Rainy Day Activities with Toddlers

Rainy days can really put a damper on my mood. I am a lover of all things warm and sunny. It’s especially hard when you have a toddler, aka a little ball full of energy! Trying to keep her occupied on a rainy day can be tough!

The last couple of weeks have been extremely warm and wet. Which is weird being that it is the middle of January (where’s all the snow at?!). I’ve had to find lots of ways to entertain my 20 month old daughter in this gloomy weather.

Being cooped up inside isn’t ideal for us because we really love the outdoors. BUT since the sky hasn’t been cooperating, I’ve become a pro (not really but I try 😉) at coming up with rainy day activities for toddlers.

All of our favorite indoor toys are linked at the end of the post!

Imaginary play

One of my favorite things about this age is her imagination. I love getting to be a part of her creativity and witnessing her self expression through imaginary play.

Our current favorites are taking her baby on a walk with the stroller, playing kitchen and having a tea party. It is so amazing watching her play pretend with her toys. Melts my mama heart.

Crafts

A pretty obvious option. I love doing crafts, but it’s been a little hard up until recently to get Hadleigh interested in doing them. She recently has fallen in love with coloring though, which is a huge plus for me. I have always loved coloring.

I picked up this big coloring book at Target. It’s perfect for young toddlers because it has thick lines and large objects. The jumbo crayons are also easier for her to grip.

We also have been loving this Crayola dry erase board. It has a black and white side, and comes with special dry-erase crayons. It’s pretty cool! Plus it helps us not waste so much paper.

This kids table from Walmart has been great for coloring and having our tea parties 🙂

Puzzles

Puzzles are another great way to pass some time. I picked up this puzzle set from Walmart as one of her Christmas presents. I love the variety in this pack because it comes with the alphabet, numbers, shapes and animals. Also love the organizing wire rack that it comes with.

Reading/library trip

Hadleigh is obsessed with books. If you follow me on Instagram and watch my stories, then you have seen her reading to herself out loud (more like a cute babble). So, library trips happen often for us. Plus, it’s a free way to switch up your bookshelves at home.

I also find that TJMaxx has very cute and cheap books. I’ve linked some of her favorites down below.

Bake

Honestly, this doesn’t happen too often for us because I’m not a huge baker. But Hadleigh loves to help me cook.

I came across this post of 15 recipes to make with your kids. Will definitely try some of these in the future!

Afternoon bath

If I am really struggling to find something to do then I’ll just set up a fun midday bath. Our current favorite bath toys are these bath crayons, bath finger paint and this foam letter/number set.

Chores

I know what you’re thinking, but toddlers really do love to imitate and help out! Which means they will love helping with chores. I don’t know about you, but I am totally taking advantage of this now.

We got this learning tower for Christmas and it has been so amazing. She loves to help with dishes, put clothes in the washer and help me cook. Highly recommend!

Watch a movie

I try my best to limit screen time. However, when you’ve done every activity you can think of, I don’t think there is anything wrong with snuggling on the couch and watching a movie together. I honestly love doing this because she is still for a few minutes and I get to snuggle with her for a little!

Play in the rain

No matter what the weather is, you can’t beat going outside. She loves to splash in puddles and play in the dirt. I love how carefree she is and will always try to encourage that side of her!