TEN RAINY DAY ACTIVITIES TO ENTERTAIN THE WHOLE FAMILY

With an unprecedented amount of rain this summer, most children are starting to feel bored having played most of their computer games and completed their puzzles. So in collaboration with mums and dads across the country, Galt Toys has put together ten creative ideas to cheer up the whole family and spur the imagination.

1. Cooking – Children love cooking and eating pizza, from kneading the dough to making creative faces with the topping! It is also a great opportunity for children to practise counting, measuring and weighing. For extra fun give prizes for the most creative pizza toppings.

2. Cardboard boxes – Are great for the imagination and provide hours of entertainment for creative minds. They make dens, cars and castles, which can be decorated in all sorts of fantastic ways. Small boxes can become spooky disguises – cutting out holes for eyes and mouth and painting on a scary face!

3. Indoor picnic – You don’t have to be outdoors to have a picnic. Gather the dolls and teddies for a creative mock outdoor picnic with a blanket, hamper packed with food, paper plates and plastic utensils. You could even get the children making a giant paper sun to hang from the ceiling.

4. Reading – Spend some quality time together snuggled up on the sofa with your child’s favourite book taking it in turns to read aloud, adding silly voices and actions for the characters in the story to keep it fun and exciting.

5. Indoor Disco – If you’re up for something a little more energetic, raid the fancy dress box for your best dancing queen outfits and have a dance-off in the living room. See who can make the wackiest shapes!

6. Pasta Jewellery – There is nearly always some left over pasta in the cupboard so why not put it to good use by making some pretty pasta jewellery. All you need is some string, glitter and glue and penne pasta – beautiful bracelets for everybody.

7. Treasure Hunt – Agree on the treasures you are going to hide around the house, small toys, wrapped sweets, stickers etc. Create a series of clues leading to the treasure – older children often enjoy doing these and the younger ones finding it.

8. Board Games – Everyone loves traditional board games, which are great fun and also help to develop important social skills, such as communicating, sharing, and taking turns.

9. Make Slime – Yuk! But children will love it. Fill a bowl with water, add a few drops of food colouring (green if possible) and then gradually stir in cornflour until the slime is the right thickness. Children under six should be supervised at all times.

10. Singing in the rain – Pull on your wellies and waterproofs and go splashing through the puddles singing as you go! Then come inside and warm up with some hot chocolate and marshmallows.