Rainy Day Crafts for Kids

Rainy days can be hard on kids and adults alike. They get bored and anxious being locked up inside all day with no way to release built up energy. This can easily cause what could potentially be a great day, to go horribly wrong. Trying some fun ideas to get their little creative juices flowing can detour those toddler meltdowns. These fun crafts and activities are sure to fill your day with lots of smiles.

I found these ideas at a few different websites which I will list after each project. I take no credit for any of these, they just looked like lots of fun!

The Plant Pal



This project is very easy for a toddler to do and still allows them to get their little hands dirty. It does require a few items you might not have lying around, therefore you should plan this project ahead of time.

You will need:
One 12 ounce plastic cup
1 cup of potting soil
1 tablespoon of grass seed
Decorations such as ribbon, markers, office dot stickers, googly eyes.


To make this project, start by filling the cup halfway with soil. Divide the remaining soil into two parts. Have the child stir grass seed into one of the halves. Next, your child can easily spoon the seed-filled soil into the cup and place remainder of soil on top. Sprinkle your soil with water. Lastly, the fun part. Let your child decorate the cup however they choose and place it in a sunny spot. Continue to water it as needed. Your child will enjoy making this project and watching it grow over the next several weeks.
www.spoonful.com


Rubber Puppets



This project is fantastic to keep creative minds active. You can also use it for bath time since it is waterproof. Most of these items are in the average home and can be made spur of the moment.
Start by cutting the fingers off a pair of rubber gloves. An adult should do this part, as rubber gloves are hard to cut through with safety scissors. Either an adult or the child can then draw faces, characters, animals or anything their minds can imagine to create a puppet show with their new finger puppets. As stated above, these are waterproof and can be used for in a bathtub stage.
www.spoonful.com


Coffee Can Piggy Bank



Personalize their own piggy bank and teach them the value of saving in a fun and unique way.

You will need:
One empty coffee can
Construction paper
Hot glue gun
Markers
Photo of child

The adult should measure and cut a piece of construction paper to fit around the coffee can, unless the child is old enough to measure. Make sure to leave a small gap at the top so the lid still closes tightly. Glue the photo your child chose in the middle of the paper and allow them to decorate the paper however they like. Glue the construction paper around the coffee can and let it dry for one day. Lastly cut a slot into the lid for coins to fit through. This will allow them to enjoy saving those pennies just a little more.
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/Canbank.shtml

These few crafts will give your children the opportunity to learn and create while spending quality time together. They are simple enough to be done quickly to hold their short attention span while being able to do most of the work.