Create Your Own Colorful Playdough
Nothing beats the rainy day blues quite like getting your hands messy with homemade playdough. It is the perfect indoor activity for when it’s raining, too cold or too hot. Making playdough from scratch is surprisingly simple and incredibly satisfying for both kids and parents. The BEST homemade playdough recipe – make in less than 5 minutes for under a $1 and have it last for months! You’ll need just flour, salt, cream of tartar, water, oil, and food coloring. We love making our own play dough, because it is so much softer (and cheaper) than the store bought stuff. The cooking process is where the magic happens – as you stir constantly over medium heat, you’ll watch liquid ingredients transform into a perfect, squishy ball of dough that your kids will absolutely love.
Not only is it great for crafts and activities, but I always loved DIY Playdough, because it is squishier than store bought Play Doh, and that makes it useful for stress. The best part? Remove from heat and then place inside a bowl. Allow to cool slightly and then knead until smooth. Once stored properly in sealed bags, this homemade treasure can last for months, giving you countless hours of creative play.
Transform Toilet Paper Rolls into Animals
One of my most favorite types of crafts are my cool toilet paper roll crafts! When I went through my site here I was stunned to find I had so many! These humble cardboard tubes are absolute goldmines for creativity. Take your old toilet paper rolls and turn them into these adorable paper roll animals! If you keep a craft cabinet stocked, try to remember to always save toilet paper and paper towel rolls. They have endless uses and are perfect supplies for fun rainy day art and crafts projects. From majestic lions with fluffy manes to playful monkeys swinging from imaginary trees, the possibilities are endless.
What makes these crafts so special is how simple materials can create such impressive results. If you follow my site you will notice I make lots and lots of easy animal crafts; why?! Because little kids love them, plus they are a great way to educate littles on the animal kingdom! A bit of paint, some construction paper, and googly eyes can transform a boring tube into a roaring tiger or a wise owl. For this craft, we used toilet paper rolls and various scraps of paper to make owls. The kids had a hoot decorating the owls however they liked. At first I was a little nervous they wouldn’t be seen as owls to anyone but our family, but once we put on some googly eyes and orange beaks, each creatures’ owl-ness was unmistakable.
Make Homemade Watercolors
Creating your own watercolors from kitchen ingredients is like performing magic tricks for kids. Perfect for making your own indoor rainy-day rainbows, these bright and beautiful DIY paints are made using baking soda, white vinegar, light corn syrup, cornstarch, and gel food coloring. The recipe is surprisingly straightforward and produces colors that are vibrant and long-lasting. Jill says that after using this recipe she’ll never go back to using store-bought colors again, and even calls them “amazing” and “far superior” to their purchased colorful cousins. What’s truly exciting is that you control the intensity of each color.
One major bonus to going homemade is that since you’re the one in control of adding the food coloring, your colors can be as vivid as you see fit! Kids love the process of mixing the ingredients and watching the transformation happen before their eyes. The finished watercolors work beautifully on regular paper, cardstock, or even coffee filters for tie-dye effects. Plus, knowing exactly what goes into your art supplies gives peace of mind, especially with younger children who might be tempted to taste their creations.
Build Paper Boats for Indoor Sailing
An origami paper boat is the perfect for a rainy day craft because when the rainfall is over, you can sail it in some friendly puddles. Paper boat making is one of those timeless crafts that never goes out of style. This simple sail boat requires no folding or origami skills so it’s great for younger kids whose little fingers are not yet skilled enough for origami. When your child has made a fleet of them, they can sail the boats indoors in the tub or a pan of water. Or, save them for when the rain lets up, find a great big puddle and hold a regatta!
The beauty of paper boats lies in their simplicity and the excitement they generate. Children can decorate their boats with markers, stickers, or even create little flags from toothpicks and paper scraps. Once you’ve assembled a small fleet, fill up the bathtub or a large basin and let the sailing adventures begin. The anticipation of testing whether each boat will float and how far it will travel adds an element of suspense that keeps kids engaged for hours.
Create Miniature Finger Puppets
Turn them into easy-peasy cool finger puppets like these characters featured on The Handmade Adventures of Captain Crafty! It’s no surprise that marker caps fit perfectly on small fingers, so there is no better way to give those old plastic caps a second act in life as playroom puppets. Finger puppets are fantastic for encouraging storytelling and imaginative play. Old marker caps, small paper cups, or even toilet paper rolls cut into rings can become the base for countless characters. Add some felt, yarn, googly eyes, and tiny pieces of fabric to create an entire cast of puppets.
The magic happens when kids start creating stories and voices for their puppet characters. Whether they’re putting on a show for family members or just playing quietly by themselves, finger puppets provide endless entertainment. Storytelling: Encourage your kids to create playdough characters and act out a story. This can help them use their imagination and develop language skills. You can even create themed sets – farm animals, superheroes, or fairy tale characters – to inspire specific storylines and adventures.
Design Window Art with Washable Paint
What better way to appreciate a rainy afternoon that by painting directing on the glass through which you observe the stormy weather patterns? Follow our instructions using washable paint to decorate the windows, (see our Mondrian-inspired windows!) Window painting transforms your home into an art gallery while keeping kids entertained for hours. Washable tempera paints work perfectly for this activity, and cleanup is surprisingly easy with just soap and water. Kids can create seasonal scenes, abstract designs, or even paint rainbows to brighten up gray, dreary days.
The best part about window art is how it changes throughout the day as light filters through the painted designs. or turn the window into a faux stained glass creation with this cellophane and dish soap technique. For an extra special effect, try layering different colors or creating patterns that will cast colorful shadows on the floor. Just remember to use only washable paints and perhaps lay down some newspaper or towels to protect your floors and windowsills.
Build Cardboard Marble Runs
This is such a clever way to use all your cardboard tubes! You can decorate them, cut them into different shapes, and build your own marble run track. Best of all, you can reuse them and create new tracks whenever you want! This is such a great indoor activity for the kids. Marble runs combine creativity with basic engineering principles, making them perfect educational entertainment. Start with toilet paper rolls, paper towel tubes, and cereal boxes as your building materials. Cut slots and holes, tape pieces together, and create ramps and tunnels for marbles to race through.
The engineering aspect makes this craft particularly engaging for older kids who love to problem-solve. They’ll experiment with angles, test different pathways, and learn about gravity and momentum without even realizing they’re getting a science lesson. Plus, once built, marble runs provide hours of play value as kids can time races, try different types of balls, and continuously redesign their tracks for new challenges.
Make Scented Playdough Variations
Essential Oils are a great way to make lovely-smelling playdough. Not only does this playdough smell great, but it helps make sensory play even more engaging. The Pinning Mama recommends oils such as peppermint, citrus, lemon, lime, and even lavender. Taking your homemade playdough to the next level with scents creates a multi-sensory experience that kids absolutely love. For a fun play dough variation, try this scented playdough with essential oils. It’s great for relaxing sensory play for kids with autism or ADHD. It’s also great as a calming activity for any kids.
Different scents can evoke different moods and play themes. Vanilla-scented playdough might inspire bakery play, while peppermint could lead to candy shop adventures. Because your child will be coming into contact with essential oils, please make sure that they are safe for the age of your child. Always use child-safe essential oils and just a few drops – a little goes a long way. The sensory experience of smelling these delightful scents while creating and playing adds another layer of enjoyment to an already engaging activity.
Create Paper Plate Rain Clouds
There can’t be a rain day craft simpler than this one from Vicky Barone! All you need is some cotton balls and blue craft paper along with blue yarn. This would make a great wall hanging for a child’s room, especially during the monsoon season. Paper plate rain clouds are perfect for matching the weather outside while staying cozy indoors. Crafts on Sea has a simple rain craft that’s perfect for toddlers and preschoolers. All you need is a paper plate and colors, and you’re all set! Let the kids enjoy painting or coloring plain paper and then cutting out drop shapes to stick on the plate as raindrops.
These cheerful rain clouds can become part of a larger weather-themed craft session. Kids can create entire weather systems on their walls, complete with sunshine, rainbows, and storm clouds. The tactile experience of pulling apart cotton balls and gluing them onto paper plates is satisfying for little hands, while the finished product serves as a beautiful reminder of a creative day spent indoors. Rainy days are days packed with potential – there is so much fun to be had! This cute paper collage reflects that sense of fun and cheer with its bright colors and a smiley sun peeking through the dark clouds. Go with the cheeriest cupcake liners you can find to brighten up your collage.
Craft Recycled Paper Beads
This recycled paper bead project is a great way to use up craft materials that have accumulated around the house. First, find different colored and textured paper to paint and color, then roll your custom beads, and finally get stringing. Make necklaces, keychains, bracelets, earrings, and more. Paper bead making is an excellent way to upcycle old magazines, wrapping paper, and colorful scrap paper into beautiful jewelry. The process is meditative and satisfying – kids love watching flat triangles of paper transform into cylindrical beads through simple rolling and gluing.
The finished beads can be strung into necklaces, bracelets, or even used as decorative elements in other craft projects. This activity teaches patience and fine motor skills while creating something beautiful and wearable. Each bead is unique, depending on the paper used and how tightly it’s rolled, making every piece of jewelry one-of-a-kind. It’s also a fantastic way to teach kids about recycling and seeing potential in materials that might otherwise be thrown away.