Rainy Day Fun

by Deborah Taylor-Hough - Editor of Bright Kids - Author of Frozen Assets - http://brightkids.wordpress.com/  Used by permission - (Note from Lois: Of course, these activities could be "Snowy Day" fun as well!) 1. Muffin-Cup Flower Garden (Package of multi-colored paper muffin cups; construction paper; scissors; glue; green marker or pen) Fringe the muffin cups by cutting the edges toward the center to make petals. Spread glue on the bottom of fringed cups and press them onto a sheet of construction paper. Glue a whole muffin cup (different color) in the center of each fringed one. Then spread glue in the center of each whole cup. Glue a few small pieces of construction paper and press into the cups. Use a green pen or marker to draw the stems and leaves of your flower garden. 2. Letter Puzzles (Paper; scissors; pen) First, write a letter to a friend or relative on a sheet of paper. Then, cut the letter into puzzle shapes. Mail the pieces to your friend. (To read your letter, they must first piece the puzzle together!) 3. Marble Painting (Clean coffee can; paper; tempera paint; 4 or 5 marbles; spoon) Fit a sheet of white paper into the coffee can (cut to fit if necessary). Place the marbles in different colors of paint. Use a spoon to place the painted marbles into the can. Replace the lid and shake the can. Pour the marbles out and remove your masterpiece! 4. Tornado in a Jar (Clean glass jar; water; dishwashing liquid; food coloring) Fill the jar with water and add a few drops of dishwashing liquid. Then, put a few drops of food coloring into the jar. Put the lid on tight and swirl the jar in a circular motion several times. Stop and look inside. You should see a mini tornado! 5. Lip Print Pictures (Paper; crayons; lipstick) Apply lipstick to yourself or your child, and kiss a piece of paper in the middle of the page. Have fun together drawing in the face and features around the lips. 6. Egg in a Bottle (Clean soda bottle; hard-boiled egg; strips of newspaper; matches) First, peel the egg. Next, place small strips of newspaper into the bottle. Light the strips on fire (adult supervision required). When the paper begins to burn, place the egg over the opening of the bottle. Wait...the egg will soon fall into the bottle with a loud POP! 7. Tongue Twisters (Imagination) You can make up your very own by beginning each word of a sentence with the same letter, or you can laugh yourself silly with these: Old oily Otto operates on old oily autos; Silly Sally sings songs sweetly; Roudy Rob wrestles rhinos while reading recipes. 8. Beach Purse (Mesh onion bag; plastic twine; keychain clip) Weave a length of plastic twine around the opening of the mesh bag, to serve as a drawstring. Tie the twine through the loop of the keychain clip. 9. Fingerprint Critters (Paint or inkpad; paper; black marker) Press fingers into the paint, then press onto the paper. Use a black marker to draw on eyes and 8 legs to make spiders the size of your thumb! 10. Conversation (Time) Turn off the cell phone, T.V., and the computer and talk to your children. The most rewarding rainy-day activity.