The Best Rainy-Day Activities for Preschoolers

Closeup of kid's galoshes splashing in street puddle

Rainy-day blues are the worst, especially for active little kids. Popping in a movie and curling up on the couch may be one of your favorite things to do on a rainy day, but your 4-year-old’s endless energy could put a damper on that plan. Check out these easy yet engaging rainy-day activities for preschoolers, and get helpful tips for keeping everyone sane until the sun comes out again. From rainy-day crafts supplies to stylish rain gear, you can shop through Ebates for everything you need to make the most of your day while earning Cash Back.

Curious Chef setBake Together

The most fun rainy-day activities with kids are the ones that give you an opportunity for quality time. Baking is a fantastic idea if you’re looking for an indoor activity to do side by side. This Curious Chef set is perfect for little hands and comes with an adorable, just-their-size apron. Have your child collect all the needed materials they can reach, ask them to help measure and mix and then let them get creative decorating their confections. Then you get to the best part: eating!

Baby Dish Washing

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Game of Chores

Little kids can turn anything into a game — even keeping the house clean. Set a timer and have a laundry-folding race or show them how to mop the floor with their feet. (Just put a damp rag under each foot and scuttle across the floor.) Not only will they have a blast, but they’ll also love being a “good helper.”

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Color Hunt

Bonding activities are great, but sometimes we just need a break. Encouraging independent play is also very important for kids since it teaches them to be self-sufficient. Having a color hunt around the house is a perfect way to get your little one moving and learning on their own. Label bags by color, and then ask your child to collect and sort items within reach. You can set a timer and see how many items they collect, and they can try to break their record next time.

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Shape Match

All you need for this activity is wooden blocks of various shapes, a big piece of construction paper and a marker. Trace the shapes onto the paper, and then have your child match the shapes to their outlines. It’s an inexpensive DIY puzzle that actually challenges kids. You can get everything you need for these crafty activities at Michaels.

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Rain Splatter Art

Sometimes you just have to put on your rain boots and jacket and get out there and enjoy the rain. After a little puddle-stomping, create a unique work of art by putting a few drops of food coloring on a piece of paper and lying it out in the rain. Watch how the droplets create colorful splatters!

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Make Magic Puddles

All you need for this one is powder tempera paint and some glitter. Find a puddle in your yard and sprinkle the paint and glitter to create a magically colorful puddle! Warning: It may be too pretty to stomp.

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5 Holiday Games Any Family Can Play

Family playing card game togetherSo much time is spent during the holiday season cooking lavish feasts and shopping for perfect gifts that making time to have simple fun with the family can fall off your list of priorities. Show your kids there is more to the season than one big day of unwrapping presents with these five family games! No matter how you celebrate, these holiday games have you covered. A little DIY magic and Cash Back at Ebates is all it takes to make your holidays that much happier.

What’s in Santa’s Hat?

Santa hat on green backgroundThis simple guessing game is great for school-age children. Fill a Santa hat or Christmas stocking with small objects from around the house, such as dice, Legos or magnets. Give each player a pencil and a piece of paper. Pass around the hat and have each player guess what’s inside by feeling the outside of the hat without looking or reaching inside. The players write down their guesses, and the person with the most correct guesses wins.

Hanukkah BingoHanukkah bingo printable cards

This picture-based bingo game will keep it simple for preschoolers who are still learning their numbers and letters. The best part? It’s available for instant download, and you can print it out in minutes. Etsy has a ton of cute printable games for all occasions. Keep your eye out for a promo code from your favorite Etsy maker to save big on holiday games and goods.

White Elephant

African American man receiving odd Christmas present

Part gift-giving, part straight-up thievery, this game is perfect for households with teenagers since they’re old enough to buy their own small gifts. Stores like Michaels and Cost Plus have a great variety of stocking stuffers. To play, place all wrapped gifts in the center of the room and choose someone to kick off the game by unwrapping one of the presents. The following players can either steal an unwrapped gift from another person or choose a new gift from the pile. Each gift can be stolen only three times. The game is over when everyone has a gift.

MancalaMancala game

For those celebrating Kwanzaa, there is a variety of games to play with African roots. Mancala, however, may be the most popular here in the United States. Mancala is actually a category of count-and-capture games, but the version Americans know best is the wooden-board-and-glass-marble variety. Each player picks up a section of marbles and distributes them one by one into the sequential sections, including their own “pot.” The turn is over when you place your final marble in a space with no other marbles. The game is over when all the marbles make it into the players’ pots. This is a two-player game, so make sure to get enough boards for everyone to play at once.

Match the BellsThree chocolate kisses

Chocoholics of any age will love this one. Simply take a black marker and write a number, letter or symbol on the bottoms of two wrapped chocolate kisses and repeat until you have enough pairs to play a game of match. Unlike regular match games, you eat your pairs once the game is complete. Everyone wins!