Great activities to make the most of a rainy day

Spring has sprung but sunshine is not always guaranteed.  Speech and language therapist, educator, and mum of two, Zazi Henderson on making the most of rainy days.

There’s only so much time you can spend indoors before everyone starts climbing the walls. We’re currently in a wave of sickness in our house and even I’m craving the playground at this point. You can have all the best play ideas in the world, but if no one’s had fresh air or moved their bodies properly in days, things go south fast. The kids start throwing things for no reason, you’re snapping more than you meant to, and suddenly the telly’s been on since breakfast. It’s a lot.

But it is possible to make the best of it, even if you're not exactly thriving.

IF IN DOUBT - GET OUT

You’ve heard it before: there’s no such thing as bad weather (just bad clothing or a bad attitude!). Yes, some weather is genuinely awful and not worth it. But most of the time, getting outside, even for five minutes, helps reset everyone.

A parenting mantra I live by is 'if in doubt – get out'. If my kids are climbing the walls and I’m on my last nerve, the quickest way to shift the mood and re-set everyone is to open the front door. Contrary to what our parents used to say, cold weather doesn’t actually cause illness. Viruses do. Heading out in the rain won’t make them sick – especially if they warm up afterwards. A barefoot stomp through the wet grass or a play in drizzle does more good than harm: fresh air, movement, and daylight all help with mood, immunity and sleep.

Keep a towel by the door, say yes to the socks-in-the-garden moment and resist the urge to keep them inside just because playing in the hail isn’t something you’d sign up for. That sensory exploration is doing more for them than the TV ever could.

OUTDOOR IDEAS THAT WORK IN BAD WEATHER

Big umbrella camping

Let your kids borrow the big adult umbrellas and head out to the garden or driveway. Mine love propping them up over a messy mat like they’re camping in the bush. They eat snacks under them, chat, make up stories and pretend to be explorers. It’s imaginative play, turn-taking, and problem solving all without needing any actual outdoorsy equipment.

Scavenger hunt walks

If motivation is low, make a walk into a game. Scribble a quick list or draw pictures of things to find: a yellow car, a dog in a jacket, a tree with no leaves, a big puddle. Take a crayon or highlighter to tick them off. It gives purpose to the outing, adds a language boost, and turns the boring neighbourhood route into a little adventure.

Torchy walks before bed

Most kids don’t get to see much of the world at night – so it's a novelty. Nothing gets my kids into their pyjamas quicker than the promise of a ‘torchy walk’, where we give them torches or glow sticks and head out for a quick walk or scooter. They slow down, focus more, and ask all sorts of questions they wouldn’t think of during the day. It’s calming, it gets their bodies moving without overstimulating, and it sets them up for sleep.

WHEN YOU'RE TRULY STUCK INDOORS...

Some days, going out just isn’t going to happen – whether it’s illness, sideways rain or you’re all just too tired. That’s when having a few no-fuss indoor play ideas can save the day. Keep it simple, low-prep, and themed to the season when you can. Here are some realistic play ideas...

Wreck your lounge

Use sofa cushions for an ‘ice mountain’ obstacle course. Peg up blankets for a den. Add torches, books, or teddies and you’ve got an afternoon sorted. It’s big body movement, creative play, teamwork, and storytelling all at once. It’ll be 20 minutes of extra tidying and re-setting at the end of the day, but worth it for the huge payoff in creativity, regulation, and having everyone occupied and calmer for a decent stretch.

Save the cardboard

It’s so worth stashing all your recycling – think cereal boxes, tubes and packaging. Get out some tape, scissors, pens and string and let them loose building robots, binoculars or castles (or just fiddling with it all). It doesn’t matter if nothing gets finished. Cutting, sticking, scribbling and problem-solving is the work. It’s brilliant fine-motor practice and exactly the kind of stuff that sets them up for school.

Make play dough and open a play café

Play dough is so easy to make and it’s an activity in itself. Just mix two 2 cups of flour, 1 cup of salt, 2 tbsp cream of tartar, 2 tbsp oil and 2 cups boiling water in a bowl or on the stove until it all sticks together, then knead when cool. Once it’s made, run a winter-themed café – serve hot soup, pancakes, or cupcakes. Kids love the pretend play and you get tons of chances to model language: “What would you like today?”, “I’m making a cherries for the top”, “I’ll have two cakes please.”

Frozen toy rescue

Freeze some small toys in bowls of water to make ice domes. The next day, give them warm water, hammers or kitchen utensils to ‘rescue’ them. This kind of play encourages problem-solving and naturally draws out language “cold, stuck, splash, smash, melt”.

Snowy small world

Tip rice or salt into a tray or roasting dish, chuck in a few vehicles or animal figurines and call it a ‘snow scene’. Add scoops, spoons, and containers from the kitchen and let them drive, dig, pour and explore. I love this kind of sensory play because it’s so easy to hoover up afterwards – so you don’t have to be scared of the mess they’ll make.

Yoga (with a screen, and no guilt)

When behaviour is starting to spiral and everyone's wound up, movement helps. Pop on a short kids’ yoga or dance video on YouTube – even five minutes can help reset their bodies and shift the mood. You don’t need to do the whole thing, but joining in for a few stretches can help both of you feel a bit more regulated.

Library runs

Don’t forget about the library (I always do). It’s low-effort, indoors, and gives you fresh books to read together – which often sparks new ideas for play too. Most have puzzles, toys or a quiet corner to sit in, and it gets you out of the house without needing a full plan. Bonus points if you check their website and get along to one of their scheduled kids’ activities.

NOT NEW, JUST DIFFERENT

You don’t always need to set up new play ideas – sometimes you just need to do things a bit differently. Move familiar toys to a new room. Lay out a picnic lunch in their bedroom. Read books under the table with a torch. Do some painting in the shower so you can hose them down easily. Same stuff + different space = a whole new energy.

Or better yet, just involve them in whatever you’re already doing. Get them up at the sink washing cups while you sort dinner. Let them help load the washing machine or launch socks into the basket while you chat. Give them a cloth and a spray bottle of water to let them ‘help’ with the windows.

They don’t need a big setup. Most of the time they just want to be included, and giving them a small role in your day can go a long way towards keeping things calm. It can also reduce any guilty feelings you’re having if you’re not in the mood to play.

DON'T WISH IT AWAY

Some days will still end up a bit screen heavy – that’s life. But if you’re up for it, going cold turkey for a day or two can make a big difference. I’ve found the less screen time my kids have, the better they play together and the more independently they get stuck into things, even if the first couple of days feel harder.

And if today felt like a write-off, that’s fine too. Tomorrow’s always there. But try not to wish the bad weather away whilst we all wait for warmer weather. There’s something about the slower pace of a rainy day - the cosy afternoons and the chance to hunker down and play without rushing anywhere. It doesn’t last forever and, when you look for it, there’s plenty of good in it too.

Remember, if in doubt – get out.

Zazi Henderson is a speech and language therapist, online educator and co-owner (with partner Jon) of online store & education platform: Zazi Hub. Zazi lives in Christchurch with Jon and their two children August and Etta. See more at zazi.co.nz.

Photography: Crywolf Child