Summer Activities Series for Your Children: Rainy Days

Have you ran out of activities for your child during those long summer rainy days? Are you a stay at home parent who needs more ideas to keep your child entertained while you take a break? Do you wish there were more things that you and your child could do when going outside just is not an option?

If your answer is yes to any or all of these questions you're in luck! For the last three years I ran at a summer tennis camp that has no indoor tennis courts. This means that when it rains we must find activities that will keep a group of 20-30 children ages 5-10 entertained for an eight hour day. Yes, this is an extremely challenging task! However, I have found three activities that work particularly well with children during rainy days - Disney Classics, board games, and coloring. If you're skeptical about these activities, keep reading to find out why they keep children entertained for hours and hours.

Disney Classics

Although pretty much every child watches today's childrens movies such as Shrek, SpongeBob, and Toy Story, it's amazing how few children watch the Disney Classics. Not only do these movies grab childrens' imaginations for those who have never seen them, but they are fantastic to watch multiple times. For instance, although many people at tennis camp had seen Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs , those who had seen it wanted to watch it again, and those who hadn't seen it were very excited to watch it the first time. So, if you haven't pulled out a Disney Classic in a while, I highly recommend doing so.

Board Games

Most if not all children play games on their computer, Xbox , Wii , or PlayStation 3. However, many children have limited experience with board games. If your child fits into this category, I highly recommend ordering Monopoly, Candyland, and Life . After the initial complaints of the game not being on a screen, your children will very likely become addicted to these simple and fun board games. However, be warned that these games require lots of parental interaction. In other words, if you are looking for an activity that a child ages 5-10 can do by herself, board games may not be the best option for you.

Coloring

A good set of crayons, some scrap paper, and a few coloring books are sure to keep any child busy for hours. This is a great activity for your child to do alone, or for you to do with your child. If you need some ideas as to the best coloring books to buy, begin by thinking about your child's interests. For instance, if your child really likes trucks, a truck coloring book is sure to keep her entertained. If your child likes Shrek, then a Shrek Coloring Book is definitely the way to go!

That's all for now! I hope you find these tips helpful! Please feel free to leave comments on the success of these activities.