Rainy Day Box

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Do you have a toddler rainy day box? If not you need to make one NOW! If you're ever stuck inside for too long with a toddler you'll understand my frustration! When it rains for days on end, even the best toddler crafts and activities don't seem to work. That's when we bring out our extra special rainy day box!

There's nothing worse than being stuck indoors unexpectedly, especially with a toddler. That's why a rainy day box is such a good idea. We have just had 5 days in a row of rain so this has been a life saver!

What is a rainy day box? 

A rainy day box is a collection of activities that are ONLY for a rainy day. You keep them in a special box and they come out when you desperately need them. The idea is that you don't need to leave the house or hunt around for something to do - you pull out the box and your day is planned. 

I have one that I store in the garage, so that the toys don't get played with at any other time. It makes it a little bit more special when it only comes out occasionally. I like to include 5 or 6 different activities in the box for a bit of variety.

Packaged nicely, these also make great presents for toddler birthday parties.

What to put in a toddler rainy day box 

You can choose any activities that you like for your rainy day box,  but in my rainy day box we have

1. DVD and microwave popcorn
Microwave popcorn is a bit of a treat (we normally buy the healthy air popped ones!) but this box is about convenience and there's something about the smell of freshly popped popcorn. To make it fun we have these special popcorn cups to serve them in! 

We also have a DVD saved in here too - not one that is in our regular rotation. Once we have watched it I swap it for another one. At the moment I've got this Wiggles DVD in there. I have to admit that we're moving away from using actual DVD's so will probably substitute this with a new movie from Amazon Prime (you can always use the 30 day free trial on your first rainy day!) 

 

2. A sticker book.
I LOVE sticker books. You can normally pick them up for around $2 at most department stores (a little more if you want themed ones like Peppa Pig or Paw Patrol). They are a great activity to sit and complete with your toddler.

3. A new book
My toddlers normally get a lot of books for Christmas and birthdays so I put 1 or 2 aside in our rainy day box. You can see all of my favorite toddler books HERE.  We currently have The Smiley Shark in ours. 

4. A puzzle
Puzzles are such a great learning tool and lots of fun too. The puzzle doesn't have to be a new one, just one that they haven't completed for a while. I highly recommend the Melissa & Doug puzzles. You can find the ones pictured below HERE on Amazon. 

5. A cake mix
I prefer to make cakes from scratch (our favorite baking recipe is our easy banana bread)  but the chances are that on a rainy day you haven't planned to bake and are missing a few ingredients. A simple cake mix is a great way to spend an hour and you get to enjoy the cake later!

6. A paint with water book
If you're like me and prefer to keep the messy painting as an outdoor activity, paint with water books are great. They are not too messy (tip: don't put too much water in the container in case it spills) and they tend to entertain a toddler for at least 20 minutes. You can find the Sesame Street ones HERE on Amazon. 

7. Playdough

I know you probably already have playdough at home (we have HEAPS) but there's something about a new pot of playdough that makes a toddler excited. I have this little pack in our rainy day box and it's always a hit. You can find some fun playdough activity ideas HERE. 

 

Do you have a rainy day box? We would love to hear what you have in yours! Pop into our Facebook Group and let us know or show us on Instagram (follow @myboredtoddler and use #myboredtoddler ) 

Some more fun ideas you might enjoy are: 

Playdough Activities for Toddlers 

 

Sensory Bins for Toddlers 

 

Dinosaur Activities for Toddlers