Gray Skies Bring Great Times – Enjoy a Rainy Summer Day with the Whole Family!
Gloomy summer afternoons don't have to feel dull with these rainy day activities! Get the whole family involved and laughing together with fun things to do at home that spark creativity and joy. Additionally, whether you're looking for some simple indoor activities for kids or full family night ideas, we've got you covered. These ideas will not only keep boredom at bay but also strengthen family bonds in a fun way that will have everyone actually wanting to participate. So, get ready to embrace those gray skies and make some lasting memories!
1. Family-Friendly Cooking Day
Do your kiddos constantly ask to stir the bowl when you're cooking? Why not take a rainy day and plan a whole afternoon of kid-friendly easy recipes for them to try their hand in the kitchen! These recipes for kids to make by Laura Fuentes make a great indoor activity for kids. Additionally, Laura categorizes these recipes by age group so that all kids can cook regardless of age. A great opportunity to make memories and develop important life skills!
2. Indoor Scavenger Hunt with Free Printables
A wonderful thing to do at home for younger pre-school aged kids! Turn gray skies into an exciting adventure with this indoor scavenger hunt from Welcome to Nana's. Also, Shelly provides free printable clue cards to kick things into gear and help the kids embark on their quest. Consider hiding a fun treat like their favorite candy at the end of the hunt!
3. Outsmarted – Trivia Board Game
This is a game I've played with my own family before, so I know what I'm talking about when I say it's so much fun! Outsmarted is a fast-paced trivia board game that pairs with an app; that means there are always new questions, game modes, and content to enjoy. A board game you'll want to replay! Additionally, you can set the age of each player to adjust the difficulty of their questions; a fun and fair family game night idea!
4. Indoor Fort Ideas – Rainy Day Activity
A classic indoor fort is a must on a gloomy day. Help the kids get started with these simple fort ideas from LoveToKnow. Building indoor forts is a fantastic way to encourage teamwork and creativity, making it a perfect rainy day activity for kids. Also, you might pair this activity with a movie marathon family night!
5. The Flour Game
A delightfully messy activity that will have the whole family laughing and being silly together! In this flour game by One Good Thing, players compete to remove as much flour from a mound without letting the candy on top fall; whoever loses has to fish the candy out of the flour using nothing but their mouth. A hilarious family night idea that guarantees chaos and fun memories!
6. Save the Kids Game
Another delightfully chaotic thing to do at home! Similarly to the flour game, in this Save the Kids game by My Joy-Filled Life, players compete to find Sour Patch Kids inside a mound of whipped cream using nothing but their mouth. The first player to find all 10 candies on their plate wins! A sweet game that will have the whole family laughing; so fun!
7. Scrapbooking – Rainy Day Activity
What a warm and heartfelt thing to do at home! Scrapbooking is a timeless pastime that makes a great indoor activity for kids of all ages, especially on a rainy day. Furthermore, you can kickstart this rainy day activity and get inspired with these beginner scrapbooking ideas from All That Scrapbook.
8. Songlio – Family Night Ideas
Songlio is a free online music-guessing game where players choose songs based on a given theme; other players then have to guess the song based on a small snippet. Themes can include Disney or things like a specific genre or artist. Also, since Songlio is entirely internet-based, you can get family that may not be home at the moment involved in the action.
9. DIY Spa Day – Rainy Day Activity
If you have daughters who like to feel pretty (or even sons who aren't afraid of a little pampering, haha) then a DIY spa day might be the move for a gloomy day! Prepare a full day of homemade face masks, mani-pedis, relaxing music, and other creative ideas that can all be done at home. Explore ideas with these at-home spa day essentials from Skin Simple True. Additionally, consider pairing these ideas with other activities like a movie marathon or some books to read if you're worried about the kids getting bored.
10. Indoor Picnic & Movies with Charcuterie
A classic indoor family night idea! Simply lay down a blanket in the living room and fill it with all your family's favorite snacks. Charcuterie boards are perfect for this rainy day activity; explore ideas to create your own with these charcuterie board ideas from Food Network! After you've engineered your perfect board, throw on a favorite movie and enjoy a quality indoor picnic with the whole family.
11. Draw Battle – Rainy Day Activity
If your family are big fans of these free web-based games like Songlio, another great one to check out is Draw Battle. Draw Battle is similar to Pictionary, but as a website; players are split into teams, and teams have to draw and guess each given word before the other team. Also, like Songlio, it's a great way to connect with family that may not be home at the moment.
12. Family Minute-to-Win-it
The most classic of family night ideas! Entertain the whole house on a rainy day with simple fast-paced minute long games. Explore possibilities with these Minute to Win It ideas from Healthy Happy Impactful; additionally, this guide includes game ideas that are fun for all ages. Children, teens, and adults alike will have a blast with this rainy day activity!
13. Disney Charades – Family Night Ideas
Disney families will appreciate these fun Disney Charades ideas from Moms & Munchkins; additionally, Cheryl kindly provides free printables that will kickstart this family night idea. Make lasting memories watching the whole family act out scenes and characters from their favorite Disney movies; so fun!
14. Pass it on – Family Drawing Game
Pass it on by Playtivities is like telephone, but with writing and drawing; this game is hilarious, chaotic, and never gets old! Players start by writing a prompt, which is then passed on to the next player to draw. Then, the drawing is passed on to the next player who writes another prompt based on the drawing. The new prompt is then passed on to the next player to draw; rinse and repeat! Once it's all said and done, the whole family can look over the chain of prompts and drawings for a good laugh. Additionally, free printables are provided!
15. Shout it! – Rainy Day Activity
Shout it by Playtivities is fast, fun, and educational! Players compete to shout out as many words starting with the same letter as an object on a card as they can. This family night idea gets lively and chaotic, but will still have everyone on their toes and using their brains. Also, you may play this game without cards by choosing to use objects in the space around you.
Looking for more at-home family activity ideas? Check out our posts on summer crafts for kids and this DIY recyclable jam session for kids. Also, consider reading up on our ultimate summer bucket list for families!
