We have been getting a lot of rain in Charlotte lately (at least it feels like we have). This past week, while I was thinking of things to do with Graham on a cold, rainy day, I had the thought – this topic would make for a good blog post! On some rainy days, it’s fun to stay home and embrace it. Keep your pajamas on all day, make some hot cocoa, watch a movie and be lazy. On other rainy days, the stir craziness is in full force and we NEED to get out of the house. Below are 10 tried and true rainy day toddler activities to help you avoid cabin fever!
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Check Out Open Gym Play In Your Area
If you live in a fairly large city, chances are you have a gymnastics facility in your area. Most of these places offer open gym for toddlers during the week. I had no idea this was a thing until I became a stay at home mom, and it has been such a lifesaver, especially on those rainy days. It is the perfect place to let your toddler get ALL of their energy out!! If you have a gymnastics facility in your area, check out their website as they will often list this information. If you don’t see open gym hours on their website, it is worth calling and asking.
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Get Out and Play In The Rain
This activity seems so obvious, but it is actually the number 1 activity that I forget about (that would probably be the most fun). Obviously, this is only doable if the temperature is decent, so you are a bit restricted. But once the weather breaks, put on their swim suits or rain boots and let them run!!! It’s like the biggest sprinkler you can get! It’s also fun to play a game in the rain! We love these portable soccer nets. Why not start a soccer game in the rain?!
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Go to a Bounce House
We have a couple of bounce houses in our area, that our always guaranteed fun on a rainy day. Although bounce houses can sometimes be a bit pricey, be sure to check out Groupon before you go. Often times, these types of places will list deals on Groupon that make it much more affordable.
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Bake With Your Kids
Yes, baking can still be active and kids absolutely love it. Make the decision that you are going to be okay with the mess and turn up the music and embrace it! Make it a fun bonding time with your littles. My kids never turn down an opportunity to help me in the kitchen and rainy days are the perfect time to go all out!
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Go Bowling
Again, going back to those toddler activities around town, a lot of bowling lanes have tot times in the mornings, you just have to scope them out, and maybe make a phone call or two. I love these types of “tot time” activities, because they are typically much more affordable and doable.
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Go to Your Fitness Center and Play in The Gym
If you have a gym membership and the facility has an actual gym, take advantage of it!! Take some balls, jump rope, bean bags, hopscotch mat, or whatever else your kids like and go play at the gym! Kids love just running around in a huge gym. Get creative and make up some games, it can be so fun!
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Try One of These: 87 Energy Busting Indoor Games & Activities
Check out www.whatmomloves.com for a huge list of great indoor activities. This post, by What Moms Love, offers some fantastic indoor activity options, with great pictures for visual inspiration. After checking out this post, you may never have to think up an indoor activity again. It is so good!
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Go to The Movies
Many movie theaters offer discounts in the mornings for toddlers. Some do this several days per week, while others only offer this deal on specific days. Check out the theaters in your area to see what days of the week they offer discounted rates.
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Have a Playdate
Sometimes, spontaneous playdates are the best playdates. Call up a few girlfriends and see if they want to bring their kids over to play for the morning. It’s a win-win, you get some friend time, while the kids play!!
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Play in The Garage
If you have the room, move your cars into the driveway, close your garage door and let your kids play in the garage! Bring out the sidewalk chalk, roller blades, scooters and let them play! Sometimes just offering a change of environment with toys they use all of the time creates a new, fun experience for them. My daughter thinks it’s so cool when she gets to roller blade in the garage, and it makes for a great rainy-day activity
Local Resources
When we moved to Charlotte, one of the first things I did was scout out all of the activity websites in our area. These types of websites are so helpful and will enlighten you on many activities and events in your city that you may not otherwise know about. If you live in the Charlotte area, my two favorite websites are: www.charlotteonthecheap and www.hulafrog.com. If you don’t live in Charlotte, I encourage you to just google and I am fairly certain you’ll find some good websites in your area. Hulafrog is actually a nation-wide company, allowing you to filter by your city. This website is a great place to start. Next time you have a rainy day, embrace it and try something new on this list with your kids!