25 Budget-Friendly Indoor Rainy Day Activities for Kids Using Household Items

Materials Needed:

• Mismatched or old socks
• Buttons for eyes
• Yarn or string for hair
• Fabric scraps for clothing or features
• Glue (fabric glue works best)
• Markers for facial features

Simple Steps:

1. Place a sock over your hand to determine where to place the eyes and mouth
2. Glue buttons on for eyes (or use safety eyes if you have them)
3. Add yarn for hair by gluing strands to the top of the sock
4. Use markers to draw a mouth or glue on a felt mouth
5. Add any extra decorations like fabric scraps for clothes
6. Let dry completely before playing

Once your puppets are ready, create a simple theater by draping a blanket over a table or between two chairs. Your kids can spend hours creating stories and putting on shows!

Materials Needed:

• Cardboard boxes of various sizes
• Construction paper
• Toilet paper or paper towel tubes
• Markers, crayons, or paint
• Scissors (parent supervision required)
• Tape or glue

Simple Steps:

1. Cut windows and doors in boxes to create buildings
2. Use paper towel tubes for towers or streetlights
3. Draw roads on construction paper or directly on a large piece of cardboard
4. Decorate buildings with markers or paint
5. Add details like signs, trees (using crumpled paper), and vehicles

This project can grow over time, with new buildings and features added each rainy day. It’s perfect for imaginative play with toy cars, action figures, or dolls.

Materials Needed:

• Paper plates
• Scissors (parent supervision required)
• Elastic string or ribbon
• Paint or markers
• Craft supplies (feathers, sequins, etc. if available)
• Glue

Simple Steps:

1. Cut eye holes in the paper plate
2. Decorate the plate as an animal, superhero, or character
3. Attach elastic or ribbon to the sides so it can be worn
4. Add additional decorations as desired

Once the masks are complete, encourage a game of charades or have the kids put on a play using their new creations!

Materials Needed:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup salt
• 2 tablespoons cream of tartar (if available)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups boiling water (adult handling required)
• Food coloring

Simple Steps:

1. Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl
2. Add oil and boiling water (adult step)
3. Stir until it forms a dough
4. Once cool enough to handle, knead until smooth
5. Divide and add different food colors as desired

Store in airtight containers and it will last for weeks! Kids can create sculptures, practice letters, or just enjoy the sensory experience.

Materials Needed:

• Cardboard or heavy paper for the base
• Clean recycled items (bottle caps, cardboard tubes, packaging, etc.)
• Glue
• Paint or markers
• Scissors (parent supervision required)

Simple Steps:

1. Collect clean recyclable materials
2. Choose a theme or let imagination guide the creation
3. Arrange items on the cardboard base before gluing
4. Secure items with glue
5. Add paint or marker details as desired

These collages can become wall art, storytelling props, or just a fun way to spend a creative afternoon indoors.

Materials Needed:

• Couch cushions
• Pillows
• Blankets
• Chairs
• Masking tape
• Empty laundry baskets

Course Ideas:

• Crawl under a row of chairs draped with blankets
• Jump from pillow to pillow (like stepping stones)
• Balance walking on a straight line of masking tape
• Toss soft toys into a laundry basket
• Crawl through a blanket tunnel
• Hop on one foot between certain points

Time each run through the course and challenge kids to beat their personal best. This activity is perfect for burning energy and can be changed up throughout the day to keep it interesting.

Materials Needed:

• Balloons (have extras on hand)
• String or yarn
• Two chairs

Simple Steps:

1. Tie string between two chairs to create a “net”
2. Blow up a balloon
3. Divide into two teams, one on each side of the net
4. Hit the balloon back and forth over the net
5. If the balloon touches the floor on your side, the other team gets a point

For younger children, focus on keeping the balloon in the air rather than competitive scoring. For older kids, establish more volleyball-like rules for an added challenge.

Materials Needed:

• Paper and pen for creating clues or item lists
• Small basket or bag for collecting items
• Timer (optional)

Hunt Ideas:

• Find items of specific colors (something red, something blue, etc.)
• Locate objects starting with each letter of the alphabet
• Find items with specific shapes (circle, square, triangle)
• Discover objects with different textures (smooth, rough, soft)
• Search for items from different categories (something you read, something you wear)

For younger children, use pictures instead of written clues. For older kids, create riddles or puzzles that lead to each item. This activity combines physical movement with problem-solving skills.

Materials Needed:

• Pillowcases (one per player)
• Masking tape to mark start and finish lines
• Clear pathway

Simple Steps:

1. Clear a pathway in a hallway or large room
2. Mark a start and finish line with masking tape
3. Have each player step into a pillowcase and hold it at waist level
4. Race by jumping to the finish line

For added fun, try different movement styles like hopping on one foot, going backward, or moving like different animals. This game provides great exercise while developing balance and coordination.

Materials Needed:

• Music player
• Upbeat songs
• Clear space for dancing

Simple Steps:

1. Play upbeat music and have everyone dance
2. Randomly pause the music
3. When the music stops, everyone must freeze in their position
4. Anyone who moves is out (or does a silly task to get back in)
5. Last person “frozen” wins

This game can be played with just two people or a whole family. It’s a great way to get moving, be silly, and burn off energy on a rainy day.

Materials Needed:

• Simple recipe (cookies work great)
• Basic baking ingredients
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Mixing bowls
• Baking sheets or pans

Learning Opportunities:

• Measuring ingredients (fractions and volume)
• Counting (eggs, cookies, etc.)
• Following sequential instructions
• Understanding time concepts
• Observing chemical reactions (how ingredients change when mixed and heated)

For younger children, focus on simple counting and measuring. For older kids, challenge them to double or halve the recipe to practice multiplication and division. Everyone enjoys the delicious reward at the end!

Experiment Ideas:

• Baking Soda Volcano: Mix vinegar with baking soda to create an eruption
• Sink or Float: Test which household objects sink or float in water
• Static Electricity: Rub a balloon on hair to make it stick to walls
• Color Mixing: Use food coloring to explore primary and secondary colors
• Cornstarch Goop: Mix cornstarch and water to create a non-Newtonian fluid

Learning Opportunities:

• Understanding basic scientific principles
• Making predictions and observations
• Developing critical thinking skills
• Learning about cause and effect

Encourage kids to keep a “lab notebook” where they can draw or write their observations. This adds a literacy component to the scientific exploration.

Materials Needed:

• Paper cubes (or small boxes)
• Markers or pens
• Tape or glue
• Paper for writing stories

Simple Steps:

1. Create paper cubes or find small boxes to use as dice
2. On each face of the first die, draw or write a character (princess, alien, teacher)
3. On the second die, add settings (castle, space, school)
4. On the third die, add problems (lost key, broken machine, bad weather)
5. Roll the dice and create a story using the elements that appear

For younger children, they can tell their story verbally while you write it down. Older children can write their own stories and even illustrate them. This activity builds vocabulary, narrative skills, and creativity.

Materials Needed:

• Large piece of cardboard or poster board
• Markers, crayons, or colored pencils
• Small objects for game pieces (buttons, coins, small toys)
• Dice or homemade spinner
• Index cards for game cards

Game Ideas:

• Math Race: Answer math problems to move forward
• Vocabulary Quest: Define words or use them in a sentence to progress
• Geography Journey: Name facts about different countries or states
• Science Challenge: Answer science questions to collect points

Creating the game is half the fun! This activity combines arts and crafts with educational content, followed by the enjoyment of playing the finished game.

Materials Needed:

• Paper
• Markers or crayons
• Small “treasure” to hide
• Optional: ruler for older kids

Simple Steps:

1. Draw a simple map of your home (or just one room for younger children)
2. Hide a small treasure somewhere in the mapped area
3. Mark the treasure’s location on your map
4. Have children use the map to find the treasure
5. For older children, add a coordinate system or compass directions

This activity teaches map reading, spatial relationships, and direction following. For added learning, have children create their own maps and hide treasures for others to find.