What to do on a rainy day in the Easter hols....

[carriemumsnet]

We're putting together a list of things to do with kids at home in the Easter hols when it's raining/snowing (?) outside.

Post your top suggestions here.

Thanks

MNHQ

Painting
Drawing/colouring in
Play doh
Storytime
Making tents with sheets and cushions
Decorating hard boiled eggs
Baking cakes

If it is really throwing it down, do a matinee. Curtains drawn, lights off, popcorn, all on the sofa to watch a vintage children's film. No furtive Mning or just popping out to run the dishwasher!

Melt chocolate, crush up some shredded wheat and get in some mini eggs to make those yummy nests.

Bump, bump bump...

Keep the suggestions coming - can be fun, serious, crazy-mad or even useful!

Set your small child the task of tearing a magazine (Radio Times works best here!), page by page, into strips - this should take a good half hour. Then spend another half hour or so playing in the torn up paper - throwing it, covering each other up in it, stuffing it down your clothes! Finally, a creative child might like to do some papier mache (sp); mine likes to collect it all up and put it in bin bags!

bump

Ok so the rain and snow have stopped - well here they have at least - but any tips on keeping the kids entertained (Ok they can go outside if they have to) would be welcome.

These are all great so far - please keep 'em coming!

Pavement chalks on the patio, encourage the children to cover as much of it as possible in as much colour and decoration. Can even do this in sessions over several days. Then, when they're bored, give them decorator's paintbrushes and buckets of water and encourage them to 'paint' with the water: the colours of the chalk run and turn the water to paint - for infant-school-age children this seems like magic.

Give them a box with scissors, tape, glue, etc (age-appropriate of course) and let them get to work on the contents of the recycling box. You rarely need to suggest what they might make, but you do have to be prepared for a bit of mess afterwards! Don't give them any colouring stuff until the activity is over and all cleared away. Colouring or decorating their construction can be another whole new activity for another grotty day.

And another bump

Sort of stolen from Tamum but also as seen with ds and a friend a year older (so this is one for 7 pluses I think)
Film Lego catastrophes with a parent's mobile...? Various Lego vehicles crashing/exploding etc
It honestly kept two stroppy little boys quiet for about an hour and a half and they really were quite inventive with special effects.
I am sure Tamum's ds' films are rather different but they had a great time.

Thanks to all who've posted - any more for any more...
As someone who finds creative play roughly on a par with chewing my own leg off...
Here's my top tip for what to do with the kids this Easter hols: send them to Grandma's

You are an inspiration to us all dear lady

cod family olympics

make a score board
seta verity of task( making a lego stucture) skittle
whatevere
nad give points

plan and shopp and cook a whole meal for a mate?

party tea - loevt hat

erm... tidy outt heir wardrobes of toys

Cinema
Bowling
Swimming
Walking in Rain

Still think grandma's is best tip so far (or one of those residential adventure hols - I'm trying that next year)

hmmm

Don't hmm cod - say what you mean (and duck)

drink heavily.

make pina coladas
and have a walk in the rain

rainy days and Mondays always get me down

like walkign in the rain and hte snow and theres nowhere to go

Like walking in the rain and the snow
When there's nowhere to go
And you're feelin' like a part of you is dying
And you're looking for the answer in her eyes.
You think you're gonna break up
Then she says she wants to make up.

i loev htat song