Rainy day activities to do with your toddler
Rainy days are difficult in this house. We are an outside family and we love it! On days when we are stuck inside due to weather we try to set up new and excited activities for our toddler. Having a plan for rainy day activities with a toddler can make them the most magical days of the year
Pro tip: have your spaces set up for our toddler to have as much independence and creativity as they choose! For more information see my 4 steps to parenting a toddler who thrives!
Rainy Day Activity 1
A Color sorting container is a great opportunity for toddler to practice fine motor skills and color matching! Bonus the container is a storage for all the small objects!
What you will need:
- An old plastic coffee container with lid
- Tool to cut appropriately sizes holes in the lid of the container. (We used a Dremel tool… overkill but it was efficient and the holes look nice)
- Pom Pom balls of varying colors (or other items that are solid color and are small enough to fit)
- White and primary colored non-toxic paint
- Small detail paint brush (You can use your fingers too if you do not have one!)
What to do:
- Clean and thoroughly dry the old coffee container.
- Cut six, 1 inch, circle holes in the lid of the old coffee container. (cut as many holes can fit without damaging the structure of the lid)
- If you have a dark colored lid paint the edge of each hole white and let dry thoroughly.
- Paint, the white, edges with different colors and let thoroughly dry.
- Place pom poms next to container and then demonstrate how to place the matching color through the matching hole.
- Once all the pom poms are sorted into the container show your toddler how to remove the lid, place the pom poms next to the container and then how to place the lid back on,
Rainy Day activity 2
Continuing with the color sorting theme a clothes pin color wheel is an opportunity for toddlers to work on balance, fine motor skills and color matching.
What you will need:
- Paper Plate (plain white works best)
- Clothes Pins
- Markers (as many colors as you have clothes pins and black)
What to do:
- Draw as many dividers on the plate as you have colors.
- Fill each divided space with a different color.
- Take each clothes pin and use different markers to color them to match one of the colors on the plate.
- Demonstrate how to clip one clothes pin on its matching color with the other set on the side.
- Allow your toddler to practice.
Rainy Day Activity 3
A popsicle stick stand up is an opportunity for your toddler to practice fine motor skills, understand cause and effect and you can add in color and number matching as well.
What you need:
- An old egg carton
- 12 popsicle sticks
- Markers (up to 12 different colors/shades)
- Cutting utensil
What to do:
- Make sure the egg carton is fully clean and dry
- Flip the egg carton over and cut small slits in the middle of each divider. Barely wider than the width of the popsicle sticks.
- Additional step; creating a color matching step to the activity. Color the top of each egg divider and a popsicle stick to match it.
- Additional step: number match. Write a number on the top of each egg carton divider and on a popsicle to match.
Rainy Day Activity 4
Testing if an object is magnetic is a fun and easy STEM activity for our toddlers to enjoy.
What you will need:
- Three baskets or trays
- Varied magnetic items
- Varied non magnetic items
- a fridge or magnetic boar
What to do:
- Place all the items in one basket at the base of the fridge
- Place the two empty baskets on either side of the full basket
- Demonstrate how to place a magnetic item on the fridge and what one looks like when it does not.
- Place the magnetic item in one basket and the non-magnetic item in the other.
- Allow your toddler to explore and be amazed!
Rainy Day Activity 5
An activity where children focus on their senses encourages mindfulness and grounding.
What you will need:
- An old spice container with a shaker top
- Items that have a strong scent (Such as; cinnamon sticks, pine needles or flower petals)
What to do:
- Clean old spice container
- Place one item (you can do multiple as well for beautiful scent combos!) and close the lid.
- Demonstrate for your toddler how to smell the object through lid. (I like to be as dramatic as possible with my reaction to help my toddler get excited.)
