It is inevitable that even the best planned family camping trips will need back up activities for a rainy day. Cabin fever while camping is especially difficult for preschoolers who have a hard time entertaining themselves for long periods of time. Try some of these simple ideas to chase the rainy day blues away.
Playing in the Rain
The easiest thing to do with preschool kids on a rainy day is to put on full rain gear and explore the outdoors. Let the kids splash in the puddles, dig in the mud and play games in the rain.
- Put pots and bowls outside to measure rainfall.
- Float toys, leaves, sticks and flowers in the puddles.
- Go swimming or play in swimsuits during a warm summer shower.
- Dig for worms in the mud at night using a flashlight.
- Draw with sidewalk chalk on damp paved surfaces to create very bright chalk drawings.
- Make a picture on finger print paper using washable markers while outside in a soft rainfall. The raindrops will create an interesting effect on the paper.
Staying Dry Inside
For the days that a storm is brewing and the weather is too severe to play outside, find activities that relax young kids. On these rainy days, it is useful to have access to hydro on the campsite so that dvd and cd players can be plugged in.
- Watch a movie or show. Episodes such as Franklin Camps Out [Nelvana] and The Berenstain Bears Go to Camp [Nelvana] are good choices for preschool children.
- Teach the kids how to play “Go Fish” or “Snap” with a deck of cards.
- Read books together or listen to books on CD. Curious George Goes Camping by H. A. Rey [Houghton Mifflin Company, 1999] and Toasting Marshmallows: Camping Poems by Kristine O’Connell George [Houghton Mifflin Company, 2001] are perfect for reading by flashlight in a tent.
- Take a day trip to visit the local museum, gallery or restaurant.
- Have an indoor campfire. Sing camp songs, eat marshmallows and tell stories around a lantern in the tent.
- Go site seeing. The world looks different when it is raining and it is easier to spot animal tracks.
- Make a summer theme craft. Spread out an old blanket on the floor of the tent and bring out the craft supplies for an afternoon of creativity.
Kids love camping in all types of weather, but the key is to be prepared for it. Ask the kids to help pack a box full of rainy day activities they can do while on the camping trip and then bring it out on the days that keep them tent-bound.
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