Rainy Day Games

Rainy Days and Bored Kids

As a working homeschool mom of 3, I truly believe kids need to be bored from time to time.

Not only does being bored boost children’s creativity & imagination, but it can also produce some of life’s most memorable moments, you guys!

I have vivid memories of making up games with my siblings when boredom would strike us as young children and those were seriously some of the best times we shared together.

Looking back, I’m so thankful I was raised during a time when managing screen time wasn’t a concern, and playing outside till the street lights came on was our reality.

With that said, this new generation of youngsters has screens in their pockets and instant gratification at their fingertips, making the art of being bored a true struggle.

Busting Boredom

While I truly believe kiddos need to feel boredom at its core, sometimes utilizing fun boredom-busters is the best way to get their imagination juices flowing.

Think about it this way, when children aren’t used to the feeling of boredom, they won’t know how to cope with it at first.

Utilizing fun rainy-day games and activities can be an easy starting point!

Then, simply encourage them to think of new and exciting ways to entertain themselves the next time they find themselves struggling with boredom.

Encouraging kids to cope with their boredom by figuring it out independently is something I consider an essential life skill, you guys!

Rainy Day Games

We are a game-loving family and will use nearly any excuse possible to play something new!

That said, we always have a few go-to options for bad weather days and I’m so excited to share them with you!

Check out some of our favorite rainy-day games and a few ideas from some other awesome bloggers below.

Rainy Day Games for Little Kids

I decided to kick the list off with some super fun food-themed options for the smallest game-playing members of your family!

Most of these options are great for nonreaders who can follow simple oral or visual instructions.

First up on my list of rainy-day games for little kids is the classic Pancake Pile-Up (left).

Because, let’s face it, little ones are always intrigued by food.

Plus, this one is such a blast, you guys!

While we don’t personally own this game, we have played it on multiple occasions and it’s tons of fun!

The object of this game is to create your own pancake stacks (no hands allowed, only spatulas!) before the other player creates theirs.

This game is competitive relay fun that focuses on building motor skills and direction following.

Next up is this fun Shopkins math game (right) via Sustain My Craft Habit.

While we don’t have any of these in our home, this looks like such a great rainy-day option for the kiddos who do collect these adorable pocket toys!

Another fun game option for the little Shopkins lover in your home is this simple matching game!

If you don’t have the space or the resources to try some of the games above, consider trying some of these fun printable options instead!

Get the kids up and moving with this fun Animal movement dice game via Taming Little Monsters.

Then try this awesome feed the shark color-matching game via Messy Little Monster or this printable unicorn game via Ruffles & Rainboots.

So many fun rainy day ideas for the little ones, you guys!!

Classic Rainy Day Games

These next few games were beloved and treasured by all 3 of my kiddos when they were little.

When your kiddos need a little help planning their next inclement weather game day, consider trying a few of these classic options!

First up, one of the most played games in our house — Let’s Go Fishing (top right).

While most youngsters can play this one independently, it can also be played the traditional way with multiple players.

That said, this game is a wonderful choice for determined kiddos who don’t get frustrated too easily — cause those pesky fish aren’t always the easiest to catch.

This game encourages patience building & motor skill development!

Next, another beloved classic that we lean on as part of our homeschool loop schedule or for keeping boredom at bay on rainy afternoons is Connect Four!

If you have non-reading kiddos who love to play games but simply can’t play multi-step games just yet, this one is a total rainy-day winner, you guys!

This game is great for turn-taking experiences & practicing motor skills.

Other fun classic rainy-day games we lean on when stuck indoors are Chutes and Ladders, Red Light Green Light, simple matching games, and Simon Says!

If classic gameplay is your style, consider trying this free printable version of Snakes and Ladders (above, left) via Rock Your Homeschool, this printable animal-themed match game via Ruffles & Rainboots or this list of Simon Says ideas via The Best Ideas for Kids.

So many fun classic options to choose from, you guys!

Rainy Day Games That Never Get Old

While I still technically consider both of these games classic options for rainy days or school breaks, they are simply in their own league, you guys!

These fun rainy-day game options are both highly favored in our home and tend to keep my kiddos busy for hours on end.

My kids return to them over and over again and they simply never get old.

Oh, my word! I absolutely love the Honey Bee Tree game (left), you guys!

This game is not only a favorite for my kiddos, but it’s always a super fun family game that we find ourselves playing on the regular.

It’s super simple, involves some strategic quick-thinking (which I love), and everyone can play it together because even the smallest members of the household can get in on the fun.

Plus, kids can totally play this 100% on their own if they want by taking the competition out of it.

My young daughter actually plays this one on her own quite often.

This game encourages turn-taking, waiting patiently, & teaches strategy.

While this next one is not my personal favorite game, my younger kids absolutely adore Don’t Break the Ice (right) for some classic indoor rainy day fun!

My biggest reason for not pulling this game out more often is the setup time/play time ratio.

While it only takes a couple of minutes to set up, it can take even less time to play when you have super competitive children.

Then, you will find yourself quickly setting it up for a second round!

While it can be a little mundane and a little annoying for mom, it’s such a fun game that little ones will enjoy playing time and time again!

This game is great for teaching kids to be gentle with subtle movements.

*Game playing tip Have older kids play with your littles, allowing them to take over the setup process.

Unique Rainy Day Games

While classic games are fun, sometimes unique is the way to go when it comes to keeping kiddos busy on rainy days!

Many of these games are great for children who can read but aren’t quite old enough for complex or multi-step games yet. 

First up is one of our new additions. We just recently added Word-A-Melon to our rainy day lineup and my kids have a lot of fun with this one, you guys!

Players try creating the longest word possible with the number of watermelon seeds in play.

The person with the most letter seeds collected at the end is the winner!

Not only is this game a great option for extra reading and spelling practice on rainy days but it can also be used for gameschooling!

I played this with my young daughter and she had so much fun sounding out letters and creating words.

This game is great for spelling practice & homeschooling.

These next 3 games are seriously awesome, you guys!

From simple stacking to color-coded strategy, my kids love playing all 3 of these picks!

When it comes to rainy day games, I’m all about games my kids can play SOLO and this first one does not disappoint.

Don’t Tip the Cows (left) is a great pick for solo play and it’s super simple.

Stack the cows, but try not to tip them – so much fun, you guys!

This game is great for motor skills practice & independent play.

Next up is Top Trumps (top right).

These fun card games are what I like to consider an 8-year-old’s dream game!

Not even joking.

While these card games work great for rainy days, they are also the perfect pick for long car rides, waiting rooms, & downtime.

Each card has a list of categories and each category has a number associated with it.

You simply take turns stating the category you chose and announcing its corresponding number.

The one with the higher number wins that round and gives up both cards.

Sometimes a game lasts only a few minutes, while other times it can last for hours.

It’s a game of chance and fun.

Everyone in my family absolutely loves this one and we have multiple different themed decks.

This game is great for road trips & learning strategy.

Ok, my middle kid is slightly obsessed with this next one!

Not going to lie, I am too!

Stomple (bottom right) is seriously a blast, you guys!

The object is simple, knock out as many colored balls (that aren’t your color) as you can to prevent your opponent from being able to move.

The person with zero moves left is out, and the person with moves left is the winner!

Another reason I love this game is that it’s a super quick activity that I can sneak in any time of day.

You can play multiple rounds in a matter of minutes and the setup time is super speedy.

Let’s just say I’m not a huge fan of games like Monopoly that take forever and a day.

I love me some simple, you guys!

This game is great for turn-taking practice & strategy building.

Rainy Day Games for Big Kids

Last, but certainly not least, I wanted to share some of our favorite big-kid games!

Not going to lie, I definitely struggled with narrowing down the choices in this category because my older boys are huge game lovers.

They pretty much created this entire list of big kid games all on their own.

Check out their top picks, you guys!

Do you guys remember playing Battleship when you were a kid?

Oh, my word! I loved playing this with my brother when was little and I love playing it with my boys now!

Battleship is a year-round favorite in this house, but it’s also a great pick for rainy days when you are stuck indoors.

With that said, if you aren’t familiar with this game, the object is to blindly guess your opponent’s ship locations and sink them!

Seriously, so much fun, you guys!

Honestly, my 11-year-old and I play this more than anyone else in our house.

This game is great for strategy building & creating healthy competitions.

This next one is super fun for older kids who enjoy a little creative thinking.

Suspend encourages independent play as well as working together with other friends or siblings.

The object of this game is to stack your rods without collapsing or sending the rest crashing down.

While it’s a great option for sibling play on a rainy day, it can also be a fun pick for solo play.

My kids thoroughly enjoy playing this one together, but my 11-year-old has been known to play this on his own when he’s bored as well.

This one definitely keeps my older boys busy and engaged for long periods of time.

This game is great for teamwork practice & strategy building.

OK, this next one is a new one for us!

My son actually just got Pucket as a birthday gift recently and we have already played it over and over again.

It is such a blast!

This rainy-day game has a similar feel to air hockey or foosball.

However, instead of one puck being passed back and forth, each player starts with 8 and tries to get all their pucks to the opposing side.

Obviously, the player with an empty side at the finish is the winner.

While this game might sound super simple, it’s actually quite tricky and super fast-paced!

Definitely a winner for competitive big kids!

This game is great for healthy competitions & extreme fun!

Next on the list is Bounce Off, which is a new one for me.

I’ve actually never played it myself.

However, my 13-year-old has with some friends and he tells me it’s amazing and needs to be on this list.

So naturally, here I am including it for you all to try!

This one is pretty much a game of luck and aim.

Each team (or person) is trying to bounce their balls into specific holes in the game board to create a pattern.

Bounce Off is great for older children or teenagers who just enjoy a good challenge!

This game is great for fun & strategy building.

Ok, if you’re on the hunt for a good activity for your children to do on their own, this is the one!

Gravity Maze is a one-player game for kids who love logic games.

The object of this particular game is to get your marble to the red target. So basically, (as my son describes) you use pre-built towers with tunnels inside, to move your marble from place to place.

This kid has spent many hours building and playing with his Gravity Maze.

This game is great for building thinking skills & independence.

If investing in some of the game choices above isn’t an option for your family, consider making your own game with this fun origami jumping frog game via Messy Little Monster!

Rainy Day Games for the Family

Sometimes rainy days happen on the weekend and can be a great excuse for a little extra family bonding time.

So, if you are in need of ideas for your next rainy day (or just your next family game night) consider some of these fun options!

You can spend a fun afternoon teaching your kiddos how to play elevens via Rainy Day Mum or you can lean on one of the other game options below!

Check out all my favorites for family game night!

First up, Jenga!

Jenga has been around for quite some time, and I would imagine it’s already common in most American households — making it the perfect rainy-day option!

This game is great at making kids think, as well as encouraging them to have simple moments of calm and steady structure!

While traditional Jenga gameplay is super fun on its own, creating original games out of these blocks can sometimes be even more fun.

My older children thoroughly enjoy doing building challenges with these blocks, and younger children can have just as much fun simply by stacking and re-stacking!

An amazing option for the entire family!

Next up, something we have all probably played at least once in our lives — Uno!

I Had to go classic on this one, you guys.

UNO is a huge family favorite around here!

We play the spin version, the attack version, the flip version, and the traditional version. To put it simply, we are UNO-obsessed!

This simple card game is a great way to involve everyone in the family.

Have a little and are not sure how to include them in this type of game? When my daughter was younger, we included her by letting her team up with another child or adult — worked out great!

Older kids can also play this game completely on their own for hours on end with much ease.

This one is hands down my favorite game on the list!

Up next, is a game you have possibly never heard of before.

Otrio is such a fun family game, you guys!

I actually purchased it for my kids around Easter this year, and they have already played it for countless hours.

This game is a crazy-twisted version of tic-tac-toe.

You can literally win multiple times during a single game.

So much fun!

Even my 5-year-old has a blast with this one.

Otrio is definitely a must-have for the game-loving family!

Printable Rainbow Games

What comes after the rain, you guys? A rainbow of course!

Spend your next rainy day playing one of these rainbow-themed game ideas.

While these weren’t originally part of my rainy-day games list, I just had to add them this year!

Check out these fun rainbow game ideas for your next rainy day.

• DIY family rainbow game (left) via Rainy Day Mum
• Roll a rainbow game (top right) via Printables Fairy
• This 3D printable rainbow game (bottom right) via Little Ladoo

Happy game-playing, you guys!!