Things To Do Inside On Wet Holidays

This post on ‘Things To Do Inside On Wet Holidays’ is totally inspired by our  Carry On Self-Catering long weekend away in 45 mph winds and rain with three young kids and virtually no toys!

Now we did go out and enjoy ‘nature’ but there was definitely more time inside than we’d planned. Thankfully we had a couple of key items (one game, paper & pens) with us but other than that we had to get creative and it was very funny!  Here’s what we got up to…

Dobble Card Game 

This is a really small, light and brilliant card game.  Each card has an image in common with all the others.

Everyone gets a card, which you study like crazy (or not) and then someone turns over a card from the central pile.  The first player to spot a match between the images on this card and theirs gets to keep the card. The one with the most cards wins etc etc

Highly recommended!

Stories

This is from a previous post so skip it if you’ve seen it already!
You each write a sentence or two at the top of a piece of paper leaving up to 3 words maximum on the last line for the next person to ‘finish off’.  Then fold the paper back so the next person can only see these last 2-3 words of your unfinished sentence and pass it on to them.  They finish your sentence, write another of their own and then half finish another one. Keep going until the page is full, then open it all up, read and laugh!  You can also do this with just pictures.  This kills two birds with one stone as it also Helps Your Kids to Enjoy Creative Writing

Soft Toy / Sock /  Spoon Games

You need one fairly indestructible soft toy with limited emotional attachment (so no bed friends or ‘almost losing an ear’ ones).  Or if you’re too old for soft toys, then use a spoon from the cutlery drawer or someone’s sock or something.

‘Putting the Baby to Bed’
Right, first you form two ‘stations’ – someone sits in one room (Station A) & someone in another room (Station B).

Station A – make a pile on the floor with your hat / scarf/ gloves, shout ‘ready, steady go! and Child number 1 quickly puts the clothes on, grabs ‘the baby’ (soft toy / spoon or whatever) and takes it to the other person at Station B.  Then they fling all the stuff off again and run back to Station A.

The next child then runs to get ‘the baby’, gets dressed and then runs back again and so on.  Repeat as many times as they’ll do it!

If you time them they’ll get into the whole competition thing.
PLUS (very important).  Parents must do it too but put the kids’ stuff on!

‘Time Trials’
Decide on a course and then time each child as they run with it from Point A to Point B.  If you’ve got stairs (and they’re old enough to be safe running up and down them) then all the better as it will wear them out more!  e.g. round the rug twice, under the kitchen table, up the stairs, into your bedroom, touch the headboard with it, down the stairs etc etc

‘Hide & Seek’
Get creative!  One person leaves the room while the rest of you conjure up ridiculous hiding places e.g. up trouser legs, under hats,…

‘It’
The adults get to throw the soft toy (or a sock??) at the kids and they have to dodge it.  If you manage to ‘it’ someone with it then you get a point.  The parent with the most points wins!

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‘Balancing’
Balance the soft toy / sock etc on the end of an umbrella / wooden spoon / anything long and write down the kid’s times.  Extra points for being able to walk & balance at the same time!

‘Dressing Up’
If things get really desperate, the kids will find it hilarious if you suddenly appear dressed up in each other’s clothes…

There you go! ‘Things To Do Inside On Wet Holidays!’

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