Rainy days.

They can be lovely when you've got nowhere to be, a warm cup of tea in your hand and nowhere to rush off to.

But when you have a little one at home and the rain seems to have settled in for the day, it can be a different story.

You've made breakfast. You've tidied up. You've answered approximately 47 questions before 10am. And now you're hearing those familiar words:

"I'm bored."

Sometimes, as parents, we simply need someone to put a few ideas in front of us.

Not elaborate activities that require a trip to the craft shop. Not ideas that leave the house looking like a glitter bomb has gone off. Just simple things we can do with young children when the weather isn't playing ball.

So, if you're looking for rainy day activities for under 5s, here's a list to save for the next wet and windy day - with ideas for both staying at home and getting out of the house.

🏠 Rainy Day Activities to Do at Home

You don't need a huge collection of toys or a perfectly organised playroom.

Often, some of the best activities for little ones are surprisingly simple.

1. Bake something together

Rainy days are perfect for getting into the kitchen.

Bake cupcakes, biscuits, banana bread or whatever you have ingredients for.

Young children can help with simple jobs like:

• Pouring ingredients into the bowl
• Stirring
• Decorating
• Using cookie cutters
• Counting spoonfuls
• Choosing toppings

It doesn't have to be perfect. The mixing, measuring and decorating are all part of the fun.

And, of course, there's the important job of taste-testing afterwards!

2. Get messy with some messy play

If you're prepared to embrace a little mess, rainy days are a great excuse for sensory play.

Try a tray of:

• Rice
• Pasta
• Oats
• Shaving foam
• Playdough
• Water
• Jelly
• Sand

Add cups, spoons, containers, toy animals or vehicles and let your child explore.

For younger children, always choose materials that are appropriate for their age and supervise closely.

3. Paint

Get the paints out and let them create.

You could keep it simple with paper and paintbrushes, or try something different:

Rainy-day idea: Paint a picture of the weather outside.

Clouds, puddles, umbrellas, rainbows, wellies and raindrops can all become part of their masterpiece.

Don't worry about what it looks like. The important bit is that they're exploring colour, movement and creativity.

4. Colouring

Sometimes you don't need an activity at all.

Just sit down with a pile of colouring pencils or crayons and some pictures to colour.

It's a wonderfully simple way to slow things down while encouraging concentration and creativity.

5. Pick an activity book

Rainy days are also a great opportunity to reach for an activity book.

From colouring and stickers to mazes, matching, puzzles and early learning activities, activity books can give children something purposeful to sit down and explore.

And there's something particularly satisfying about having a little basket or shelf where you can keep a few books ready for those days when you hear:

"What can we do?"

6. Build a den

Grab some blankets, cushions and chairs and build a den.

Once it's ready, the den can become almost anything:

A reading corner.

A campsite.

A teddy bear's house.

A spaceship.

A castle.

Take a few favourite books inside and turn it into a cosy little reading nook.

7. Have a story-time session

Rain outside + blankets + books = a pretty good combination.

Let your child choose several books and make a little event of it.

You could even turn off the main lights, get comfortable and use a little reading light to make story time feel different from normal.

8. Play hide and seek

It costs nothing, requires virtually no preparation and can provide surprisingly enthusiastic entertainment.

Take turns hiding around the house and let your little one search.

For younger children, keep the hiding places simple and safe.

9. Have a music and dancing session

Put on some favourite songs and have a dance around the living room.

Try:

• Freeze dancing
• Copying each other's movements
• Musical statues
• Dancing like different animals
• Making up your own actions to nursery rhymes

It's a great way to get some energy out when you can't get outside.

10. Build with LEGO or building blocks

Get out the building blocks and set yourselves a challenge.

Can you build:

• A house?
• A tower?
• A garage?
• A zoo?
• A bridge?
• A castle?

With younger children, simply stacking, knocking down and rebuilding can be enough.

11. Complete a puzzle

Puzzles are perfect for a quieter part of the day.

Choose something appropriate for your child's age and work on it together.

You could make it a little challenge:

"How quickly can we finish it together?"

Or simply enjoy doing it at your own pace.

12. Play simple games

You don't need complicated board games to have fun together.

Try:

• Snap
• Matching games
• Simple card games
• Lotto
• Dominoes
• Memory games
• I Spy
• Guess the animal
• Simon Says

For younger children, adapt games so they can join in.

13. Create an indoor treasure hunt

Hide a few toys or objects around the house and give your child clues.

For younger children, make the clues really simple:

"Can you find something blue?"

"Can you find your teddy?"

"Can you find something that goes in the kitchen?"

You can turn it into a colour, shape or counting activity too.

14. Make a cardboard-box adventure

Never underestimate a cardboard box.

A large box can become a:

Car.
Bus.
Train.
Rocket.
House.
Shop.
Boat.

Give your child some crayons or stickers and let them decorate it.

You may have just created the afternoon's entertainment from something you were about to put in the recycling.

15. Have a teddy bear picnic

Spread a blanket across the living room, invite the teddies and have an indoor picnic.

You could even let your child prepare pretend food in their play kitchen.

16. Set up a pretend-play café or shop

Use toys, empty food packaging and a little imagination to create a café or shop.

Your child can be the shopkeeper, chef or customer.

It's a lovely opportunity for imaginative play while naturally introducing numbers, colours, food names and conversation.

17. Make a simple craft

You don't need a complicated craft project.

Try making:

• Paper animals
• Paper plate faces
• Simple puppets
• Homemade cards
• Collages
• Paper crowns
• Rainbows
• Handprint pictures

Keep a small box of craft supplies ready so you don't have to search the house every time inspiration strikes.

18. Have an indoor picnic

Lunch doesn't always have to happen at the table.

Put a blanket on the floor, prepare some finger foods and have a picnic in the living room.

You could even pretend you're somewhere else - a beach, a jungle or a park.

19. Look through family photos

Sit together and look through old photographs.

Talk about people, places and memories.

"Do you remember this?"

"Who is that?"

"Where were we here?"

It's a simple activity, but little ones often love hearing stories about themselves and their family.

20. Have a quiet afternoon with books

And sometimes...

You don't need to do anything elaborate at all.

Make a cosy space, put some books within reach and let your child browse, look at pictures and choose stories for you to read together.

Rainy days don't have to be packed from morning until bedtime.

Sometimes slowing down is exactly what everyone needs.

☔ Rainy Day Activities to Get Out of the House

Sometimes, however, you simply need to leave the house.

Even if it's raining.

A change of scenery can work wonders for children - and parents.

21. Go swimming

Swimming is one of the easiest rainy-day activities for young children.

They're warm, they're active and you don't have to worry about the weather once you're inside.

For little ones, it can also be a great opportunity to build confidence in the water.

22. Visit a soft play centre

When your child has energy to burn and the garden is out of bounds, soft play can be a lifesaver.

Climbing, crawling, sliding and exploring provide plenty of physical activity without needing sunshine.

23. Visit your local library

Libraries are brilliant rainy-day destinations.

You can browse books, choose some new stories to take home and, depending on your local library, you may also find:

• Story sessions
• Rhyme time
• Baby groups
• Children's activities
• Craft sessions

And it doesn't cost anything to wander around and discover some new books together.

24. Check out your local children's centre

Your local children's centre may have activities, play sessions, groups and events specifically designed for families with young children.

It's worth checking what's happening locally before a particularly wet day arrives.

25. Visit a museum

You don't have to wait until your children are older to introduce them to museums.

Look for family-friendly museums or exhibitions where children can explore, touch and interact with things.

You may be surprised by how much they take in.

26. Visit an indoor play or activity centre

From sensory play and toddler sessions to indoor adventure centres, there are plenty of places designed specifically for young children.

Search locally for what's available and keep a shortlist saved for particularly miserable weather.

27. Go to a café for a little treat

Sometimes you don't need a big day out.

A walk to a local café for a hot chocolate, snack or slice of cake can be enough to make an ordinary rainy day feel like an adventure.

28. Visit friends or family

A change of company can completely change the mood of the day.

Visit grandparents, cousins, friends or family and let the children play together.

You get some adult conversation too - which can be just as valuable!

29. Go on a rainy-day walk

Yes, really.

Put on the wellies, coats and waterproofs and embrace the rain.

Jump in puddles.

Look for worms.

Find leaves.

Watch the raindrops.

See how many different sounds you can hear.

You don't necessarily need to stay dry to have fun.

30. Visit somewhere new

Have you ever driven past somewhere and thought:

"We should go there one day."

A rainy day can be the perfect excuse.

Try a new library, café, garden centre, indoor attraction, museum or play centre.

It doesn't have to be an expensive day out.

Sometimes simply changing the scenery is enough.

❤️ You Don't Have to Fill Every Minute

It's easy to feel as though we're supposed to constantly entertain our children.

But you don't.

Children need opportunities to play independently, get bored, explore and use their imagination too.

So don't feel guilty if you don't have an activity planned for every hour of the day.

Maybe you bake in the morning.

Read some books after lunch.

Build a den.

Then let them play.

And if everyone starts getting a little stir-crazy?

That's when you can come back to this list.

Save it. Bookmark it. Screenshot it.

Because the next rainy day will probably arrive sooner than you think.

And when you hear "I'm bored!", you won't have to think of something from scratch.

You'll already have plenty of ideas waiting.

Here's to more puddle jumping, messy kitchens, blanket forts, library books and little adventures - whatever the weather. ☔📚