The monsoon season is here again! Cracking your brains to think of activities to occupy your kids? Fret not! We’ve compiled a list of 10 exciting activities (or DIY Projects) that you and your little ones can have a whale of time with! *Pictures are owned by the respective sites that the activity was taken from, other pictures are credited respectively.

DIY Laser Beam Obstacle Course (Taken from Molly Moo)

This is a brilliant activity that helps stave off the gloominess of a rainy day and get your kids movin’ like little James Bonds! This activity works mainly on gross motor skills and evaluation skills (planning the next move!)

All you need is a ball of red wool and some tape…
To credit: http://mollymoocrafts.com/rainy-day-project-2/
Miniature Sites (Taken From At Home With Ali)

This activity would probably take an entire day to complete, but the end product would definitely be worth the while! This activity works on fine motor skills (preparing the miniature items) and relational skills (deciding relevant things to put in the miniature site)

For a more detailed step-by-step procedure, do visit their website!

You could make a miniature garden, playground or forest too!

Some ideas for materials:
– Dyed rice as sand
– Bottle cap as pond
– Shredded green plastic as trees
– Satay stick as trunk

To credit: http://www.athomewithali.net/2012/01/miniature-campsite.html

Tea Box Circus Train (Taken From Mer Mag)

Make a train set out of tea boxes and cereal boxes (for larger trains)! Step-by-step instructions are available on the website. This activity helps to improve fine motor skills (sticking and cutting) and builds on creativity (decorating the train with recycled items)

These boxes could be used for storage purposes too!

Newspaper Forts (Taken From Modern Parents Messy Kids)

Ideal activity for boys aged 7 to 11. You would only need newspaper and masking tape for this project! This works on the child’s logical thinking skills (how the fort should be formed) and fine motor skills (to tape the newspaper together).

To credit: https://modernparentsmessykids.com/play/

Producer for a Day
Get your child to write, direct, act and produce a TV show or a movie! All you need is a video camera (phone video function works just fine!) and some props! Challenge your child to make DIY props for his/her own show!

This activity works on the child’s creative skills (coming up with a plot, creating DIY props), language skills (the ability to put his/her thoughts into words) and sequential skills (creating a logical timeline for the story plot).

View the show together as a family at the end of the day, you’ll be in for some crazy laughter!

Marble Race!
Its like racing cars, except that its marbles instead of cars, swimming noodles instead of car tracks. All you need for this activity would be some swimming noodles (can be found in toys r us or swim stores). They look like this:
To credit: https://frugalfun4boys.com/lego-duplo-marble-run-stem-challenge/
Slice the noodles into horizontal halves and tape them together using duct tape.
Image Credit: x

Once done, you can attach them around the house (down the stairs, from a double decker bed down to the floor etc.)

Time how long it takes for each player’s marbles to reach the finish line! Or construct two tracks so that players can compete at the same time!

This activity works on visual tracking.

DIY Kaleidoscope (taken from Skip To My Lou)
This next craft is a tedious one… but your kids are sure to be bedazzled by the end product.
Step by step instructions are available on the website. This activity works on fine motor skills (put beads into kitchen towel roll).

Bake It!
A rainy day calls for some freshly baked goodies with a warm glass of milk! Bake (or cook a meal) together with your child and have him/her prepare the ingredients (works on arithmetic math). Spoonful.com has a list of child-friendly recipes perfect for such a day! So head over and pick your recipe here! Alternative, you can head over to Martha Stewart food for more child-friendly recipes!

Hide and Seek
No child grows up without playing hide and seek. Its a tradition… a prerequisite, even, for a complete childhood. Its not a tough feat to figure out where the kids are hiding, but play it up a bit and pretend that they are impossible to find! This game works on evaluation skills (where should I hide?).

Play in the Rain!
Playing in the rain is said to relieve stress and engage the child in different sensory experiences! So put on your rain boots with your child and enjoy the rain!

However, if there are lightning and thunders, do be cautious! Ensure that your child is also dressed appropriately (ponchos!) and that he/she doesn’t get too cold!

Enjoy a warm meal and snuggle in bed with a book after that!