Let’s be honest about British summer. There will be a Tuesday in August where it rains sideways and you are all stuck inside by 9am with a long day ahead. Planning for this is not pessimistic – it is sensible.

Here are 10 rainy day activities that actually keep children engaged, with no kits to order in advance, nothing you need to have bought last week, and almost everything achievable with what you already have at home.

1. Build a Den – Then Use It

Sofa cushions, dining chairs, every blanket in the house, and a clothes horse if you have one. Make it as dark as possible inside, bring torches, and then actually use it – eat snacks in there, read in there, watch a film in there. The den is not the activity; everything that happens inside it is.

This works for ages 2-10 and the older children often get deeply invested in the architecture of it.

2. Make Playdough From Scratch

Homemade playdough lasts for weeks in an airtight container, costs almost nothing, and the making of it is half the fun.

Recipe:

• 1 cup plain flour
• half a cup of table salt
• 2 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 cup water
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• Food colouring (optional)

Combine everything in a saucepan over low heat and stir continuously until it comes together into a smooth, non-sticky dough – around 5-10 minutes. Remove from the heat, allow to cool, and knead briefly. Divide and add different food colouring to each portion if you like. Store in an airtight container or zip-lock bag.

Children aged 18 months and upwards can play with playdough, and older children enjoy making their own batch.

3. Indoor Treasure Hunt

Write a series of rhyming or descriptive clues that lead around the house, with a small prize – a biscuit, a sticker sheet, choosing the film tonight – at the end. Takes about 20 minutes to set up and keeps children occupied for at least an hour, usually more.

For children who cannot read yet, draw pictures as clues instead. For older children, make the clues harder and let them work in pairs.

4. Junk Modelling Challenge

Collect cardboard boxes, toilet rolls, egg cartons, yoghurt pots, and anything else heading for the recycling. Give children a brief – build a car, build a rocket, build a house for a toy – along with tape, scissors, and felt tips, and leave them to it.

Setting a challenge rather than leaving it open-ended works better for most children. A craft supplies kit with extra stickers, foam shapes, and googly eyes elevates this significantly.

5. Baking Together

Choose something achievable: fairy cakes, flapjacks, chocolate rice crispy cakes, homemade lemonade. Give children a genuine job – measuring, stirring, pouring – rather than a token role. Children aged 3 and up can do far more in the kitchen than most parents expect, and the eating at the end is the reward for everyone.

6. Card Games and Board Games

Snap and Go Fish work from around age 3. Dobble is excellent from age 4 – fast, portable, and genuinely fun for adults too. For ages 6+, Uno, Rummy, and even basic poker played for sweets are brilliant. These are also worth keeping in a bag for restaurants, long journeys, and waiting rooms throughout the year.

7. Library Visit

Worth stating plainly: libraries are free, warm, and full of books and activities. Most run free holiday craft sessions and storytimes throughout summer, bookable through your local council’s library page. Even without a structured session, a couple of hours browsing and sitting in the children’s section is a perfectly pleasant rainy morning.

If your child is aged 4-11, sign them up to the Summer Reading Challenge while you are there.

8. Learn Something New on YouTube Kids

Supervised screen time with a purpose feels entirely different from passive watching. Search for origami tutorials, magic tricks, drawing lessons, or how-to videos for something your child is currently interested in. Sit with them for the first few minutes to get them started and then let them follow along independently.

9. Start a Summer Journal

Give each child a plain notebook and encourage them to document the summer – draw what they did yesterday, write about their favourite meal, stick in a photo printed from your phone, press a flower from the garden. By September it becomes something they are genuinely proud of, and it makes a lovely keepsake.

Younger children who cannot write yet can draw and you can add labels for them.

10. Film Afternoon – Done Properly

Not just sticking the TV on. Make popcorn, build the den from tip one, turn off the overhead lights, and choose a film together. The ritual transforms it from passive screen time into a proper family event. Let the children take turns choosing – even a toddler can point at a cover.

On Rainy Days With Babies

Babies do not care about the weather at all. Tummy time, a baby gym session, a bath in the middle of the day for sensory play, or simply a walk with a raincover over the pram are all fine options. See our baby activity gyms guide if yours is getting bored of what you have.

For more ideas when you want to get out of the house, our free days out guide has 15 options that need no booking or budget. And for sunny day activities at home, our at-home summer activities guide has 15 more ideas ready to go.

FAQ

What rainy day activities work for a toddler and an older child at the same time?

Den building, baking, and junk modelling all scale well across ages – the toddler participates at their level while the older child takes on more responsibility. Treasure hunts can be adapted too, with the older child reading clues and the toddler helping look.

How do I make the playdough recipe without cream of tartar?

You can leave it out – the dough will still come together but will be slightly less smooth and will not keep quite as long. Adding an extra teaspoon of salt helps. Store in the fridge to extend its life.

What card games work for a 3-year-old?

Snap is the classic, and most 3-year-olds can play with a little help. Pairs – memory match with a standard deck of cards, face down – is also excellent for this age and costs nothing if you already have a deck.

How long should screen time last on a rainy day?

There is no fixed rule, but breaking it up helps. A film in the afternoon works well if the morning has been active and creative. The key is that it feels like a treat rather than the default.

What can I do with kids on a rainy day without any supplies?

Den building needs only furniture and bedding. A treasure hunt needs paper and a pen. Card games need a pack of cards. The indoor treasure hunt, storytelling, and cloud-watching from the window all cost nothing and need nothing bought in advance.