Have you ever gone camping when it rained the entire trip? Sometimes the weather can put a damper on our camping and outdoor activities, but you can still have fun even when it rains! Whether you’re in a cabin, a tent, or just hanging out at home, we’ve put together a list of rainy day music activities to keep the kiddos entertained!
1. Musical Pots and Pans
Little ones love to bang on pots and pans to create as much noise as possible! Give them some spoons, and they’ll be entertained for hours! You can change this activity up by placing them outside when it’s raining. Pick several different sizes and place them upside down. As the rain falls, have your kiddos listen to the different sounds the rain makes as it hits the pots and pans! Ask them to identify high sounds and low sounds. The harder the rain, the bigger the noise!
2. Rainy Day Musical Parade
Grab some ponchos, some rhythm instruments and have the kiddos line up for a rainy day musical parade! They can even wear costumes and capes if they want! Turn on some fun music and let the parade begin! If you’re brave enough, let them have their parade outside while it’s raining. They can play their instruments and sing all while jumping in the mud puddles! If you don’t have any instruments, try these DIY instruments from Meaningful Mama!
Want an indoor version? Grab a bubble wand or bubble machine and make it rain inside too! And for some extra rainy-day dance party inspiration, check out Nature Jam’s “Let Us Play.”
3. Outdoor Music Art
If you have a covered porch, you can set up an easel with some paints and markers for your kiddos to make rainy day masterpieces! Turn on their favorite kid music or classical music, and let them paint away while they listen to the rain and music! Or, check out this neat chalk idea from Busy and the Beans. After it rains, go to your wet driveway and create your own rainbow after the storm! Crush some sidewalk chalk into the rain puddles. The chalk and water create a paste that the children can use to paint! Also, try playing different kinds of music as they create their rainbow of colors.
4. Little April Shower
Don’t want to go out in the rain? That’s okay! Try playing this video from Disney’s Bambi (1942) called “Little April Showers.” As you watch the video, use a triangle, some drums, and some cymbals, and maybe some other percussion instruments ! As the rain comes down and you can hear the percussion instruments in the song, see if you can play along. Get ready for the lightning cymbals!
5. DIY Rainsticks
Let’s make it rain! If your kids love shaking things and making noise, this activity is perfect! Let them make their own rainstick! A rainstick is a long, hollow tube partially filled with small pebbles or beans that has small pins on the inside. When the stick is turned over from end-to-end, the sound of the pebbles resembles falling rain! Check out this tutorial from WhatsUpMoms on how to make your own! You can make a couple of different rainsticks and fill them with various objects to hear the different sounds those objects create!
6. Rhythm Puddles
Puddles are for splashing, but you can also use them for creating fun rhythms! Tap out a rhythm in a puddle and then have your child tap out that same rhythm. They can also create their own rhythms in the puddle!
7. DIY Rainstorm
Did you know you can use your body to make rain sounds? This is a really neat group activity that uses hand rubbing, leg clapping, snapping, and jumping to make the sounds of a storm! Watch this group as they make it sound just like a summer storm, then try it in your classroom!
8. It’s Raining, It’s Pouring
Put on your rainboots and get ready to dance in the rain! Then, come inside and play It’s Raining, It’s Pouring in the Prodigies Playground! The focus of this lesson is Mi, Sol, La, and is the perfect rainy day activity! For a limited time, watch the lesson free!
