Tuesday, June 19, 2018

FUN Rainy Day Activities for Kids


Guest Post by: Jenny Wise

Photo credit: Pixabay

Banish Rainy Day Boredom With These Online Activities
 Is rain in the forecast for your area this week? Rainy days with kids don’t always need to include endless hours of Netflix and video games. You can use those overcast days to provide some engaging, educational experiences for kids while they’re stuck indoors. Here are a few ideas to makeover your rainy day routines:

Practice Skills in the Kitchen
To survive a rainy day with kids, you’re going to need some tasty snacks. Why not get kids in the kitchen with you and have them help whip up some delicious treats? Cooking involves measuring, a practical use for math and can even include science. Look for recipes that are simple for kids to prepare and tutorials to help sharpen their chef skills. While you’re in the kitchen, be sure to go over food safety and how to handle kitchen emergencies. Keep a fire extinguisher nearby if you’re using the stove or oven and always supervise little ones when they are using knives and appliances.

Use Simple Ingredients for Art
Painting and drawing are perfect ways for kids to pass the time, so if you have some art supplies get them out. Stuck inside with no paints or pencils? Not to worry. You can make art using a few basic ingredients from your kitchen or bathroom. From shaving cream puffy paint to colorful conditioner clay, you likely have everything you need to unleash a child’s inner Picasso. To keep messes minimal, be sure to throw down a trash bag or newspaper and try making an artist’s apron from an old T-shirt to protect clothes. You can also create audible art with online music tutorials.

Teach Some Life Lessons 
Learning doesn’t have to revolve around traditional subjects. Teaching children about matters that will come up later in their life such as buying a home will better prepare them to make smart decisions. Real estate is a perfect topic to cover on a rainy day.

According to real estate brokerage site Redfin, “Real estate is a complex field that requires skills in math, science, English, social studies and home economics. By incorporating real estate-based lessons into your curriculum, you can help students gain valuable skills in practical math application, presentation giving, forming a persuasive argument, earth science and so much more.”

Set Up DIY Science Experiments
Science should be a part of any comprehensive lesson plan. Kid tend to absorb information better if they can get their hands dirty, so use those rainy days to complete some science-centric lessons. With a few simple items, you can teach children about a variety of scientific reactions such as edible glass. Use a paper airplane to learn about aerodynamics or create your own weather with a soda bottle tornado. Or, make some giant, foamy fun by whipping up some  elephant toothpaste. Kids will love watching their homemade “toothpaste” grow and expand into a monster pile of foam.

Talk About Weather 
If you’re stuck inside because of the weather, why not make weather the focus of your lessons? Weather can be an interesting subject for children to discover. Have children countdown between lightning and thunder to learn how light and sound travel differently. Set a chair near a window and have them observe the clouds in the sky. They can document every detail from size, shape and movement to better understand how weather moves around our world.

Burn Off Excess Energy 
Engaging young minds can help keep them focused, but you still need some ways to use excess energy. Clear the floor and have them follow along with some YouTube exercise videos. Give them a brain break by tuning into a channel that will teach them a simple yoga practice or get their bodies moving with some fun dance. Online workouts are a great way for anyone to stay in shape when they’re stuck inside, but kids can especially benefit from an exercise break.

A rainy day doesn’t have to mean a whole day is ruined. With an Internet connection and some ingenuity, you can put together some exciting, educational activities that kids of all ages will enjoy. So when those skies start to turn grey, get out this article and give kids memories they’ll always remember.

About the Author:
Jenny Wise is the owner and blogger at specialhomeeducator.com. She is a stay-at-home parent to 4 beautiful children. Her and her husband made the decision to home-educate when their oldest was four years old. During this journey, they have expanded their family, and faced many challenges along the way. With every challenge, they have experienced great rewards. Follow Jenny's homeschooling adventure at specialhomeeducator.com


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