Guardian writer shares rainy-day tips for keeping small children busy indoors
A parent of two recommends play tents, building toys, screen-free audio and waterproofs — and warns against fur-lined wellies.
At a glance
- Guardian writer Rose Stokes shares indoor toys, crafts and activities for keeping small children busy on rainy days.
- She recommends a play tent, Magna-Tiles, puzzles, a Pikler triangle, Stapelstein stones and a screen-free Yoto audio player.
- For wet weather she suggests Muddy Puddles suits, shell trousers, colour-changing wellies and merino socks.
Parents facing a wet day indoors with small children do not have to rely on screens alone, according to a Guardian writer who has set out the toys, activities and waterproof clothing that work for her family.
Rose Stokes, who has spent four and a half years parenting two small children, writes in the Guardian's Filter section that she finds a whole day inside harder than the logistics of getting everyone out of the front door. She lives in the rainy south-west of England, where she says good waterproofs are the only way to have a fighting chance of leaving the house between November and April.
Toys and activities that hold attention
An unexpectedly popular item in her home was a play tent given by relatives; she replaced it with a Djeco model once the original had been played with until it broke. She rates official Magna-Tiles above cheaper imitations, and says a screen-and-roller car toy, also a gift, has obsessed every child who visits. Craft kits and a Galt foil sticker set are her low-mess options, while a Lovevery subscription delivers a new age-targeted set of toys, often wooden, every two to three months. She has bought boxes herself, asked family for others and received samples as press gifts.
Other long-running favourites include a Pikler climbing triangle with a slide, Ravensburger puzzles, a Melissa & Doug wooden ice-cream counter, roll-up Speed Track racing sets and modular "play sofas" — hers is by the Irish brand Baby Elegance and has been a castle, train, cave and shop. Stapelstein stepping stones, which she first saw at a play cafe, support up to 180kg and are used for stacking, climbing and balancing. A Yoto player offers stories and songs without a screen, with cards recorded by grandparents and other relatives.
For screen time, she mentions a Samsung projector on her wishlist and the Nintendo Switch, noting that the newer Switch 2 has made the original cheaper.
When all else fails
Cheap fallbacks include homemade playdough coloured with food dyes, which stains more than shop-bought versions, secondhand dressing-up costumes found on Vinted for about £6, blanket forts, and an extended daytime bath with a Munchkin ColourMix bath bomb.
Dressing for the rain
For younger children she suggests Muddy Puddles suits with a removable warm lining, and for older ones shell trousers — Mini Rodini, though expensive, tends to fit for about two winters, while Polarn O Pyret is more reasonably priced and covers toddlers through to 12-year-olds. She recommends colour-changing wellies from Grass & Air worn with merino wool socks, and warns against fur-lined wellies, which get wet quickly.
The article appears in the Guardian's Filter section, which the publication describes as its home for independent product reviews and recommendations. Readers are invited to email their own ideas to thefilter@theguardian.com.
Source: The Guardian.
Questions and answers
- What toys help keep small children entertained indoors on rainy days?
- A Guardian writer recommends a play tent, Magna-Tiles, Ravensburger puzzles, a Pikler climbing triangle, a Melissa & Doug wooden ice-cream counter, Stapelstein stepping stones and a screen-free Yoto audio player.
- What should children wear outside in wet weather?
- She suggests Muddy Puddles suits with removable linings for younger children, shell trousers from Mini Rodini or Polarn O Pyret, colour-changing wellies from Grass & Air and merino wool socks. She advises against fur-lined wellies.
- What are cheap indoor activity ideas for a rainy day?
- Homemade playdough coloured with food dyes, secondhand dressing-up costumes bought on Vinted for about £6, blanket forts, hide-and-seek, floor is lava, keepy uppy and an extended daytime bath.
