It’s raining, it’s pouring . . . and oh my goodness, it’s BORING! We’ve certainly had our share of bleak and drizzly weather lately, but as Brits, we’ve come to expect a downpour at the most unlikely of times. When you’re confined to the house or holiday homes Bala, cabin fever can quickly take root.
A Netflix binge is great, and it can be really productive to get on top of the housework, but if you’ve got kids, they’ll need entertaining. If your kids are older, or it’s just you and your partner, you should still make an effort to avoid the mundane and spend some great time together. Here are some suggestions you may not have tried yet – have fun!
Fun with the little ones
Camp in the Great Indoors
If you have a pop-up or small dome tent, who says it has to be pitched outside?! Setting up a camp in the house is terrific fun, and so easy! If you don’t have a tent, improvise. Create forts from bedding and dining furniture (actually much more fun!). Make your ‘campsite’ comfortable with duvets or sleeping bags and plenty of cosy cushions.
An indoor picnic eaten in the tent makes for an easy lunch, but you can make extra effort by using any mess tins you might have and serve up food traditionally cooked over a BBQ – sausages and toasted marshmallow treats! To keep them busy, have a treasure hunt in the house and get the kids to look for nature-related objects.
Throw a tea party
At the other end of the spectrum – why not try the finer things? Get your kids to pick out their fancy clothes and get scrubbed up for an elegant afternoon.
The kids can help you set the table, invite all their own guests (Old Bear and Fuzzy Duck are guests held in high esteem) and practice their best manners – remember to have pinkies extended! If you have cookie cutters, get the kids involved in creating ritzy sandwiches and having an afternoon tea dance to something fitting on Classic FM.
Getting the older kids involved
Video games
Okay, so video games might be the precise thing you’re trying to drag your surly teen away from, but video games aren’t necessarily synonymous with your teens hunched over as they stare into a blinding screen all day!
Motion controlled video games are a great way to keep your teens engaged whilst getting them moving, as they need to move their bodies to control the action in the game.
Wii Sports Resort and Just Dance are two of our favourites! We appreciate that it’s not really feasible to go out in the rain and purchase a brand new games console there and then, but as many families purchase these for Christmas presents etc., it’s worth forward planning for rainy days, and consider bundles where some of these games come free.
Pet Spa
Does your family have a pet dog? If so, most will flinch at the thought of giving Pongo a bath. There’s strength in numbers, and you can do this as a family and make it fun! Get the kids starting proceedings with a thorough brushing to remove loose hair, then bathe and dry their beloved sidekicks.
A good brushing afterwards is needed, and you can even try doggy massage and give them a chew toy that’ll freshen up a stale mouth. Whilst you leave them to the squeals in the bathroom as they get soaked, you’re free to have five minutes, or wash and dry all dog bedding and their washable toys – bonus!
Just the two of us
Mix it up
What’s your poison? Do you rarely stray from your favourite lager, or tried and tested (repeatedly) G&T? A fantastic home date idea for you and your other half is to spend a wet afternoon becoming accomplished mixologists! Think Mad Men, James Bond and Marilyn Monroe.
Experiment at home with first the basics, and then maybe buy bitters to include in the shaker, or different herbs to garnish with. All you need is a smartphone or a tablet handy for inspiration. If you discover a new cocktail that you both enjoy, it’s something else to celebrate together, and you’ll be the coolest cats to all your friends!
Plan a fantasy holiday
This one can actually be extremely useful! Imagine you’ve got a reasonable budget to spend on the holiday of a lifetime, and think of a location you’d both love to visit. Look up plane tickets and great hotels, restaurants and the best of the sightseeing opportunities. It sounds a bit idealistic, but that’s the appeal!
You’ll probably discover corners of the Earth you’ve never considered visiting, and more about what each other values in a holiday, too. You’ll be much better placed to organise trips away that you’ll both cherish, and with enough gumption, you may even book there and then!
Whenever the weather refuses to behave, try to avoid falling into that familiar slump as you wait out the storm. You can cultivate fantastic memories as a family, even if it’s just making more of a ceremony of holding a home film festival with popcorn, ticket stubs and the lights dimmed, or have a big bake off with lots of different treats in the kitchen. Enjoy it!
