Oh no, it’s raining, that means we can’t do all our fun things like playing on the trampoline and in the sandpit!

There are fun things you can do in the rain too.

Like what?

You can splash in puddles, play with mud or catch raindrops.

Can we make potions in the rain?

Rainy days are perfect for making potions.

I know we could use the rain water because there isn’t any water in the paddling pool.

Yes and you could use mud or mush up wet petals.

Later that day we went for an appointment and when we came out the girls found a fast drip coming from the gutter.

Why is this bit of rain faster?

Where is it coming from?

The roof

Yes, it usually means the gutter is blocked so the water doesn’t go down the drain pipe it falls off the end instead.

Why can’t we catch it mummy?

The rain is coming down very fast. What happens when you throw a ball hard?

It bounces high

Yes and the rain is coming down very hard and fast so it bounces off your hand.

Shall we go home now and get dry, you could snuggle up in a blanket.

The girls removed their wet shoes. When we arrived home there was a big puddle outside our gate. I asked my 2-year-old if she would like to be carried or splash in the puddle barefooted. She wasn’t sure at first but then declared – splash!

After getting dry and snuggling under blankets for a while we decided to venture out for a while.  I took the dinosaurs to the sandpit and encouraged the girls to make a swamp.

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When the rain had stopped a disappointed 4-year-old complained

Oh, the rain has stopped we can’t play in the swamp anymore

It’s alright, it will stay wet for a while.

I think I may have succeeded in persuading them that playing in the rain is fun.

Other Rainy Day Ideas

• Take umbrellas outside walk under drips or as my 4-year-old suggested – we could play Mary Poppins.
• Make patterns with powder paint on the wet ground or on a wet sheet of paper.
• Put different containers outside, cover them with different materials eg. plastic bag, tin foil, kitchen roll, fabric, netting. Find out which are waterproof.
• Collect rainwater in containers.
• Make boats to float in puddles or take out rubber ducks.
• Make potions, give the children dry goods like flour, sugar or salt. What happens when they get wet?
• Watch the patterns the rain makes in puddles or as it runs down the window. Have a race – which raindrop will get to the bottom first?
• Play a dry land race, you are only allowed on dry land and have to avoid all puddles.
• Build a shelter with bricks for small world people or animals.