Rainy days and children - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Meditrina · 03-12-2006, 07:51 PM

We had a rainy, indoor day today. By the time it was over, I was exhausted from keeping them occupied and civil to each other, and they were not ready for bed. They both took forever to fall asleep. The indoor activities we chose just did not wear them out like outdoor activities.

I was wondering what you do with your children on these kinds of days?

We played games, did crafts, even played with Polly Pockets. We built things with Legos, read books. We were busy the whole day. but nothing used up their energy. Any suggestions?

ngdawg · 03-12-2006, 09:08 PM

We've kind of discussed this in chat, but I was a proponent of 'let kids be kids' and many times let my kids go nuts on the house: bouncing on cushionless sofas, sometimes my bed. We played hide and seek a lot-amazing how kids can fold themselves into hiding places

For those more 'don't wanna clean up that mess' times, videos that featured dance-alongs worked great for the pre-schooler age, specially if mom danced along as well.
You could clear out an area, push the furniture off to the sides (or use the basement) and have races-pushing small potatoes with their noses, leapfrog, etc.
Get Twister and playing that with them would work as well.
Final thought: my mom painted hopscotch on the basement floor for us.

maleficent · 03-13-2006, 06:04 AM

Oooh we had hopscotch on the garage floor...

Homemade playdough was a good winddown activity - both the making of the playdough and the creating of the stuff from it.

Hide and seek in the house was lots of fun.

Making a tent and telling ghost stories.

Puppet shows (make your own puppets with socks)

Pillow fights were always good when mom wasn't around...

Mother May I was a fun game -- not sure if this was actually a game from my childhood neighborhood, or an actual game other people played... but you need 'mother" stading about 15 feet from the kids playing.. Kid will ask if they can take X number of giant steps.. Mother can either say yes you may of give them an alternative.. like 2 crab steps.. make stuff up.

If it's raining? So what.. what's wrong with putting on galoshes and a slicker and going out and splashing in puddles... I still like doing that... it's good therapy.

Charlatan · 03-13-2006, 07:18 AM

We just drug our kids and put them to bed.

Meditrina · 03-13-2006, 07:26 AM

lol @ charlatan. Let me know if that works.

and thanks ng and mal, those are great ideas! I am sure I will be coming back to visit this thread on the next rainy day.

snowy · 03-13-2006, 07:44 AM

We were lucky--we had an enormous daylight basement so we were the center of the neighborhood on rainy days. My mother played soccer with us (we had a cotton-stuffed soccer ball for indoor use), mini-basketball (we had a tiny hoop and tiny basketballs to match), and mini-baseball (this was a house-specific game...I've yet to see a house where it could feasibly be played again). We had ping-pong too, and two old couches that were OK to jump on. If you have a basement you can make kid-friendly, do it, or take the garage over for the day.

Oh, and we also had a horrible game we called wrestle-basketball, in which you could wrestle your opponents for the ball. That was the source of many injuries. I don't recommend it.

But basically--is there any room in your house where the kids can just run riot even for a little bit? That can make all the difference. Let the kids run loose a little--just make sure they're safe and not giving each other too many black eyes.

raeanna74 · 03-14-2006, 06:06 AM

We dance around in the kitchen,
play ring around the rosie,
I do my exercises while the kids join me. (They love doing the excercising.)
wrestle on the floor,
pony back rides,
And then a quiet video and a non-sugary snack with milk.

I have seen that when my daughter gets ahold of a can of caffinated soda after suppertime it's impossible to get her to bed on time.
Our garage is not take overable - It's uninsulated, not connected to the house and we rarely have a rainy day when the weather is the right temperature for us to enjoy the garage. But then again when we find a rainy day that IS warm - Last time that happened my daughter and I wandered around in our bare feet for about an hour in the rain. She still talks about that. It was a blast. After that she was ready for a movie and a quiet snuggle.

Meditrina · 03-14-2006, 06:12 AM

So basically, I just need to loosen up and let them run around downstairs. I can do that, until we decide if we are renting it out again or not. I will play music for them, and make it loud. We have an indoor hopscotch thing made out of foam tiles, I can set that up. Maybe make a huge tent for all of us to play in. I see so many possibilities now. I vow to make the next rainy day a fun one!

clavus · 03-14-2006, 05:52 PM

Captain Obvious reporting for duty!

My boys (5 and 2) go outside with us and play in the rain. Yup. even when it is "cold". We stomp in mud puddles, find worms, splash each other, pretend to get stuck in the mud, act like boats, race, etc.

I get cold before they do.

They use up a lot of energy when they play in the cold and wet. Once everybody is properly soaked, we go inside, strip off the wet, muddy clothes and take a long, warm bath.

Tune in next week when Captain Obvious discusses what to do with kids when it snows outside.

Meditrina · 03-14-2006, 07:13 PM

That sounds fun and all that, clavus. But, my daughter does not like to get her clothes wet and there is no rain coat long enough to cover her completely. I am sure my son would love it though. Hard to please both at the same time. Maybe when it gets warmer and rains, I can do this. Maybe. Although, my kids will surely think I have flipped my lid, they probably will laugh hysterically the whole time.

The snow does not seem to bother them as much. Not sure what the difference is. Snow days I have no problem with. We go sledding in the back yard.

clavus · 03-14-2006, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sportswidow05

That sounds fun and all that, clavus. But, my daughter does not like to get her clothes wet

Ah HA!

Captain Obvious quickly switches back to his alter ego, Captain Guy Who Didn't Get All The Facts And Looks Like A Dumbass

Meditrina · 03-15-2006, 11:42 AM

I never meant to imply or make you feel like a dumbass, clavus. I am sorry. My daughter just has these weird unchildlike quirks.

ClostGoth · 03-20-2006, 05:06 AM

Living in the lovely climate here in Frozen Nebraska (I think we're up to 13" this morning and it's still coming down strong) we have to prepare for several MONTHS worth of indoor-only activity during the winter. Normally I'd just bundle them up and kick them outside, but there are days when the windchill means they can't be out more than ten or fifteen minutes without risking frostbite to any exposed skin. Those are the day when we have to struggle to keep them occupied. We're from the southeast and didn't adjust well - our first winter was TOUGH (and an especially rough one too, with highs averaging in the negative 20-40's!). We finally bought a house with a HUGE finished basement. The boys' bedroom is down there as well as the laundry room and we still had space left over for a playground. Okay, so there are no slides or swings, but they have a basketball goal and air hockey table... No holds barred down there on rain (or snow) days - they can play as if they're outside because there's nothing to get broken. (Except the occassional hole in plaster that can be repaired and repainted.) On those long ago days when we didn't have the basement wonderland, I would wear myself out playing all kinds of silly games from the hokey pokey to crawling around on the floor pretending we were cats (or some other animal). It didn't always work as well as a soccer game, but it came close!

Dilbert1234567 · 04-07-2006, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maleficent

If it's raining? So what.. what's wrong with putting on galoshes and a slicker and going out and splashing in puddles... I still like doing that... it's good therapy.

hehe I love the rain too

When I was young and it was raining, I was always in the kitchen learning to cook and bake with my mom, it pays off, i love to cook these days. My favorite thing to do now when it’s raining out side is to make soup, makes the entire house smell wonderful. Besides soup, baking cookies is a great way to relax when it rains, basic chocolate chip, or something more complex.

03-12-2006, 07:51 PM	#1 (permalink)
Meditrina Junkie Location: LI,NY	Rainy days and children We had a rainy, indoor day today. By the time it was over, I was exhausted from keeping them occupied and civil to each other, and they were not ready for bed. They both took forever to fall asleep. The indoor activities we chose just did not wear them out like outdoor activities. I was wondering what you do with your children on these kinds of days? We played games, did crafts, even played with Polly Pockets. We built things with Legos, read books. We were busy the whole day. but nothing used up their energy. Any suggestions? __________________ "Toughness is in the soul and spirit, not in muscles." ~Alex Karras

03-12-2006, 09:08 PM	#2 (permalink)
ngdawg peekaboo Location: on the back, bitch	We've kind of discussed this in chat, but I was a proponent of 'let kids be kids' and many times let my kids go nuts on the house: bouncing on cushionless sofas, sometimes my bed. We played hide and seek a lot-amazing how kids can fold themselves into hiding places For those more 'don't wanna clean up that mess' times, videos that featured dance-alongs worked great for the pre-schooler age, specially if mom danced along as well. You could clear out an area, push the furniture off to the sides (or use the basement) and have races-pushing small potatoes with their noses, leapfrog, etc. Get Twister and playing that with them would work as well. Final thought: my mom painted hopscotch on the basement floor for us. __________________ Don't blame me. I didn't vote for either of'em.

03-13-2006, 06:04 AM	#3 (permalink)
maleficent Junkie Moderator Emeritus Location: Chicago	Oooh we had hopscotch on the garage floor... Homemade playdough was a good winddown activity - both the making of the playdough and the creating of the stuff from it. Hide and seek in the house was lots of fun. Making a tent and telling ghost stories. Puppet shows (make your own puppets with socks) Pillow fights were always good when mom wasn't around... Mother May I was a fun game -- not sure if this was actually a game from my childhood neighborhood, or an actual game other people played... but you need 'mother" stading about 15 feet from the kids playing.. Kid will ask if they can take X number of giant steps.. Mother can either say yes you may of give them an alternative.. like 2 crab steps.. make stuff up. If it's raining? So what.. what's wrong with putting on galoshes and a slicker and going out and splashing in puddles... I still like doing that... it's good therapy. __________________ Free your heart from hatred. Free your mind from worries. Live simply. Give more. Expect less.

03-13-2006, 07:18 AM	#4 (permalink)
Charlatan Getting it. Super Moderator Location: Lion City	We just drug our kids and put them to bed. __________________ "My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars." - Old Man Luedecke

03-13-2006, 07:26 AM	#5 (permalink)
Meditrina Junkie Location: LI,NY	lol @ charlatan. Let me know if that works. and thanks ng and mal, those are great ideas! I am sure I will be coming back to visit this thread on the next rainy day. __________________ "Toughness is in the soul and spirit, not in muscles." ~Alex Karras

03-13-2006, 07:44 AM	#6 (permalink)
snowy Kick Ass Kunoichi Location: Oregon	We were lucky--we had an enormous daylight basement so we were the center of the neighborhood on rainy days. My mother played soccer with us (we had a cotton-stuffed soccer ball for indoor use), mini-basketball (we had a tiny hoop and tiny basketballs to match), and mini-baseball (this was a house-specific game...I've yet to see a house where it could feasibly be played again). We had ping-pong too, and two old couches that were OK to jump on. If you have a basement you can make kid-friendly, do it, or take the garage over for the day. Oh, and we also had a horrible game we called wrestle-basketball, in which you could wrestle your opponents for the ball. That was the source of many injuries. I don't recommend it. But basically--is there any room in your house where the kids can just run riot even for a little bit? That can make all the difference. Let the kids run loose a little--just make sure they're safe and not giving each other too many black eyes. __________________ If I am not better, at least I am different. --Jean-Jacques Rousseau

03-14-2006, 06:06 AM	#7 (permalink)
raeanna74 I'm not a blonde! I'm knot! I'm knot! I'm knot! Location: Upper Michigan	We dance around in the kitchen, play ring around the rosie, I do my exercises while the kids join me. (They love doing the excercising.) wrestle on the floor, pony back rides, And then a quiet video and a non-sugary snack with milk. I have seen that when my daughter gets ahold of a can of caffinated soda after suppertime it's impossible to get her to bed on time. Our garage is not take overable - It's uninsulated, not connected to the house and we rarely have a rainy day when the weather is the right temperature for us to enjoy the garage. But then again when we find a rainy day that IS warm - Last time that happened my daughter and I wandered around in our bare feet for about an hour in the rain. She still talks about that. It was a blast. After that she was ready for a movie and a quiet snuggle. __________________ "Always learn the rules so that you can break them properly." Dalai Lama My Karma just ran over your Dogma.

03-14-2006, 06:12 AM	#8 (permalink)
Meditrina Junkie Location: LI,NY	So basically, I just need to loosen up and let them run around downstairs. I can do that, until we decide if we are renting it out again or not. I will play music for them, and make it loud. We have an indoor hopscotch thing made out of foam tiles, I can set that up. Maybe make a huge tent for all of us to play in. I see so many possibilities now. I vow to make the next rainy day a fun one! __________________ "Toughness is in the soul and spirit, not in muscles." ~Alex Karras

03-14-2006, 05:52 PM	#9 (permalink)
clavus pow! Location: NorCal	Captain Obvious reporting for duty! My boys (5 and 2) go outside with us and play in the rain. Yup. even when it is "cold". We stomp in mud puddles, find worms, splash each other, pretend to get stuck in the mud, act like boats, race, etc. I get cold before they do. They use up a lot of energy when they play in the cold and wet. Once everybody is properly soaked, we go inside, strip off the wet, muddy clothes and take a long, warm bath. Tune in next week when Captain Obvious discusses what to do with kids when it snows outside. __________________ Ass, gas or grass. Nobody rides for free. Last edited by clavus; 03-14-2006 at 06:00 PM..

03-14-2006, 07:13 PM	#10 (permalink)
Meditrina Junkie Location: LI,NY	That sounds fun and all that, clavus. But, my daughter does not like to get her clothes wet and there is no rain coat long enough to cover her completely. I am sure my son would love it though. Hard to please both at the same time. Maybe when it gets warmer and rains, I can do this. Maybe. Although, my kids will surely think I have flipped my lid, they probably will laugh hysterically the whole time. The snow does not seem to bother them as much. Not sure what the difference is. Snow days I have no problem with. We go sledding in the back yard. __________________ "Toughness is in the soul and spirit, not in muscles." ~Alex Karras

03-15-2006, 11:42 AM	#12 (permalink)
Meditrina Junkie Location: LI,NY	I never meant to imply or make you feel like a dumbass, clavus. I am sorry. My daughter just has these weird unchildlike quirks. __________________ "Toughness is in the soul and spirit, not in muscles." ~Alex Karras

03-20-2006, 05:06 AM	#13 (permalink)
ClostGoth Crazy Location: Omaha, NE	Living in the lovely climate here in Frozen Nebraska (I think we're up to 13" this morning and it's still coming down strong) we have to prepare for several MONTHS worth of indoor-only activity during the winter. Normally I'd just bundle them up and kick them outside, but there are days when the windchill means they can't be out more than ten or fifteen minutes without risking frostbite to any exposed skin. Those are the day when we have to struggle to keep them occupied. We're from the southeast and didn't adjust well - our first winter was TOUGH (and an especially rough one too, with highs averaging in the negative 20-40's!). We finally bought a house with a HUGE finished basement. The boys' bedroom is down there as well as the laundry room and we still had space left over for a playground. Okay, so there are no slides or swings, but they have a basketball goal and air hockey table... No holds barred down there on rain (or snow) days - they can play as if they're outside because there's nothing to get broken. (Except the occassional hole in plaster that can be repaired and repainted.) On those long ago days when we didn't have the basement wonderland, I would wear myself out playing all kinds of silly games from the hokey pokey to crawling around on the floor pretending we were cats (or some other animal). It didn't always work as well as a soccer game, but it came close! __________________ I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I intended to be. --Douglas Adams