Don't Hide from a Rainy Day

 

It is often the adult who wants to avoid going out in the rain. Children are usually fascinated by rainy weather and enjoy seeing the changes in the playground during a rain shower. Most children have few opportunities to go out and explore, usually hurried from the car to the house when the weather’s bad. Making the most of rainy days will create new experiences and memories that children will treasure.

Find your boots and umbrellas and get out there. Enjoy splashing through the puddles, watch the rain run down the road and into the gutters, note the smell, find worms and see the birds take a bath in the puddles. Count how many umbrellas you see on your trip and note their colors.

Put out containers and catch the rain, noting how much is collected during the storm. This allows for rainy day outdoor play without having to venture too far outside. Set others out upside-down, and have children listen to the different sounds they make when the rain drops hit.

If you really can’t bear to go out in the rain, venture out just after the bad weather has passed. Talk about what still looks dry after the rain, (the area under parked cars, covered porches) and why these areas are still dry. Make note of other changes, like the way trees limbs sag when they are heavy still with water, or how rivulets of water cut gouges through the dirt.

Do you have an outdoor playhouse, or is there one in a nearby playground? Playing games or reading in a playhouse while the rain pours outside is cozy and great fun for children. Try to ensure any games you take outside are not too fragile or valuable in case of a trip or fall on the way to the playhouse.

Related Training:
Making the Most of Outdoor Play
Outdoor Play Safety