Home Things To Do Fun Things To Do When It Rains – For Very Little Money

Fun Things To Do When It Rains – For Very Little Money

1 March 2024

It’s raining and the day feels really boring. You don’t want to go out, maybe the kids are driving you a little loopy and you’re racking your brain for things to do – indoors.

When the forecast is this grim, cabin fever can set in fast. You can curl up with a great book or binge-watch an entire season of something, but, let’s face it, sometimes you want different, fun things to do at home. And if you have kids, there’s only so much screen time you can give them.

These ideas are good for families, groups of friends or room mates, or kids on their own (hallelujah!). There are relaxing activities – because when do you ever get the time to relax? Plus delicious ideas for eating and drinking. We’ve got games that require nothing more than your imagination. And for parents: entertaining projects for the kids that don’t involve video games.

So, forget about the sport, ignore the work you were planning to do. Put on your comfy PJs, and pick one of these things to do at home. Embrace the day as time to recharge and reconnect with people you love. And don’t worry. The sun will (probably) come out soon.

Let us come to the rescue with our…….

SOUTH WALES LIFE – THINGS TO DO INDOORS WHEN IT’S RAINING

First of all, if the kids are bored at home, we’ve put together a FREE Easy Sudoku book for them to use, we’ve also added a place to put their class details in case they want to share the download around school.

You can download it and print as often as you like on the link below…..

EASY SUDOKU BOOK

HAVE AN INDOOR TREASURE HUNT

Kids in the house? Keep their day lively with a treasure hunt. Make one set of clues for every player (try rhyming the clues for fun), with each clue leading to the next one and, finally, to the treasure. Seal them in envelopes marked with a clue number (i.e., 2/7, or “two of seven”); this will help the treasure hunters keep track. Whoever solves the clues first and finds the treasure—a small toy, an IOU for a movie, maybe sweets or choccie. You can even get the kids to play as a team to solve the clues and uncover the treasure together.

CREATE A BOOK OF FAMILY RECIPES

If you’ve got some little chefs on your hands and wondering what to do on a rainy day, the perfect activity might just be to make a family recipe book.

What You Need

Unlined journal
Recipe cards (the more sauce-splattered, the better)
Wine or Champagne labels
Photos from family meals
Sticky Tape or glue
Photo corners
Ruler
Shimmery alphabet stickers
Ribbon

What to Do

Colour-copy all recipe cards, photos, and labels if you want to preserve the originals or make more than one book.
Compile the memorabilia by time period, holiday, or any other theme that inspires you.
Affix the items horizontally in the journal. Use photo corners for pictures and recipe cards and adhesive for labels and clippings.
Stick a title on the front of the journal with alphabet stickers, and finish off with a ribbon.

It will take time this one, probably as long as it takes the rain to stop.

GO CAMPING – INDOORS

While camping may not be your first thought when you think of things to do inside, who says tents have to stay outside? If you have a pop-up tent, it’s easy to set up camp for your kids indoors. If not, you can create a tent by throwing a sheet over the sofa sheets. Make them comfy with airbeds, pillows, and sleeping bags, then follow through with an indoor picnic to be eaten “under canvas.”

INVENT A GAME

No seriously. This one is really easy and you can enjoy while you eat and drink together.

One-word story: Starting with “Once upon a time,” go around the room and have each person add a single word to the story. Tip: Decide on a genre in advance―fairy tale, ghost story, etc.―and go from there.

Improvised poetry: One person says a line of poetry, and the next must say a line that rhymes with it, and so on. Let kids say the first line; it’s up to you to find the rhyme.

Yes, and…monster! Invent an imaginary monster, with each person adding a new characteristic to the first person’s monster description. Every new idea has to start with an enthusiastic, “Yes, and…” and build on what has already been described.

Anne Libera is an artistic associate and highly recommends this type os, play-anywhere, no-props-needed, rainy day activities.

PLAY BOARD GAMES

I know we all love a bit of Angry Birds or Candy Crush but trust us, get out the dusty old boxes from the back of the wardrobe, grab some snacks and drinks, get the family around the table and I promise you’ll thank us. We’ve all forgotten just how good a silly, fun, competitive, proper game can be. We’ll even allow Pie-Face in this category.

PAMPER YOURSELF – BUBBLE BATH TIME

One of the best things to do on a rainy day is put on some music, grab yourself a drink and slide into a soothing bath, with all the trimmings. But what if you’ve no bubble bath and a big tub or water isn’t quite as appealing? Well, here’s the SOUTH WALES LIFE DIY Bubble Bath recipe, and it’s good, believe us.

In a clean container, mix together: A 100ml of liquid hand or body soap (make it mild) – 1 tablespoon honey, and 1 egg white. Just go with us here. Pour the entire mixture under the running water as you run your bath. Honey is great for keeping in the skins’ moisture and the egg white will keep those bubbles, bubblier for longer. If you’re feeling really decadent add a little touch of oil, something like sesame or almond is fine. Then hop in and forget all about the rainy weather.

DEEP CONDITION YOUR HAIR

What better time than when you’re stuck inside on a rainy day to pamper yourself a little? You’ve been wanting to give your hair a deep treatment but just haven’t been able to get to the chemist or salon. Walk over to the fridge to find your solution: mayonnaise. Starting at the scalp, coat strands with ½ cup mayo. Leave on for 15 minutes, then rinse thoroughly. Apparently the Mayo works wonders.

Here’s a few more ‘things you never get around to doing tips……

Clean Your Shoes
Fix broken jewellery and give it a clean
Mend hems or seams
Give yourself a pedicure

HOST A TEA PARTY

One of the most classic things to do indoors with kids is to throw a tea party. Dress up in your fancy clobber, set the table with the good china, and put on your most formal manners (remember, extend your pinkie and sip politely). On the menu: tea (for you), juice or hot chocolate (for your children), and easy egg or chicken salad tea sandwiches in fun shapes, courtesy of cookie cutters. Let your kids decide the guest list—and which of their favourite dolls or furry friends are on it.

BAKING IS ON, NOT OFF….

You don’t have to be a Mary Berry or Paul Hollywood to enjoy a bit of a bake. Baking is different to cooking cause it tends to be so precise. Measure this, weight that and so on. On a rainy day though, that’s the fun of it, taking time to enjoy making and then eating your hard work after. So, Victoria make a sponge. Be an Angel, bake a cake. Chelsea, get those buns in. And of course what cake wouldn’t be complete without a bit of Welsh in it?

We know the whole family loves a cookie, or two, so here’s one of our favourite recipes. They are absolutely yummy. You should get 12 cookies out of this recipe.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

What could be better with a glass of cold milk than a warm, gooey peanut butter cookie? These choc chunk treats are topped with crunchy chopped peanuts.

INGREDIENTS

100g unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
100g light brown sugar
100g caster sugar
1 egg, beaten
150g self-raising flour
2 tbsp cocoa powder
¼ tsp salt
200g milk chocolate, 150g chopped into chunks and 50g melted for drizzling
75g peanut butter (crunchy or smooth is fine)
handful of salted peanuts, roughly chopped
milk to serve, optional

METHOD

Heat the oven to 180c/160 fan/gas mark 4 and line two baking trays with parchment. Using a food mixer or electric whisk beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add in the egg and whisk to combine then beat in the flour, cocoa powder, salt and chocolate chunks until fully incorporated. Using a spoon swirl the peanut butter through the cookie dough.
Scoop the dough into 12 large cookies onto the two trays using a dessert spoon, leaving plenty of room between each cookie as they’ll spread. Bake in the oven for 9-10 mins until still soft and melty in the middle. They will look under baked but will harden once cool. Drizzle over the melted milk chocolate and top with a few chopped peanuts and a pinch of flaky sea salt. Serve with a glass of milk for dunking.

STUFF IT – GO TO THE BEACH ANYWAY (WHEN IT’S SAFE)

Remember we’re always told to appreciate the rain? Well, you haven’t truly appreciated it until you’ve gone swimming in the rain and let go of caring if you’re wet or not. Throw caution and clothes to the wind and splash along with the raindrops, play in the wet sand. Ok, maybe not. But you know what, sometimes wrapping up and getting out in the bad weather can be just what we need sometimes.

Round it off with a cuppa and a piece of cake in the local cafe. They could probably do with your company on a day like this. One other thing, drive carefully if you are going out.

Like Vivian Greene once wrote……

Rating: 15

The John Hughes’ hilarious 80s high school comedy is another Molly Ringwald classic.

Stand By Me (1986)

Rating: 15

The Stephen King adaptation tells the story of four young boys on a coming-of-age adventure.