What to do on a Rainy Day!

We are beginning to feel like we live in the tropics with several inches of rain a week! As a dairy farmer's daughter, with vivid memory of many dry summers, I don't have the heart to complain about rain. But if you have young children, you know that rainy days cooped indoors can be a challenge, especially when your youngsters are accustomed to spending their days outdoors!

Here is a few ways I've kept my children occupied! As usual, I've found that it often is not the fancy expensive toys that keep their attention the best!

Magazines - A few old catalogs, magazines, glue, and scissors, along with a little childhood creativity can be loads of fun. The floor may be covered with paper scraps afterward, but nothing a vacuum cleaner can't tackle.

Pony Beads - For children beyond the age of putting things in their mouth, pony beads are fun. I bought a large bag of multi-colored beads at Walmart. With pipe cleaners, string, and a few cups for sorting, there is endless projects. Try stringing a few beads on a pipe cleaner and see if they can make the same color pattern on their pipe cleaner.

Pasta - Similar to the pony beads, I mixed several kinds of dried pasta together (rotini, shells, macaroni, ziti) With muffin tins, spoons, and measuring cups, they pretend they are cooking, or sort the pasta in different bowls.

Play Dough - We all know this one. But sometimes I need a reminder!

Paper - I'm glad computer printer paper is cheap because we go through tons of it! Look on the web for ways to make little booklets. Add markers, crayons, paints, stickers, glue, sicssors, etc.
Paints - Speaking of paints - my in-laws gave our children the "Do-A-Dot" Paints. They are wonderful! I would never allow my children to paint with brushes and bowls of paint but these are almost mess free! The sturdy tubes have sponge tips. The paint is washable for whatever does miss the paper!

Okay, that is my ideas! What are yours? I'll start a list for the next rainy day!