5 Easy Rainy Day Crafts for Kids
Keeping kids entertained on rainy days isn’t easy, particularly if you have a high energy child. Rainy day crafts are an excellent way to keep children occupied and teach them valuable skills.
Crafts teach kids to follow instructions and develop creativity. They also assist with fine motor skills. Craft activities are particularly helpful for kinaesthetic learners who love hands-on tasks.
These craft projects are fun and easy to make.
Memory Board
Memory boards are easy to make and ideal for preserving precious moments or your child’s artwork. All you need is a piece of cardboard, scrap fabric, some paint, a hot glue gun and wooden clothes pegs.
Kids can use a plate to cut the cardboard and fabric in a circle, making sure to cut the fabric circle half an inch outside the lines so it’s larger. They then glue the fabric to the cardboard, folding the edges under.
Now it’s time to paint the wooden clothes pegs in different colours. When the paint is dried, the pegs are glued to the base, creating clips to add photos and drawings which can be displayed on the wall.
Wooden Stamps
Children love playing with stamps and will get a real kick out of making their own. It’s a good idea to have some tree branches already on hand for this activity. With help, kids use a saw to trim the branches into short pieces with flat ends for the stamp.
It’s simply a matter of then using whatever materials are on hand to design their stamps. Thumbtacks, drill bits and screwdriver heads can be used to make nice patterns. Hot glue is also excellent for creating letters and designs. Kids can use their stamps to create art works, wrapping paper or even t-shirt designs.
DIY Dollhouse
For budding grand designers, there’s nothing more fun than creating their own house. The beauty of this craft project is that most materials are readily available in your home.
All you need are some cardboard boxes, scrapbook paper or paint for interior walls and a lot of imagination. Kids can stack boxes on top of each other for multi-story designs and create staircases, verandahs and attics. They might even enjoy making their own furniture.
Board Games
Playing board games is always a fun rainy day activity, but kids can get tired of playing the same games. To spice things up, ask your child to make their own board game.
Making games is a wonderful way to teach kids about logic and strategy. They might want to create their own version of a classic like Snakes and Ladders, or design something unique. Some cardboard and coloured markers are all that’s required for this project.
Firefly Mason Jar
A firefly mason jar is a lovely decorative piece that children can display in their rooms or give as a gift. Materials required are a mason jar, mini LED string lights (battery-operated), a piece of lace fabric, glow-in-the-dark fabric paint and a hot glue gun.
Kids cut small sets of wings from the lace fabric and glue them on the back of each LED light on the string. They then apply a large drop of glow-in-the-dark paint on top of the wings to represent the firefly’s body (use a hairdryer to quicken the drying process).
The next step is to flip the lights over and paint the front. Once the paint has dried, put the string in the jar and glue the battery to the bottom of the lid before closing it (or leave at the bottom of the jar).
The final step is to decorate the outside of the jar. Kids might want to paint some grass, trees or flowers. The result is a pretty keepsake which is perfect for summer nights.
These activities will keep kids happy and entertained on rainy days.