Parents, TheJournal.ie wants to hear about your best rainy day activities

TheJournal.ie: Paula

Hi parents of Boards.ie! Paula here from TheJournal.ie’s weekly Family Magazine.

We’d like to talk to the parenting community on Boards and share some of your insights and expertise in our magazine. At the moment this is just a trial, but we’d love your help!

The plan is that every week we’ll post in a Boards.ie thread asking you guys for your recommendations for things to do with kids (something every parent has struggled with!). Each week the question will be different - it might be activities in a different area, age group or activity category.

We’ll pick a selection of the best responses for an article in TheJournal.ie’s Family Magazine, which is published every Wednesday - then post the article link back in the thread so users can see their recommendations in action. We’ll include usernames next to each contribution, so just let us know if you’d rather yours not be included.

We’ll also share a link to the Boards thread in the article, so that other parents can join the Boards community to share their thoughts.

The first question we’re asking - as winter drags on - is:

What have you tried to keep under-5s happy on a rainy day? What works for you?

Over to you!

Paula.

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UPDATE:

TheJournal.ie: Paula wrote: »

Thanks all for your excellent suggestions. The piece is here if you'd like to see it:

https://www.thejournal.ie/rainy-day-things-to-do-with-kids-in-ireland-4506079-Feb2019/

evolving_doors

Hama beads + any character search with the tag line "pixel art " https://www.google.com/search?q=pixel+art&client=ms-android-samsung&prmd=ivn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiqj76Yr6TgAhV1t3EKHUlJBi8Q_AUoAXoECAkQAQ&biw=360&bih=560

Probably age 4-10

If you want to go all out get a good range of skin tone colours, you can pixelate a photo of a face or any image and away ya go..lunapic is good

TheJournal.ie: Paula

evolving_doors wrote: »

Hama beads + any character search with the tag line "pixel art " https://www.google.com/search?q=pixel+art&client=ms-android-samsung&prmd=ivn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiqj76Yr6TgAhV1t3EKHUlJBi8Q_AUoAXoECAkQAQ&biw=360&bih=560

Probably age 4-10

If you want to go all out get a good range of skin tone colours, you can pixelate a photo of a face or any image and away ya go..lunapic is good

Brilliant idea! I love the creativity. Would kids need a lot of supervision for this or can they be left to their own devices?

Paula

Neyite

Wellies, waterproof dungarees and anorak with ordinary clothes underneath and go jumping in puddles!


There's a range called Puddle ducks but Lidl often have very similar for a fraction of the price and you'll always get the use out of them. They work very well for snow days too.

shesty

Note: I'd prefer if my username wasn't used!

Lego. A small new lego set kept hidden in a cupboard.


Set up any playtents or crawl tunnels indoors - keep them mostly stored away otherwise


You can buy packets of blank paper figures like fairies or people (or cut out paper doll rows) and Tesco do craft stuff for very cheap - bobbles, glitter, stickers, foam stickers.....arm them with some glue and a few bowls of the things and off you go, an hour of peace while they decorate the figures. Be prepared to let them make a big mess and to be picking glitter off everything for days afterwards though!!!!



In the vicinity of North Dublin, go park up around the back of the airport and plane-watch for a bit. There are some spots with good views of the runway and the planes are non-stop landing and taking off. Which is what you want with a toddler!!!!


If absolutely all else fails, a small local playcentre. But only in desperation!!!!

TheJournal.ie: Paula

Neyite wrote: »

Wellies, waterproof dungarees and anorak with ordinary clothes underneath and go jumping in puddles!

Great idea, and weather-specific too. Turning the rain into a treat is definitely a smart tactic!

TheJournal.ie: Paula

shesty wrote: »

In the vicinity of North Dublin, go park up around the back of the airport and plane-watch for a bit. There are some spots with good views of the runway and the planes are non-stop landing and taking off. Which is what you want with a toddler!!!!

This is a genius idea, and glad to hear it got the toddler seal of approval too. Noted about the username - we will leave it out. Thanks!

shesty

Being allowed to sit up front in the paasenger seat and have a bit of a snack helped!!! :-)

Dravokivich

Just out to walk with a pair of wellies and a good rain coat. He never understood why other people panicked to get out of the rain. Even pack up wellies for creche in case it rains.

When it comes to getting new shoes as his feet grow, he's thinking about his next wellies!

TheJournal.ie: Paula

Dravokivich wrote: »

Just out to walk with a pair of wellies and a good rain coat. He never understood why other people panicked to get out of the rain. Even pack up wellies for creche in case it rains.

When it comes to getting new shoes as his feet grow, he's thinking about his next wellies!

I wish everyone in Ireland had the same positive attitude to rain as your little guy! Thanks for the lovely response! Paula

pwurple

Baking is the favourite here. Yes, stirring chocolate into cereal and putting it into the paper cases counts. Messy, but at least you can eat the results! Decorating biscuits with icing and sprinkles, lets out their creative side. You can get bags of sugar eyes in some shops, so they can create biscuit creatures.


Making a fort or indoor tent is fun. Drape a blanket or duvet over the back of a couch or armchair, pillows on the floor and they can bring their teddies in for a story or a tea party.


A garden in a bowl. Put some sand or soil in a bowl, and we grab a few stems of things in the garden... twigs, bark, stones, shells, whatever is around. they 'plant' them, make a hut from the twigs, and make little paths. Planting seeds in egg cartons for the windowsill is good too.


And, maybe it's my children that are a bit batty, but small kids seem to LOVE a bit of cleaning. Mopping the floor, hoovering, or give them a cloth and let them at the windows. Sure, it won't be perfect, so might not suit the mega house proud, but good for entertainment value!

Tomw86

If you want to get them out of the house, Explorium in Sandyford is not long open and is a brilliant learning experience for kids - lots of Science and 'how does that work' moments. Stuff for older kids too so the whole family can enjoy!

Also has a few on site restaurants to make a proper day of it.

TheJournal.ie: Paula

pwurple wrote: »

And, maybe it's my children that are a bit batty, but small kids seem to LOVE a bit of cleaning. Mopping the floor, hoovering, or give them a cloth and let them at the windows. Sure, it won't be perfect, so might not suit the mega house proud, but good for entertainment value!

Delighted to hear your little ones love a bit of cleaning, long may it last!

TheJournal.ie: Paula

Tomw86 wrote: »

If you want to get them out of the house, Explorium in Sandyford is not long open and is a brilliant learning experience for kids - lots of Science and 'how does that work' moments. Stuff for older kids too so the whole family can enjoy!

Also has a few on site restaurants to make a proper day of it.

Hi Tom,

This is a great suggestion - our next question is on days out for school age kids so I might poach this answer for that topic, if you don't mind!

Paula

Tomw86

TheJournal.ie: Paula wrote: »

Hi Tom,

This is a great suggestion - our next question is on days out for school age kids so I might poach this answer for that topic, if you don't mind!

Paula

Of course not Paula, feel free!

TheJournal.ie: Paula

Thanks all for your excellent suggestions. The piece is here if you'd like to see it:

https://www.thejournal.ie/rainy-day-things-to-do-with-kids-in-ireland-4506079-Feb2019/