18. Indoor bake shop
- 19. Comic strip book
- 20. Paper fortune teller
- Rainy day quiet games for kids
- 21. Board game tournament
- 22. Color hunt scavenger hunt
- 23. Flashlight reading hour
- 24. Charades with weather cards
- 25. Puddle walk in boots
- Rainy day activities by age and time
- What to keep in a rainy day box
- Rainy day supplies
- FAQ
Quick facts: rainy day activities for kids ages 4 to 8
| Question | Short answer |
|---|---|
| How many ideas? | 25, sorted into move, build, science, make and quiet games |
| Prep time | Most take 0 to 10 minutes |
| Mess level | Each idea says none, low or medium |
| Best age | 4 to 8; most work for a mixed group of 2 kids |
| How long to play? | 10 to 30 minutes each; switch at the first sign of boredom |
| A good order | Move first, build or make in the middle, quiet game last |
These are rainy day activities for kids ages 4 to 8 who have outgrown toddler play but still need something to do at 10 a.m. with the rain on. Every idea lists ages, prep, mess and supplies, and a supervision or safety note. They are different from our indoor activities for toddlers: these need more thinking, more rules and bigger builds.
Rainy day movement activities for kids (burn energy indoors)
Kids at 4 to 8 need to run. Clear the floor, move breakable things up and keep socks off for slippery floors.
1Painter's tape hopscotch maze
Tape a hopscotch grid and a winding maze path on a hard floor. Kids hop the grid, then walk the maze on tiptoe, or toss a beanbag onto a number and hop to it. Peel the tape when you finish.
Ages: 4 to 8.
Prep: 5 minutes.
Mess: none.
Supplies: painter's tape, a beanbag or sock ball.
- Safety: use painter's tape only (it lifts off wood), keep socks off for grip, and check the floor is dry.
2Cushion obstacle course
Build a course: cushions to step over, chairs to crawl under, a line of tape to walk. Time each child with a kitchen timer and try to beat your own time instead of a sibling's.
Ages: 4 to 8.
Prep: 10 minutes.
Mess: low.
Supplies: couch cushions, chairs, a blanket, a timer.
- Safety: keep the course low and away from sharp furniture corners; an adult spots anything higher than a cushion.
3Paper airplane tournament
Fold 3 planes each, then fly them at three hoops or tape targets in a hallway. Points for distance, accuracy and best loop. Fold a new design each round.
Ages: 5 to 8.
Prep: 5 minutes.
Mess: low (paper scraps).
Supplies: printer paper, 3 hoops or tape marks.
- Safety: fly planes down the hallway away from faces, and do not fly with paper clips or pencils attached.
4The floor is lava stepping stones
Lay pillows and magazines across a room as stepping stones. Kids cross without touching the floor, then pull one stone away to make the next round harder.
Ages: 4 to 7.
Prep: 3 minutes.
Mess: none.
Supplies: pillows, magazines or paper plates.
- Safety: tape paper plates to the floor so they do not slide, and keep the course on carpet or a rug.
5Beanbag toss to hoops
Place hoops or laundry baskets at different distances with point values. Each child gets 5 tosses and keeps a tally on paper. Move the hoops back for older kids.
Ages: 4 to 8.
Prep: 3 minutes.
Mess: none.
Supplies: 3 beanbags or rolled socks, hoops or baskets, paper.
- Safety: throw only toward the baskets, not at each other, and keep tossing lines behind a tape mark.
6Freeze dance with action cards
Draw 8 action cards (hop, spin, tiptoe, robot, frog, slow motion). When the music stops, kids freeze, and the next card says how to move when it starts again.
Ages: 4 to 8.
Prep: 8 minutes.
Mess: none.
Supplies: paper, markers, a speaker.
- Safety: clear the floor first and keep it barefoot or in grippy socks.
Rainy day building activities for kids
Building uses up the middle of the day. These are the ones that last longer than 20 minutes.
7Cardboard marble run
Tape cardboard tubes to a box lid propped on a table edge or a wall. Kids test, tilt and tape again until a marble runs from top to bottom into a cup.
Ages: 5 to 8.
Prep: 10 minutes.
Mess: low.
Supplies: a cardboard box, paper towel tubes, tape, marbles or small balls.
- Safety: marbles are choking hazards for under 3, so only use them with kids 5 and up and count them back at the end.
8Blanket fort camp out
Build a fort from chairs, a table and two blankets. Add a flashlight, a book and a snack for a one hour indoor camp out. Add a rule: no one comes in without the password.
Ages: 4 to 8.
Prep: 10 minutes.
Mess: low.
Supplies: blankets, chairs, clothes pegs, flashlights, pillows.
- Safety: do not hang blankets over a lit lamp or heater, and use battery flashlights only.
9Index card tower challenge
Give each child 30 index cards and 10 minutes. Build the tallest tower using only folding and stacking, no tape. Measure with a ruler and try again.
Ages: 5 to 8.
Prep: 1 minute.
Mess: none.
Supplies: index cards or cut paper, a ruler.
- Safety: an adult stays nearby, and keep small pieces away from any younger sibling.
10Draw a prompt build
Write 10 build prompts on slips (a bridge for a toy car, a zoo, a rocket, a pet house). Kids pick one and build it from blocks, cardboard or magnetic tiles in 15 minutes, then give a tour.
Ages: 4 to 8.
Prep: 5 minutes.
Mess: low.
Supplies: blocks or magnetic tiles, paper slips.
- Safety: if you use magnetic tiles, keep them away from toddlers because loose magnets can be swallowed.
Rainy day science experiments for kids at home
These use kitchen supplies and finish in 20 minutes. Always keep an adult with them and have kids wash hands after.
11Rain cloud in a jar
Fill a jar with water, spray shaving foam on top as the cloud and drip blue food coloring on the foam with a dropper. The color falls through like rain.
Ages: 4 to 8.
Prep: 5 minutes.
Mess: medium.
Supplies: a jar, water, shaving foam, blue food coloring, a dropper.
- Safety: shaving foam is not for eating, so wash hands after and keep it away from mouths.
12Rain gauge jar
Tape a ruler to a clear jar and set it on a windowsill or porch rail. Check how much rain fell after an hour and record it in a notebook. Compare to the next storm.
Ages: 5 to 8.
Prep: 5 minutes.
Mess: none.
Supplies: a clear jar, a ruler, tape, a notebook.
- Safety: keep the jar on a sill or covered porch and do not go out in thunder or lightning.
13Vinegar and baking soda muffin tin
Put baking soda in the muffin cups, color some vinegar and let kids use droppers to make each cup fizz. Predict, test and count how many drops it takes.
Ages: 4 to 8.
Prep: 5 minutes.
Mess: medium.
Supplies: a muffin tin, baking soda, vinegar, food coloring, droppers.
- Safety: wear goggles or keep faces back, and do not let anyone taste it; wash hands after.
14Sink or float tub
Fill a tub with water and gather 15 household items. Kids predict sink or float, test and sort them into two piles.
Ages: 4 to 7.
Prep: 5 minutes.
Mess: medium (water).
Supplies: a tub, towels, 15 safe household objects.
- Safety: use unbreakable items only and an adult stays within reach of any water play.
15Magnet hunt
Give kids a magnet and ask them to find 10 things around the house that stick and 10 that do not. Record the results in a two column chart.
Ages: 4 to 8.
Prep: 1 minute.
Mess: none.
Supplies: a strong bar magnet, paper, a pencil.
- Safety: do not use small magnets, because swallowing them is dangerous.
Rainy day crafts for kids
16Rain stick craft
Poke toothpicks through a paper towel tube in a spiral, tape foil inside and add a handful of rice before sealing both ends. Tip it and listen to the rain.
Ages: 5 to 8.
Prep: 10 minutes.
Mess: low.
Supplies: a cardboard tube, toothpicks, foil, rice, tape, paper.
- Safety: an adult handles the toothpicks (cut ends off with scissors), and seal both ends so the rice cannot escape.
17Shadow puppet theater
Cut animal shapes from card, tape them to craft sticks and hang a white sheet. Shine a flashlight behind it and act out a short story.
Ages: 4 to 8.
Prep: 10 minutes.
Mess: low.
Supplies: card, craft sticks, a white sheet, a flashlight.
- Safety: an adult cuts the card; use a battery flashlight, never a lit lamp.
18Indoor bake shop
Set up a play bake shop with a cardboard counter, toy food and play money. Kids take turns being baker and customer, and write the menu.
Ages: 4 to 8.
Prep: 10 minutes.
Mess: low.
Supplies: a cardboard box, toy food or paper cutouts, play money, paper.
- Safety: play with toy food only, not real food, unless an adult is baking with them.
19Comic strip book
Fold paper into a 6 panel book. Kids draw a story about a rainy day with a title and a main character, then read it to the family.
Ages: 5 to 8.
Prep: 1 minute.
Mess: none.
Supplies: paper, markers, a stapler.
- Safety: an adult staples the pages.
20Paper fortune teller
Fold a classic paper fortune teller and write rainy day silly fortunes inside. Test it on everyone in the house.
Ages: 5 to 8.
Prep: 3 minutes.
Mess: none.
Supplies: a square of paper, markers.
- Safety: an adult stays nearby, and keep small pieces away from any younger sibling.
Rainy day quiet games for kids
21Board game tournament
Run a bracket with 4 family games, 15 minutes each. Draw the bracket on paper and give points for good sportsmanship as well as wins.
Ages: 5 to 8.
Prep: 5 minutes.
Mess: none.
Supplies: board games, paper, pencils, a timer.
- Safety: check game pieces first, since small tokens are a choking hazard around younger siblings.
22Color hunt scavenger hunt
Call out a color and have kids find 5 things in that color, or hand them a list of 10 things to find. Add a time limit and a point for each.
Ages: 4 to 7.
Prep: 3 minutes.
Mess: none.
Supplies: paper, a pencil.
- Safety: keep the hunt to rooms you can see and use the stairs rule: walk, never run on stairs.
23Flashlight reading hour
Draw the curtains, give each child a flashlight and a pile of 3 books, and read for 20 minutes under a blanket.
Ages: 4 to 8.
Prep: 1 minute.
Mess: none.
Supplies: flashlights, books, a blanket.
- Safety: use battery flashlights only, and never read under a heated blanket.
24Charades with weather cards
Write 12 rainy day actions (jumping in puddles, putting up an umbrella, shivering) on slips and act them out for the family to guess.
Ages: 5 to 8.
Prep: 3 minutes.
Mess: none.
Supplies: paper slips, a bowl.
- Safety: keep the playing space clear of furniture.
25Puddle walk in boots
When it is raining without thunder or lightning, put on rain boots and raincoats and walk to the end of the street. Count puddles, float a leaf and jump in the safe ones.
Ages: 4 to 8.
Prep: 3 minutes.
Mess: medium (mud and water).
Supplies: rain boots, raincoats, towels.
- Safety: stay home if there is thunder or lightning, stay on the sidewalk, away from storm drains and fast water, and hold an adult's hand near roads.
Rainy day activities by age and time
| Age | 10 minutes | 30 minutes or more |
|---|---|---|
| 4 to 5 | Hopscotch maze, freeze dance, rain cloud in a jar | Blanket fort, indoor bake shop, shadow puppets |
| 6 to 7 | Paper airplanes, sink or float, color hunt | Marble run, board game tournament, comic book |
| 8 | Index card tower, charades, magnet hunt | Obstacle course with a timer, rain gauge project, build prompts |
If you want these ready to go, the Indoor Day Rescue Kit packs 100 activity cards, 6 indoor scavenger hunts, 4 painter's tape floor games and 12 obstacle course station cards, so the ideas are printed before the rain starts.
What to keep in a rainy day box
Rainy day box checklist
Set the box on a shelf and open it at the first raindrop. Kids who help choose the first activity are less likely to say they are bored, but that is an observation, not a guarantee. For related ideas, try winter activities for kids and screen free activities for toddlers for little siblings.
Rainy day supplies
Rainy day supplies
-
Painter's tape, 6 rolls
Typically $10 to $18
Floor games, mazes and targets that peel off.
Check price on Amazon for Painter's tape, 6 rolls -
Cardboard tubes and craft sticks
Typically $8 to $14
For marble runs and shadow puppets.
Check price on Amazon for Cardboard tubes and craft sticks -
Index cards, 300 pack
Typically $5 to $9
Tower challenges, bingo, charades and menus.
Check price on Amazon for Index cards, 300 pack -
Kids' rain boots
Typically $15 to $30
For puddle walks.
Check price on Amazon for Kids' rain boots -
Clear plastic jars
Typically $8 to $14
Rain cloud in a jar and the rain gauge.
Check price on Amazon for Clear plastic jars
Frequently asked questions
What are fun rainy day activities for kids ages 4 to 8?
Painter's tape hopscotch, a cushion obstacle course, a blanket fort, a cardboard marble run, a rain cloud in a jar and a board game tournament are low prep and use things you already have.
What can kids do indoors on a rainy day with no screens?
Build, make and move: a marble run, shadow puppets, an obstacle course, a science tray or an indoor scavenger hunt all work without a screen.
How do you keep kids busy on a rainy day?
Mix movement, a longer build or craft, and a quiet game, and change the activity every 15 to 30 minutes.
What rainy day activities need almost no prep?
The floor is lava, charades, a color hunt, flashlight reading and sink or float need 1 to 5 minutes of setup.
Is it safe for kids to play outside in the rain?
Light rain with boots and raincoats is usually fine, but go indoors at the first sign of thunder or lightning and stay away from storm drains and fast water.
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