7 Fun Things To Do On A Rainy Day, Ladies Will Love No.4, Guys No. 6 Will Wow You!

8 September 2017 Blog News

It’s raining, it’s pouring, your day feels really boring—and it’s only 10 a.m. Sound familiar? When the forecast is grim, whether it’s thunderstorms or a blizzard, cabin fever can set in fast. You can curl up with a great book or binge-watch an entire season of something, but, let’s face it, sometimes you want different, fun things to do at home. And, well, if you have kids, you’re going to need a loooong menu of options.

These ideas are good for families, groups of friends or roommates, or kids on their own (hallelujah!). There are relaxing activities—because when do you ever get the time to relax?—plus delicious ideas for eating and drinking. We’ve got games that require nothing more than your imagination. And for parents: entertaining projects for the kids that don’t involve video games. So, forget about the soccer tournament that’s going to have to be rescheduled, ignore the yard work you were planning to do, put on your coziest pajamas, and pick one of these things to do at home. Embrace the day as time to recharge and reconnect with people you love. And don’t worry. The sun will (probably) come out tomorrow.

Girl looking under her bed

1.Have an Indoor Treasure Hunt

Children in the house? Keep their day lively with a treasure hunt. Make one set of clues for every player (try rhyming the clues for fun), each clue leading to the next one and, finally, to the treasure. Seal them in envelopes marked with a clue number (i.e., 2/7, or “two of seven”); this will help the treasure hunters keep track. Whoever solves the clues first and finds the treasure—a small toy, an IOU for a movie, maybe a cache of coins (regular or chocolate)—is the winner. Or have your kids play as a team to solve the clues—and uncover the treasure—together.

Bubble bath and candles in bathroom

2. Make Your Own Bubble Bath

Slip into a soothing bath laced with your own moisturizing soap blend. In a clean container, mix together ½ cup mild liquid hand or body soap, 1 tablespoon sugar or honey, and 1 egg white. Pour the entire mixture under the running water as you draw your bath. Honey is a natural humectant, which will attract and retain moisture in your skin. The egg white helps create stronger, longer-lasting bubbles, for a nice, fluffy bath. For extra-dry skin, consider adding a tablespoon of light oil, such as almond or light sesame. (Another surprising bath booster? Vinegar.)

3. Host a “Tea” Party

Dress up in fancy duds, set the table with the good china, and put on your most formal manners (remember, extend your pinkie and sip politely). On the menu: tea (for you), juice or cocoa (for your children), and easy egg or chicken salad tea sandwiches in fun shapes, courtesy of cookie cutters. Let your kids decide the guest list—and which of their favorite dolls or furry friends are on it.

Woman applying a foot scrub

4. Pamper Yourself With a Skin-Softening Salve

Do a little spa therapy with a homemade scrub (this one comes courtesy of New York City makeup artist Gucci Westman): Grind about two cups of oatmeal, a natural skin soother; add a few handfuls each of coffee grinds and brown sugar. Then stir in three or four spoonfuls of skin-nourishing honey, ginger, and noni extract (find it at health-food stores). Before storing the batch in the refrigerator, Westman scoops out enough for a week into a jar, which she keeps in her shower, using it daily. “It smells lovely, and it’s gentle,” she says. “When my skin feels really dry, I add olive oil, too.”

Office, craft, and art supplies

5. Map Out a City on Paper

Got a roll of kids’ craft or butcher paper? Roll a long piece down a hallway, use painter’s tape (or heavy books) to secure the corners and edges, and let your kids draw a metropolis. Make roads, bridges, cul de sacs, and neighborhoods. Include lakes, playgrounds, schools, hospitals, shops, and restaurants. Or use Legos and blocks to construct buildings along the way. Kids can drive toy cars along the roads and make believe a day in the life of imaginary characters. Paper accidentally get ripped in one spot? Earthquake! And when the kids are finished playing, crumple up the paper and toss it in the recycling bin.

Bar Tools tout

6.Brush up on Your Mixology

Is your signature drink a glass of red wine? Are you intimidated by cocktail shakers and coupe glasses? Do you wonder what the heck bitters are? (We do too.) Use a lazy afternoon to master the art of the classic drink—we’re talking Mad Men era cocktails here—that you can serve at your next dinner party or pour for yourself after a tough day at work. Once you know the basics, you can alter the recipes to suit your taste. So grab some snacks—no one needs to drink manhattans or martinis on an empty stomach—read up on the difference between bourbon and rye, and try one one or more of these classic cocktail receipes.

Pushpins in a map

7.Plan a Vacation! For Real!

Ok, you may be stuck at home, but you can still dream of a warm, seaside resort or gorgeous mountain escape. Even better: you can make a game out of it. One that’s even a tiny bit educational (shhh, don’t tell the kids). Look at a map—of the world, if you can actually swing an international vacation, or of the US—and let kids pick a location they’d like to visit. Have them research how to get there, where to stay, and what to do. They can create a budget based on plane tickets or house rental costs, make a plan of what sites to hit or local foods to try, and then sell their ideas to the rest of the family. At the very least, everyone will learn a little bit about a new city or country. At best, you may figure out your next family adventure.

Mimi Dogo creative, funthings, indoors, rain, rainyday, teaparty