Rainy Day Fun: Outdoor Activities for Kids that Don't Melt

There is a common misconception that many children will either melt, or catch a deathly disease, if made to go outside in the rain. Indeed, outdoor activities are great for rainy days. The following five rainy day fun activities are great for kids and parents alike.

Rainy Day Fun #1 - Driveway Chalk Painting

Many children love to draw on the driveway or sidewalks with big pieces of chalk. However, this is usually done on warm, sunny days. Next time it rains, gather up your chalk and head out to the driveway.

In the rain, the chalk will become more like paint. If you have a flat driveway, your children can enjoy swirling the chalk together in puddles. If your driveway is sloped, they can create masterpieces with colors running down hill.

Rainy Day Fun #2 - Bubble Fortress

Another great driveway or patio rainy day bit of fun is making bubble fortresses. These work best on days with light rain. To make a bubble fortress, you need a large puddle and some biodegradable dish soap. Pour some of the soap into the puddle and use straws to blow piles of bubbles on the driveway. Experiment with different sizes of straw and other tools. See how far you can spread the bubble fortress before the rain pops the bubbles.

Rainy Day Fun #3 - Water Pipe Building

For children with an interest in contraptions and gadgets, building water pipes in the yard is a great rainy day activity. Set a goal on getting the most water into a bucket just with the rain. Using cardboard paper towel rolls or other materials, try to funnel and direct the water from a dripping tree, across the yard, and into the bucket.

Rainy Day Fun #4 - Rainy Day Nature Walk

Going on a nature walk on a rainy day allows you and your children to see many things you would not normally see. You can make studies of how water runs down trees, or what type of leaf is best at protecting you from the rain. You can jump in mud puddles.

Insects and animals do different things in the rain as well. During your rainy day nature walk, try to find animals taking shelter from the rain. Try to imagine where you would hide if you were a butterfly or a beetle.