Rain, Rain, Go Away: Best Indoor Games for Kids

Having a house full of day care kids on a rainy day should be the theme to a horror movie. The kids have more energy than they know what to do with and the house, no matter how big it is, is not big enough.

One of my favorites for getting all that energy out is a mini trampoline or two or three. A mini trampoline is not very expensive, it is easy to store, and sometimes you can find one in good shape at a garage sale or a local thrift shop.

Since kids are shorter than adults, they very seldom reach the ceiling when bouncing on a mini trampoline. The room needs to be cleared of breakable items and tables and furniture pushed away from the jumping area. A carpeted room is perfect.

Now let the competition begin. If you only have one mini trampoline, have the kids take turns. I usually allow for each child to jump one hundred times while the kids who are waiting for their turn count along. Older kids can readily jump one hundred times or more but younger kids sometimes get tired and have to quit before the end of their turn. Everyone cheers the one who is jumping or they don't get a turn. Cheerleaders are also getting exercise. They can be doing jumping jacks on the side while they cheer.

When the younger children get tired, I allow the older children to jump as much as they can in their turn just to see how much they can do. Then the next person tries to beat that record.

The mini trampoline gives anyone a good workout. It gets the blood and lymphatic system moving well while the muscles burn energy. Counting while jumping also helps children young and old learn their numbers. I have had children as little as three years old able to count to one hundred from playing this game. As the kids get older, you can have them do addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. It is also fun to practice memory work while jumping.

This competition is a lot of fun especially if it is only done when it rains. That way the game does not get old and is enjoyed much more. In good weather, the outdoors is always the best choice for burning that extra energy.