It was all already planned: a nice walk—or maybe a bike ride; you were still undecided—a picnic lunch, an afternoon at the park playing ball. Then you woke up, raised the shutters, and... surprise: a black sky and pouring rain. And now? What can you do with children when it rains? Don't worry—don't despair. There are so many indoor games for children ; the possibilities for entertaining your little explorers are certainly not lacking: there are crafts! It's true that everything is easier outdoors, but a little creativity is all it takes to turn a rainy day into a wonderful one. Running out of ideas? Here are 5 suggestions for you: games to play at home when it rains , and not only! These can also be great alternatives when your child gets bored .

Artistic Workshop

Colors are always a big hit with children. Take the crayons and markers out of the pencil case, grab the watercolors and tempera paints, or—better yet—finger paints! All you need is lots of sheets of paper (or one large sheet), plenty of imagination, and an apron to entertain your little explorer.

Do you want to make the creative workshop even more interesting?

Add some glue and arm yourself with scissors. Then gather different materials—perhaps ones destined for the recycling bin: from old newspapers, you can cut out figures to glue onto your beautiful "artist's canvas"; with cardboard, you can make simple three-dimensional objects. Do you have some pasta? You can glue that onto your cardboard sheet, too, for a craft that becomes an abstract painting worthy of a famous artist. Frame it.

Music lesson

All objects make sounds. Have you ever thought about that? Gather all the "sound-producing" objects you can find at home (make sure they can't break and become dangerous!), set up a little "musical orchestra," and have fun with your little explorer experimenting with a small wooden or plastic stick (a pen works, too) to discover the sounds different materials make.

Some suggestions: try cardboard boxes, empty plastic bottles filled halfway or completely full, cans, and even some shatterproof toys—why not? Once you've placed all the items close together, have fun playing them all at once.

Shall we prepare the snack?

Children really enjoy cooking. Tie on your apron, wash your hands, and prepare these healthy and delicious banana pancakes.

Modeling clay

How many little projects you can make with modeling clay! If you don't have any at home, don't worry: you can make it yourself.

Mix together one glass of flour, one glass of salt, and enough water—added little by little—to form a moldable dough. Then have fun making lots of small objects together. Once dried (it will take at least one night), they can also be painted! And if it rains again the next day...

Hidden Object Search

The house is full of hidden corners. Do you know them all? We're pretty sure you don't. Have fun choosing three objects together with your little explorer, then hiding them one by one. One time you hide an object and they have to find it; the next time they hide it and you have to look for it, and so on for all three objects. Whoever racks up the most wins (of course your little one, who we know is a seasoned explorer!) gets a triple portion of cuddles!

Not just at home: if you want to go out anyway? Here's where to go

A museum , for example, is a great option if your children are older and curious to discover new things. Many offer routes for young children, too—fun and engaging. Try to find out whether there are museums in your area that offer these activities. Even arcades can be a great haven for children, who may also take the opportunity to make new friends. There are also many associations that offer creative meetups for children on a weekly basis—maybe today is the perfect day!

And finally, if none of these options are feasible, remember the good, dear, old library : we're sure they'll happily spend at least an hour choosing a favorite book with you to take home and read together!