It’s every parent’s worst nightmare. You hear the pitter-patter on the roof, look out the window, and see rain streaming down from the sky. Crud, what to do with the kids?Everything’s grey and ugly, so you know you’re in for a rainy day. When the kids are in school, this is not your problem (sorry, teachers!) – it’s when there are rainy days on weekends or during the school holidays that this becomes a parenting challenge.
Entertaining your kids when the weather’s nice is easy; you can go for walks, take them to a park, enjoy a bike ride, etc. If it’s wet and miserable outside, you need to think of things to do inside. This is much harder than it seems when you’re contending with a child’s non-existent attention span!
One of the best solutions is to find a series of games for them to play. This will keep them entertained for hours, often freeing up time for you to continue with any daily tasks. Which games are the best for kids to play on a rainy day? We’ve picked out a few that more than do the job:
Minecraft
Look, some parents see this as cheating but you can’t beat Minecraft when your kids are bored! It’s an online game you can download on laptops, PCs, or other game consoles. The whole premise is set up to pass the time in the most chilled-out way possible. Everything in the game is made from blocks that can be broken by the player and “mined”. Blocks can then be used to craft and create loads of different things.
There’s an element of fighting as the game does have “mobs” that spawn and try to attack the player at night. However, you can either turn this setting off or only let your children play Minecraft Creative mode. This mode gives them access to every block in the game so they can truly make anything they like. It’s one of those games that passes hours by and expands your child’s creativity, so we couldn’t recommend it enough.
Monopoly
How can you ignore the classic game of Monopoly? Granted, if you’re playing the traditional board game version, you may need to be involved. Your kids might be able to play by themselves – or if they have some friends over – but your participation could be necessary as you can’t play Monopoly alone and two-player Monopoly sucks!
Everyone knows how this game goes so there’s no need for an explanation. It’s a top hit on rainy days because it seems to last forever. There’s also an online version of Monopoly to buy so your children can play against other people on the computer, Nintendo Switch, or PS5. If you’re busy and your child is desperate to play something, buying them online Monopoly could be a great idea.
Chess
The best games can educate and teach your kids new things while they play. So far, we’ve talked about Minecraft – which expands their creativity – and Monopoly – which can teach them a bit about finances and help with their math skills. Chess is another game that teaches them so much and aids their problem-solving. It’s harmless fun and studies genuinely show that chess develops cognitive and social skills in children while they’re young.
You can play traditional chess using a board at home if you’ve got time to hang out with your child. When you’ve got two kids, they might be able to play with one another – though it depends on the age gap! Thankfully, it is possible to play chess online for free these days too. This gives your child a chance to play the game without needing a physical opponent. They either play against the computer or someone else online! The thing with chess is that it’s super addictive – but in a good way. Your child could spend hours playing this and you won’t be mad as you know it’s legitimately good for them.
Scholastic Games
Rainy days are the perfect time to snuggle up on a sofa with a blanket and catch up on some math homework. There are several great math games for kids available, or you can even make up counting games by counting raindrops on a window or puddles on the ground!
Hide & Seek
This is an absolute classic if you have small children who need to be entertained during a lengthy rainstorm. Hide & seek is a parent’s dream as you actively encourage your children to run away and be quiet. In theory, you could ask your kids to hide and then go about your normal tasks while pretending you’re looking for them. Some parents think this is slightly immoral, but your kids will be none the wiser as they assume they’ve found a killer hiding spot.
Hey, it’s up to you if that’s how you approach this game – we’re not going to judge! It’s a game you can only play if you either join in or encourage multiple kids to participate. If you only have one child, then you need to take part no matter what. Still, it burns off a bit of energy and provides some much-needed peace and quiet for periods of the day.
Uno
Much like Monopoly, Uno is a classic family game you can whip out at a moment’s notice and everyone will be excited to play. It’s just so simple and easy to follow, which is why children of all ages manage to follow along. There are so many types of Uno card games these days – including an online version – giving you plenty of ways to enjoy this classic game.
You won’t find another card game with the replayability of Uno. It’s one of the best games to play with only two players and the fun increases with every person you add to the circle. You can throw in some house rules while you’re at it to make the game even spicier, and this keeps the kids entertained for so long. It’s one of those games that feels as though it’s really quick yet you look at the time and realize you’ve been playing for well over two hours!
Throw Throw Burrito
You’ve probably heard of every game on this list so far…apart from this one. Throw Throw Burrito is a relatively new game you should keep for rainy days. It combines all the elements a child can want from a card game; simple instructions, fun illustrations, and toy burritos you throw at one another!
Keep in mind it’s for ages 7 and upwards, so it won’t be suitable for very young kids. If anything, kids in the 7+ range are harder to keep occupied so a game like this is perfect. You basically deal out cards and collect points if you manage to get three matching varieties. You’ll also come across Burrito Cards that force the other player to partake in a burrito battle. This is where the squishy burritos come in as you pretty much enter a mini-game of dodgeball. Get hit by the burrito and you lose points. This description alone is enough to convince you that your kids will love this quirky game! Make sure you clear plenty of room around the playing space and get rid of any valuable ornaments nearby before you let them get started.
We hope this guide inspires you with some ideas for games to play on a rainy day. You don’t have to participate in any of them, but they all give your kids something to do. At the very least, this list gets you thinking about other games you could play when it rains. Having a nice stock of board, card, or video games is always useful for situations like this. It means your children have plenty of things to do, so they won’t spend the whole time moaning about the weather and pestering you because they’re bored!
