A guest post by Jenny Wise
Rain is pouring down and your kids just want to zonk out with their favorite video game or Netflix show. But that’s not the best option to beat the rainy day blues and it’s time to put those screens to good use. No matter how much they whine about it, you and your kids will have fun and stay engaged until the sun makes its way back into your life if you follow these kid-friendly and healthy tips.
YouTube Exercise Videos
Housebound kids tend to get restless because they don’t have an outlet for their energy. YouTube exercise videos are the perfect way to release some of that energy in a positive way, plus it gives your kids all the benefits of exercise, including building stronger muscles and bones, a leaner body with less fat, a decreased risk of diabetes and a better outlook on life. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that kids get at least an hour of physical activity a day, so there’s no reason a little rain should get in the way. YouTube exercise videos for kids are fun and age-appropriate, plus they’re easy to access. Just clear some space in the living room or playroom and set up a laptop or use your TV’s apps to access YouTube.
Online Music Lessons
Another fun, educational option on a rainy day is online music lessons. Music is one of the greatest gifts you can give your kids and it’s more accessible than ever now thanks to the Internet. Learning music will enhance their academic skills (music and math fit together much more than you realize), develop their physical skills including coordination and motor skills, boost self-esteem and help them learn discipline and patience. Dozens of online lessons are available if you do a little research. Some of the most popular are guitar lessons and piano lessons, but lessons for lots of other instruments – and for voice – are also available.
Online Drawing Tutorials
Art can be great for kids because it helps them develop both fine motor and neural skills. It also gives them a chance to process their world in a nonverbal way, which can be helpful when they’re dealing with difficult emotions. Plus, it’s fun to create new things! Even kids who can naturally draw well need guidance, so that rainy day is a great time to pull up a few of these websites that teach kids how to draw and let them have at it. Online videos are especially good because the pause button allows kids to draw at their own pace and not feel rushed in the creative process.
Math and Science
As the rain falls, you can also find ways to work in a few math applications to everyday life with your kids. They’ll find more math in the kitchen than just about anywhere, so let them help with a few recipes (cookies are always a hit). They’ll have to follow directions, measure ingredients and multiply or divide fractions to get the right amounts. You can also use math as the basis for teaching your kids how to set a budget and handle money.
The subject of science also leads to some cool experiments you can do at home. You can transform your home into a science lab with household ingredients. Your kids will erupt with excitement to make their own glass of lava. Make sure that when you plan experiments like this, you stock up on the supplies ahead of time.
Rain can sometimes be a blessing in disguise. Being stuck in the house might just give kids a chance to change their routine and learn something new. Either way, these activities will help pass the time and give your kids a memorable day indoors.
Jenny Wise created Special Home Educator as a forum for sharing her adventures in homeschooling and connecting with other homeschooling families.
