How to survive rainy weather with kids inside the caravan or tent!
Activities to keep children amused when inside!
1. Board games – You can have a range of board games in the caravan. If space is an issue you can buy a board game from an Op Shop and then donate it to another Op Shop when you want a new game.
2. Shops – Children can play shops with play money and basic items that you have in your caravan or tent.
3. Imaginary games: Our children have played so many imaginary games without many props. They pretend they are dogs or horses etc.
4. Sing a long: You can sing a long with the guitar or to CDs or even to no music! You can make percussion instruments with rice or pasta in containers.
5. Make a book: The family can make a fun story as a whole group or individuals can be assigned set pages. If you have children who cannot write then they could do some illustrations.
6. Cooking: You could cook a special treat to keep the children amused and fed! Make sure they clean up afterwards!!
7. Eye spy: Play eye spy in the caravan or tent, but if you run out of items then you can be imaginative and pretend you are in another location.
8. Squiggles: With paper and pencil take turns to draw some lines and/or shapes on a page. Give another family member one minute to make a picture out of these squiggles. This is lots of fun and can be played with any number.
9. Colouring in: It is great to keep some colouring in books and coloured pencils for those rainy days too! Even older children can be engaged in this if you find a colouring book on a theme they like.
10. Watching a DVD: In my opinion it is not good to let children watch too many DVDs. A DVD on a rainy day can be a good idea as long as it is in amongst other activities. The little portable DVD players with head phones are good. Our two little girls both share and have a dual jack so that they can both have a set of headphones each! You can order or buy the dual headphone jack from somewhere like Dick Smith. Saves your ears, parents!
11. Reading: Making sure that you have some books on hand is a good idea for those wet days. If space is a problem then you can pick up cheap books from Op Shops and then donate them to another Op Shop or give them to another family when they have been read. Our children have a Kindle which means that they can have books on this without any extra space taken up! We have found the Kindles to be really great!
12. Drawing with whiteboard markers: You can organise this activity before the rain comes! Get half a dozen sheets of A4 or A3 paper laminated. This can then be used and re-used for drawing on with whiteboard marker pens.
1. Board games – You can have a range of board games in the caravan. If space is an issue you can buy a board game from an Op Shop and then donate it to another Op Shop when you want a new game.
2. Shops – Children can play shops with play money and basic items that you have in your caravan or tent.
3. Imaginary games: Our children have played so many imaginary games without many props. They pretend they are dogs or horses etc.
4. Sing a long: You can sing a long with the guitar or to CDs or even to no music! You can make percussion instruments with rice or pasta in containers.
5. Make a book: The family can make a fun story as a whole group or individuals can be assigned set pages. If you have children who cannot write then they could do some illustrations.
6. Cooking: You could cook a special treat to keep the children amused and fed! Make sure they clean up afterwards!!
7. Eye spy: Play eye spy in the caravan or tent, but if you run out of items then you can be imaginative and pretend you are in another location.
8. Squiggles: With paper and pencil take turns to draw some lines and/or shapes on a page. Give another family member one minute to make a picture out of these squiggles. This is lots of fun and can be played with any number.
9. Colouring in: It is great to keep some colouring in books and coloured pencils for those rainy days too! Even older children can be engaged in this if you find a colouring book on a theme they like.
10. Watching a DVD: In my opinion it is not good to let children watch too many DVDs. A DVD on a rainy day can be a good idea as long as it is in amongst other activities. The little portable DVD players with head phones are good. Our two little girls both share and have a dual jack so that they can both have a set of headphones each! You can order or buy the dual headphone jack from somewhere like Dick Smith. Saves your ears, parents!
11. Reading: Making sure that you have some books on hand is a good idea for those wet days. If space is a problem then you can pick up cheap books from Op Shops and then donate them to another Op Shop or give them to another family when they have been read. Our children have a Kindle which means that they can have books on this without any extra space taken up! We have found the Kindles to be really great!
12. Drawing with whiteboard markers: You can organise this activity before the rain comes! Get half a dozen sheets of A4 or A3 paper laminated. This can then be used and re-used for drawing on with whiteboard marker pens.
13. Drawing: We save scrap paper (incorrect printouts from the printer) so that the children can draw on the other side. We sometimes blue tack their pictures on the cupboard doors for a nice display. They love to see their works of art displayed.
14. Vegetable prints: If you have a table you can use some spare vegetables that you may have. You can cut up a potato, carrot etc. and then dip it in paint to make a print on paper. Warning: This could get messy. Are you brave enough for this one?
15. Lego or blocks: Lego and blocks are great as children can build and rebuild all different things. Teaching children to try and be creative with their building ideas is an important skill. Our younger children love it when I take photos of their completed building projects!
16. Dressing up: Having a few dress ups can be a good idea for younger children. Dressing up games can amuse for hours. You can buy dressing up outfits or dress up clothes from Op Shops or Toy Stores. Once again the camera may come in handy for a few smiles!
17. Little People: Our younger girls love to play imaginary games with their collection of “little people”. They are kept in a plastic draw for easy storage. The are durable and enjoyable to play with.
18. Play Dough: There are easy recipes on the internet for making batches of play dough. This is best played at a table with plastic place mats. You can use play dough tools and cutters or you can just have the children make things with the play dough. Our younger children enjoy making up games to play with what they make.
14. Vegetable prints: If you have a table you can use some spare vegetables that you may have. You can cut up a potato, carrot etc. and then dip it in paint to make a print on paper. Warning: This could get messy. Are you brave enough for this one?
15. Lego or blocks: Lego and blocks are great as children can build and rebuild all different things. Teaching children to try and be creative with their building ideas is an important skill. Our younger children love it when I take photos of their completed building projects!
16. Dressing up: Having a few dress ups can be a good idea for younger children. Dressing up games can amuse for hours. You can buy dressing up outfits or dress up clothes from Op Shops or Toy Stores. Once again the camera may come in handy for a few smiles!
17. Little People: Our younger girls love to play imaginary games with their collection of “little people”. They are kept in a plastic draw for easy storage. The are durable and enjoyable to play with.
18. Play Dough: There are easy recipes on the internet for making batches of play dough. This is best played at a table with plastic place mats. You can use play dough tools and cutters or you can just have the children make things with the play dough. Our younger children enjoy making up games to play with what they make.