Rainy Day Activities and Crafts Kids Love
Ways to Keep Kids Busy for Hours with Kids Art and Imaginative Play
Apr 14, 2009
Parents who are looking for kids’ art projects to keep children busy on rainy days may want to try making salt dough or making paper masks. These crafts kids love fuel imaginative play, as do making movies or setting up a blanket fort.
Salt Dough Is a Great Rainy Day Activity
Salt dough is an easy craft project for children of all ages. Children can be involved in four different stages of this craft project. Kids who enjoy cooking will enjoy measuring and mixing the ingredients for salt dough. Mixing the ingredients is a great way for kids to get their hands dirty in a parent-supervised environment.
Like Play-Doh, kids can use their creativity to make different types of animals, play food and other objects for imaginative play. Unlike Play-Doh, salt dough can be baked to harden creations and make permanent keepsakes. Once the creations are baked and cooled, kids can decorate their creations with markers, paint and other craft supplies.
Keep Kids Busy Making Paper Masks
Kids who like craft projects will enjoy making paper masks. Craft supplies for making paper masks include basic items like paper plates and cardboard boxes. Paper plate crafts are easy to make and cost little. Kids can decorate their paper masks with crayons, markers or paint. If additional craft supplies are on hand, kids can make their mask more elaborate by adding glitter, sequins, pompons and feathers.
Making paper masks can keep kids busy for hours as they create a whole series of masks built around a theme. A toddler may want to make several jungle animals like a tiger, elephant or rhino. Preschool children may want to make characters from their favorite book or movie. The masks don’t have to be perfect; they are an opportunity for children to explore craft supplies and spend some time using their imaginations. Extend imaginative play by using the masks to make a mini-movie featuring the children and their masks.
A Blanket Fort Keeps Kids Busy for Hours
There is something magical about a blanket fort that brings out kids’ imaginations. On a rainy day, take out a king or queen-size sheet and make a blanket fort. The easiest and most basic blanket forts utilize a kitchen or dining room table. Turn chairs to face out instead of tucking under the table and spread the sheet over the table and chairs. Leave one end free for climbing in and out. Hanging a blanket over a lower bunk bed or clearing one side of a walk-in closet can create a cozy nook for children.
Now that the children have their blanket fort, equip them with flashlights, books, a small battery-powered radio or a portable DVD player. Expect lots of giggles and protests when mom comes to check on them or joins them in the blanket fort with reinforcements in the form of snacks. Play card games or tell stories by the light of flashlights.
Parents looking for rainy day activities for children can try craft projects like making paper masks and salt dough to keep kids busy for hours. Craft projects with multiple stages are a great way to keep children from getting bored with any one part of the craft. Blanket forts are a great way to encourage imaginative play and keep kids busy for hours when the weather is bad.
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