Crafts for Keeping Kids Busy During A Rainy Day

Rainy days take on a whole new meaning when you have kids at home. It’s fun to get a little extra family time together … until approximately hour three, when the boredom kicks in. (Does the exclamation “I’m bored!” from your kids strike fear in your heart the way it does mine?) When the weather outside is frightful, you’ll need to be armed with lots of activities to keep your youngsters occupied. We’ve put together this guide to fun crafts for keeping your kids busy during the occasional rain day. Happy crafting!

1. DIY Mini Glitter Snow Globes
   Capture the magic of a snowy day year round with a homemade mini glitter snow globe! This was a favorite project at my son’s preschool. You’ll need a small plastic or ceramic figurine or ornament, epoxy glue (for adult use only), a baby food or small mason jar with a tight-fitting lid, glitter and distilled water. Here’s what you do: glue the figurine or ornament to the inside lid of the jar with epoxy and let dry for a few minutes. Have your child add enough distilled water to fill the jar, then have her add a few teaspoons of glitter. If you like, you can add a few drops of vegetable glycerin to the water – it will keep the glitter from falling too quickly to the bottom when you shake your snow globe. Screw on the lid of the jar, being careful with the figurine. Flip over your snow globe and watch it snow! (Ages 4+)
2. Bubble-Wrap Printing
   You’ve probably got bubble wrap lying around, right? Recycle it by making amazing bubble-wrap prints with your little ones! You’ll need squares of bubble wrap (any sized bubbles will do – or a mixture!), sturdy paper, finger paint or other non-toxic paint, and paint brushes. To make bubble-wrap prints, have your kids paint (either with a brush or their fingers) a thick coating of paint on their bubble-wrap square. Show them how to gently press the painted bubble-wrap on their paper – and voilà! A bubble-wrap print. Older kids can get even craftier by cutting their bubble wrap into fun shapes, like hearts and stars, and by using multiple paint colors to make a rainbow effect. Check out this Pinterest board for more bubble-wrap print ideas. (Ages 2+)
3. Washi Tape Art
   Washi tape is paper masking tape that comes in a dizzying array of colors and patterns. What’s great about washi crafts is that the tape is removable, so you don’t have to worry about your little one sticking it on your wall or your favorite piece of furniture. For small kids, washi tape art can be as simple as making patterns out of the colorful tape on sturdy craft paper or card stock. (Smaller children may need help cutting or tearing the tape.) Older kids love to make keepsake washi tape boxes. Pick up a few paper boxes in various sizes at the craft store, or reuse small shipping boxes. Your kids can cover the boxes with colorful washi tape in fun patterns – they make perfect treasure or gift boxes. There are more washi tape art ideas for kids over at the adorable Washi Tape Crafts blog. (Ages 3+)
4. Paper Mache Sculptures
   You’ve probably got all of the materials to make paper mache sculptures in your house – no need to head to the craft store! To make the sculptures, you’ll need flour (Arrowhead Mills® Organic Unbleached White Flour is the best), water, and paper (either newspaper or paper bags). You’ll also need non-toxic paint to decorate your finished sculpture. To make the paper mache paste, add the flour to a large bowl. Slowly stir in the water using a fork or a whisk until a paste the consistency of pancake batter forms (be sure to mix well so there aren’t any lumps). Have your kids make a basic shape for their sculpture out of crumpled paper. Tear newspaper or paper bags into strips, then dip into the paper mache paste and smooth onto your crumpled-paper base. Let their imagination run wild with what kinds of sculptures to make – from animals to free-form shapes. Set the paper mache sculpture to dry on a drying rack or sheet pan. (Keep in mind that paper mache needs at least a day to dry before it can be painted.) Once it is completely dry, your kids can paint their sculpture with colorful paint. (Ages 2+)
5. Origami
   Origami is the traditional Japanese art of paper folding. Glue and cutting is discouraged in favor of creating paper sculptures, some quite intricate, out of a single sheet of paper. Origami’s popularity is taking off, and for good reason! (My neighborhood even has its own origami studio.) Colorful paper, clever shapes, and best of all: it requires lots of concentration to keep the kiddos busy. We found this incredible website that has origami instructions for kids (and more complicated origami if you want to try your hand at it), including step-by-step folding instructions and videos. My favorite for older kids is this origami paper crown. Littler kids will love to make this simple fan or this adorable origami cat face. (Ages 5+)