Rainy Day Apartment Activities

Just because it’s rainy or stormy outside, doesn’t mean you can’t make the best-of-it inside your apartment. Here are some great ways to help pass the time while you wait for the sun to shine!

Binge or Cringe

Turn out the lights, grab some popcorn and hit the couch for a movie marathon! First, pick a film the whole family loves (our go-to flick is The Princess Bride) and settle-in for a true at home theatre experience! This activity definitely helps pass the time. Another great idea is to “binge-watch” that popular TV series you never got around to viewing (Game of Thrones or The Twilight Zone) you get the idea. Another twist on this activity would be for the family to choose a particular genre (horror, comedy, western) and watch films from year-to-year in that genre. Between movies you can discuss how the actors, special effects or costumes have changed throughout the years.
 

Too Many Cooks

Why sit on the couch and watch the latest cooking competition on the TV food channels when you can host your own cooking competition at home!?! Who knows, “The Rainy Day Challenge” may become your new family tradition. Start by having the kids create their own aprons while mom and dad grab the secret ingredients from the kitchen. Kids can create unique sandwich recipes (from the ingredients you choose) or maybe they can design an entire dinner from scratch! Of course parental supervision is suggested. If the kids are too young to actually cook, let the kids become the judges while mom and dad compete to be top-chef in the kitchen.

Old Mother Hubbard

No, we are not talking about story time here…we are talking about clearing out your refrigerator and cupboards. Chances are, if you’re like the majority of apartment renters, cabinet and closet space is at a premium. Going through your fridge and tossing out that old tub of cream cheese or salsa jar will definitely free up space for new items. In addition, your cupboards are probably loaded with expired pasta, old jars of frosting or cans of soup you’ll never get around to eating. Here’s a thought, if the food is still healthy and not past their consumable date, pack them up and donate the bags to the next neighborhood food drive.

So that’s Why They Call Them “Bored” Games

For the less adventurous family maybe a good old fashioned game of Monopoly or Risk will be just enough to help pass time inside your apartment. Or invite the neighbors, split up into teams and create your own a “game day marathon!” The goal here; is to play games that take a shorter time to complete (i.e. checkers, blackjack, speed stacks, etc.), then the teams switch games! As you complete each game in the round-robin you begin to generate total team scores. Tally up the team scores and crown the winner! Before you know it, hours have passed and you’ve created a life-long memory.
 

Go Camping

This one sounds counter intuitive right? Who would go camping when it’s raining!?! But this is a great project to do indoors when the weather outside is less than perfect. Simply choose a room in your apartment, clear the area (to create as much floor space as possible) and set-up camp! The trick is to have all family members agree to leave their cell phones behind and only exit the room to use the bathroom. Pack food, blankets, flashlights, water bottles, trail mix and settle in for a true camping experience. Tell stories, play truth or dare…you know things you would normally do on a camping trip. No answering phones, or breaking up the group. A family outing inside your apartment creates a special bond between siblings and helps build a stronger family unit. Who knows, there may be a day when this training will come in handy.

The Extra Point

Sure, the tips above are fun ideas meant to merely pass time during stormy weather but there’s nothing stopping you from starting that “personal” project you’ve been dying to get done! Like writing the children’s book you’ve always said you’d start, building your own website, picking up that guitar (that’s been gathering dust) or calling your Mom, Aunt or Grandpa you just never get around to calling. Go ahead, you can do it!

Got a suggestion or rainy day activity you usually organize in your apartment? Leave us a note and tell us about it in the comment section below. Or share this post with a friend on Facebook, Twitter or post in your group on google+.