If it's storming outside and plans are canceled, what can kids do for fun? Why enjoy the thunderstorm, of course! Here are ideas for learning to like a good rain.
What can you do during a thunderstorm? You can’t play outside, swim, play in the sandbox, fish, ride a bike, or go for a walk, can you? Ever feel trapped by the weather? Do you run for cover? Hide under your bed?
Well, here are some great things to do during a thunderstorm. These ideas might also help you overcome fears of storms and begin to enjoy them instead.
Watch the clouds form:
Watch for signs of a storm coming. The clouds will begin to build into tall pillars. The sky will darken and a damp feeling will make you skin feel clammy. These are warnings to stay out of boats, get away from water and head for a safe shelter. When safely inside watch the clouds billow up and form huge dark piles of cloud. Soon you will hear the rumble of thunder in the distance, but there is no need to fear when you are safe inside.
Watch the Lightning:
Stay away from windows, but open the drapes and curtains so you can see the lightning flash and enjoy the excitement and beauty of it. The Bible calls lightning God's arrows. There are many different kinds of lightning.
- There is a heat lightning—usually associated with a summer evening storm.
- There is forked lightning that splits as it nears the ground.
- There is spear lightning that shoots a deadly spear almost straight toward the ground
- Zigzag streaks of lightning that children love to draw.
Artwork:
Get out some large white sheets of paper or poster board and draw the storm. Add dark clouds, raindrops, and lightning over a lake or a house on a hill. Draw Ben Franklin flying a kite in a thunderstorm with a key tied to the kite string.
Snacktime:
Prepare and eat a comfort snack. How about popcorn? Hot chocolate with marshmallows is a great rainy day treat. Make microwave s’mores with graham crackers squares of chocolate and marshmallows Stack the parts on a saucer and put into the microwave for 15 seconds. Yum! If the storm takes out the electricity you can still have crackers and cheese or maybe fresh apple slices with a dip of caramel or marshmallow and cream cheese mixed.
Count the Storm’s Distance:
This is fun! Wait for a flash of lightning then count one thousand and one, one thousand and two, one thousand and three, and so on until your hear the thunder boom. The number of counts tells you how far away the storm is.
Listen to it Pour: Turn down the lights and listen to the downpour of rain. Rain sounds like a concert piece of music. It has rhythm and beat, soft places and loud crescendos.
Games for Rain Storms:
Wet, Wild, and Wooley is an animal game. When thunder booms the players call out what size of animal could make such a loud sound. A huge boom will bring a call of “There's a T-Rex!” A small rumble brings: “There’s a little fox passing.” A loud POW is “A Moose stomping!” A low distant rumble is “Only an ant parade.”
Rain Maker: Choose a leader and all others sit in a circle on the floor. Follow the leader as he starts a light beat with his hands on his lap. Then as the storm grows the leader will speed up his beat and get louder and louder until the room sounds as loud as the real storm outside. Then slowly the leader begins to calm the storm by slowing his beat down until there is nothing but a patter of rain which stops at last.
Read as a Group:
Pick a favorite storybook to read during the storm. Snuggle up under a quilt and read a good rain story like Flood Friday by Lois Lenski.
Sing along:
Sit in a circle and sing songs that everybody knows or can learn easily. Here are some good ones:
- Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
- The Alphabet Song
- Old Dan Tucker
- You are my Sunshine
- Jesus Loves Me
- Old Mac Donald had a Farm
Some Other Ideas: Play with clay or playdough, build a castle with wooden blocks, play board games, string beads, Get out coloring books and the crayon box.. A rainy day may keep you inside, but even a big thunderstorm can be something to look forward to. Let’s hope for rain at your house soon.
