Rainy days often mean more time indoors, and for many families, that translates to extra screen time. While screens can be useful, research shows that too much screen time can impact children’s sleep, social skills, and emotional regulation. According to the Australian Institute of Family Studies, children aged 2–5 spend an average of 2.2 hours per day on screens, exceeding the recommended one-hour limit set by Australian health guidelines.
Instead of relying on digital entertainment, why not try fun, creative, and hands-on activities that cost nothing or incorporate educational play resources? Here are some screen-free ideas for keeping kids engaged on rainy days!
🛠️ 1. Build a Cardboard Creation Station (No Cost or Low Cost)
Give kids some recycled cardboard, tape, and markers and watch their imaginations run wild! They can design castles, spaceships, or even a city for their toys. Make it even more exciting with MakeDo tools, which allow children to cut, screw, and connect pieces of cardboard safely for more durable builds.
✅ No-cost option: Use old delivery boxes, toilet rolls, and scrap paper
✅ Skills developed: STEM learning, problem-solving, creativity
🛒 Upgrade with MakeDo tools here
🎭 2. Indoor Treasure Hunt & Storytelling (No Cost or Low Cost)
Create a homemade treasure hunt using household items! Hide small toys, coloured paper, or even favourite books around the house, then write or act out clues leading to each item. Take it up a notch by incorporating the Australia Animal Figurines and encouraging children to tell their own adventure stories.
✅ No-cost option: Hide household objects and create a scavenger list
✅ Skills developed: Communication, problem-solving, movement
🛒 Add an Aussie twist with the Animal Figurines here
🎨 3. DIY Art & Craft with Nature or Recyclables (No Cost)
Rainy days are perfect for getting creative with materials already at home. Encourage kids to collect leaves, twigs, or pebbles from the backyard (after the rain eases) and create nature-inspired artworks.
No art supplies? No problem! Try:
🖍 Drawing in flour spread on a tray
✂️ Cutting shapes from newspaper or magazine pages
📦 Turning an old shoebox into a mini theatre for storytelling
✅ No-cost option: Use whatever you have on hand
✅ Skills developed: Fine motor skills, creativity, self-expression
🛒 Our Sensory Play Prompts are full of activities you can do easily at home. There’s 28 ideas which will be sure to keep you busy! Shop here
🧘 4. Indoor Mindfulness & Movement (No Cost or Low Cost)
When rainy days feel chaotic, mindfulness activities can help kids regulate their emotions. Try:
🌿 Mindful breathing—Have children lie down and place a soft toy on their tummy to watch their breathing
🎶 Rainy-day music dance party—Play calming or upbeat tunes for kids to move to
🐸 Animal yoga—Encourage kids to pose like a cat, frog, or starfish
For guided mindfulness, Calm Cards provide fun breathing exercises to help children slow down and reset.
✅ No-cost option: Use household music and simple breathing exercises
✅ Skills developed: Emotional regulation, focus, body awareness
🛒 Enhance mindfulness with other resources here
🧩 5. Sensory Play & Small World Adventures (No Cost or Low Cost)
Turn an old baking tray or storage container into a small-world play scene with rice, pasta, or dry beans. Add toy animals, dolls, or cars, and let kids create their own imaginary worlds!
Level it up with Tara Treasures’ felt play sets, like the Four Seasons Play Mat, which provides a tactile, immersive play experience.
✅ No-cost option: Use dried foods and household toys
✅ Skills developed: Sensory processing, storytelling, independent play
🛒 Find felt play sets here
Final Thoughts
Screen-free play is not only possible but beneficial for children’s development. By incorporating a mix of no-cost creative activities and educational play resources, families can turn rainy days into opportunities for learning, imagination, and connection.
🌟 Which of these activities will you try first? Let us know in the comments!
