Being stuck inside on a rainy day can be a bit boring for students. With autumn and winter keeping temperatures cooler and weather wetter, educators and parents need to be prepared to keep kids busy when they’re stuck inside. Here are some engaging, educational activities you can prepare to keep students from getting bored:
Work on Everyday Math Applications
Math is an essential life skill for children to learn. But for many children, math isn’t always their favorite subject. When it’s raining outside, try coming up with fun and interesting ways to help children work on math applications in everyday life. Use these math lesson plans to help get the fun started. From architecture to space exploration, there are so many ways for students to use math in interesting, practical ways. Kids will learn about real-world applications for math, which will strengthen their academic ability while setting them up for success in their potential future careers.
Engage in Simple Science Experiments
Science is another vital subject for students to learn. Along with technology, engineering and math, science is an important part of the all-important STEM field. Since so many future jobs will be based in STEM (all of which will have great financial opportunity), getting students interested in these subjects is crucial to preparing them for their adult lives. Science experiments are wonderful visual and hands-on tools to teach children. By engaging them in a simple science experiment, like making a glass of lava, you can open up their minds to the wonders of science.
Create Some Arts and Crafts
For busy students, art can be a great way to release stress and calm any anxieties. This is especially helpful for students who may be fearful of storms and bad weather. Create some lesson plans centered on helping children create some colorful crafts and artwork. They can make their own homemade puffy paint or use materials you’ve already purchased to be prepared for these rainy autumn days. Stock up on paper, brushes, markers and any other basic art materials. Be sure to cover floors so they don’t get messy, and provide aprons or encourage children to wear clothes that they don’t mind getting dirty.
Burn Off Some Excess Energy
Kids can get a bit antsy when the weather keeps them from playing outside. Play is such an important part of children’s development that the UN designated it a basic human right for children. You can get kids active while they’re stuck inside by following along with some exercise videos. Exercise videos geared toward kids are set up like play, and allow children to stay active while having fun. If you’re in need of something a bit more calming, try switching on a fun yoga tutorial to help children unwind.
Put on a Concert
Music is an entertaining and engaging way to pass the time during rainy weather. If you have instruments handy, look up some lessons online to help children practice their musical skills. No instruments? That’s not a problem, since children can use some basic materials to craft easy-to-make instruments of their own. Even without any instruments at all, kids will enjoy singing and dancing along to their favorite tunes. There are so many ways to use music to help kids learn and stay alert on those rainy days.
Act Out a Play
The arts, including theatre, are an important part of any comprehensive academic experience. If you need to keep kids busy while stuck inside, why not help them put on a play? This can even be a multi-day activity, where children can build their play from start to finish using online tutorials and resources. You can have them build the sets using practical math skills, put together costumes, write a script, and learn lines for scenes. There are so many elements to theatre that are educational and fun for children to experience.
Rainy autumn and winter weather doesn’t have to keep students from having fun. There are so many resources online to help you plan your rainy-day lessons and activities, so don’t let bad weather get your children down!
Contact Joyce Wilson at [email protected], Teacherspark.org.