STEM

Ten Boredom Busting Rainy Day Activities:

1. Make Taste-Safe Playdough, Slime, or Paint– It often only takes five minutes and three ingredients to create hours of fun for toddlers. Check out some of my favorite ideas below.

Marshmallow Playdough

3 Ingredient Slime

Taste-Safe Paint

2. Create a Young Inventor’s Kit- My five year old loves to make her own phones, purses, etc. out of recycled materials. Last year I made her an inventor’s kit out of a large Rubbermaid container. I took a trip to the Dollar Tree for materials to get her started while we were still collecting the recyclables. Last June, I also made a smaller version as an an end of the year gift for her preschool.

Here are some great links for ideas on what to include: STEM supplies and STEM kits

3. Engage in Sensory Play– Sensory play is great because you can start with simple activities when babies are just four months old.

For very young babies try: 24 Baby-Safe Sensory Play Activities

For toddlers try these activities: Sensory Tubs

Also, visit our Pinterest Board, We Can Be Crafty, for DIY sensory bag, bottle and board ideas that will create hours of sensory play fun.

4. Experiment with Messy Science– Just like the inventor’s kit, it’s easy to create your own science kit with Dollar Tree items. Start science exploration at a young age with some of the fun and easy experiments found on our Messy Fun Pinterest board.

Dollar Tree Beginner’s Science Kit:

• Salt
• Baking Soda
• Sugar
• Vinegar
• Corn starch
• Plastic cups, bowls and spoons
• Ice cube trays
• Safety goggles
• Straws
• Bar soap
• Contact Solution
• Dish soap
• Balloons
• Coffee filters
• Skittles
• Raisins
• Magnets

5. Make Way For Junior Picassos– Art can start as soon as babies are old enough to open and close their tiny fists. Try these awesome ideas and let your little ones create their first masterpieces: Name Canvas, Foam Shape Art Board, Smoosh Painting or Cotton Ball Painting.

6. Play with Ice- Water and food coloring are the only ingredients needed here. Pour water into cups, ice cub trays, bowls, basically anything that can hold water. Add in a few drops of food coloring and let the water freeze outside or in the freezer. This simple activity can be used to teach toddlers about shapes, colors and states of matter. Check out these great icy ideas.

7. Invest in Kinetic Sand- I LOVE kinetic sand. It stays soft and pliable, even if my kids forget to put it away. It’s great for little ones, but my 5 and 8 year old love playing with it as well. We bought ours on Amazon three years ago, and it’s still in great shape.

8. Construct Your Own Roadways- If your kids love racing their cars and trucks around pretend roads, encourage spatial awareness and coordination with one of these great ideas: Masking Tape Roadway, Cardboard Town, and this one too, Bubble Wrap Runway and these fun Homemade Tunnels and Ramps.

9. Create Fine Motor Fun- Fine motor development is super important for young children. They need to build strength and dexterity so they are later able to hold eating utensils, grip a pencil, etc. Encourage those fine motor skills with activities like these: Pom Pom Drop and Button Sorting Cups.

10. Blow Up Balloons and Blow Bubbles- Balloon and bubble play are two super simple, super fun and super cheap activities for kids of all ages. Babies love to crawl and chase balloons around the house and, even as an adult, I love blowing bubbles. Check out these sites if you need more inspiration: Bubble Activities, Balloon tennis, Balloon games and Texture Balloon play. I also love this Bubble Refill Station idea!