Rainy days

April Shower Contest

RAIN RAIN GO AWAY

COME AGAIN ANOTHER DAY

LITTLE [insert child’s name here] WANTS TO PLAY

I used to sing this song as a child. My child sings it now. However, it makes little sense as both my child and I LOVE to play in the rain. It was my favourite time to go out and play when I was a kid and it still holds a world of wonder.

Kids love rain!

Many adults complains when it´s a rainy day, but kids just love it. I remember the rainy days, when I was growing up in Sweden, with a smile. I put on my splashpants and rubberboots and played in the puddles until it was time for dinner. And if it was a rainy day when me and my friends were walking to school we usually got a little bit late because we stayed and played in every puddle. So try to remeber that when you deside to stay inside just because it´s raining. As long as you put on the right clothes it´s so much fun. Just to watch the children with their big smiles. Rain and puddles are also very good for the kids creativity play. They start to build canals, make dirt soup etc.

Our playgroup had a great time some weeks ago in the rain. We got so many comments from adults when they watched our kids in the puddles. But unfortunatly we were alone in the park, and one man told us it was so unusual to see that he wished he had his camera. That makes me sad. So, parents, teachers and all adults, make sure the kids get opportunities to play in the rain!

5 fun things to do in the rain
1. Build a world with canals and islands
2. Bring buckets and spades and make dirt soup or other delicious dishes
3. Make a boat out of bark and let it sail in the puddles
4. Find a hill were the water runs down. Put leaves in the water and watch it flow down the river
5. Watch the worms that comes out on rainy days

/Mari Syverstad

Singing in the Rain

April Showers Bring May Flowers. I love the Spring and honestly since having kids I am embracing the rain. I bought my first pair of rainboots after having children. Once you put on a pair of rain boots you can't help but be happy. Rainboots are colourful and shinny with fun shapes. They are a form of personal expression.

When I put on my rainboots I feel like splashing. My son and I walk to school no matter what the weather and we look for opportunties to splash in the puddles. I asked Ronan what he thinks would be fun to do in the rain.

Here is his top five list of fun things to do in the rain:

1. Catch raindrops (your tongue, hands etc)

2. Count raindrops ......hmmmmmm .......

3. Spin Umbrellas like tops

4. Umbrella Fights

5. Puddle Surfing!

April Showers 4 activities for rainy days

Don’t be sad if it is raining outside; remember that rain is going to give us May flowers. I’m convinced that if it is good for the flowers and the soil it is also good for us. Recently, a magazine interviewed me about how children deal with being outside in all kinds of weather. The question reminded me that I have yet to meet a child who didn’t love puddles. I think children learn from us adults that rainy days and mud are “yucky”. Do you remember your best childhood memory? Maybe it was set in the middle of a big muddy puddle. My favorite memory was making channels and little streams out of puddles.

In rainy and balmy weather

You can stay inside, but why would you?
It is fun to be outside and feel you are part of the natural elements.
The same thing you do with a water table inside is what you can do in a puddle.
This is also a great way to learn about the rain, what happens when it rains? Children love it too.