25 Rainy Day Garden Activities
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Rainy days can be the perfect opportunity to explore and enjoy garden ideas. With a little creativity, you can enjoy rainy day garden activities indoors AND outdoors for hours of fun and learning. The preschool garden is the perfect place for kids to learn!
From planting seeds and creating mini greenhouses to crafting with natural materials and learning about plant care, rainy day garden activities offer a wonderful blend of education and fun. These activities not only help children understand the basics of gardening but also encourage them to appreciate nature, even when the weather keeps them indoors.
Rainy day garden activities indoors
You don’t need fancy equipment to have fun in the garden during the rain or on dry days, inside or outside. There is always a fun activity to be had in the garden, even in the cold weather.
Whether it’s covering a toilet paper roll with peanut butter and rolling it in bird seed to make a feeder for birds, or working on fine motor skills by planting small seeds, you can enjoy gardening year round in any kind of weather. So gather up your plastic cups, kitchen scraps, seed packets, plastic bottles, paper plates, and mason jars, and get ready to enjoy these rainy day activities!
Here are some fun and educational rainy day garden activities you can enjoy indoors:
- Miniature Greenhouses and Terrariums: Create small greenhouses and terrariums using clear plastic containers or plastic bags. Plant seeds in small pots or recycled containers and cover them with the plastic to create a greenhouse effect. Place them on a windowsill to watch them grow.
- Seed Starting: Start seeds indoors using egg cartons, yogurt cups, or seed trays. Choose fast-germinating seeds like beans, peas, or herbs. Kids will love watching the seeds sprout and grow over the days. Make sure they have drainage holes. And place them in the direct sunlight in sunny windowsills. You can mark what kind of seeds you planted by writing their names on popsicle sticks and placing them in the cups as plant labels.
- Herb Gardens: Plant a small indoor herb garden using pots or window boxes. Choose herbs like basil, parsley, mint, or chives. These can be placed on a sunny windowsill and used in cooking.
- Leaf Rubbings: Use leaves to create art projects.
- Nature Collages: Collect nature items and pull them out on a rainy day to glue on paper in any way the kids want to make collages.
- Painted Rocks: Dry off some flat rocks and use paint to make garden markers, garden decor, or pieces to garden games.
- Indoor Plant Care: Teach kids about plant care by tending to houseplants. Show them how to water, prune, and clean the leaves of indoor plants. Explain the importance of sunlight and proper drainage.
- Garden-Themed Storytime: Read books about gardening, plants, and nature. Some great choices include “The Tiny Seed” by Eric Carle, “Planting a Rainbow” by Lois Ehlert, and “The Curious Garden” by Peter Brown.
- Garden Science Experiments: Conduct simple experiments like growing a bean in a jar with a damp paper towel, or creating a rainbow celery experiment with food coloring and water.
- DIY Bird Feeders: Make bird feeders using a pinecone, peanut butter, and birdseed. Hang them outside a window and watch the birds come to visit.
- Garden-Inspired Cooking: Use herbs or vegetables grown indoors to cook simple recipes. Make a herb-infused lemonade, a fresh salad, or herb butter.
- Plan your Garden: Check out the easiest plants for kids to grow and make a chart of when you will plant what.
- Rain Gauge: Make a simple rain gauge using a clear container with measurements marked on the side. Leave it outside to collect rainwater and measure the amount of rainfall.
Check out this super fun garden bingo game for kids!
These activities not only keep kids entertained on a rainy day but also teach them valuable lessons about nature, responsibility, and the joys of gardening.
Check out this printable garden journal for kids from Mama on the Homestead. So cute!
Check out these fun printables for indoor garden fun as well:
There are plenty of indoor gardening activities that young children and older children will enjoy. Rainy days are the perfect time to dream of gardening days outside. But you can also head outside. Observing during the rain is one of the best ways to see how different plants handle the rain and absorb it.
Rainy day garden activities outdoors
Rainy days can provide unique opportunities to explore and enjoy garden activities outdoors. Here are some fun and educational rainy day garden activities you can do outside:
- Puddle Jumping: Embrace the rain by jumping in puddles! Wear waterproof boots and raincoats to enjoy splashing around. It’s a great way to release energy and have fun.
- Mud Painting: Use mud as paint to create artwork on large pieces of paper or cardboard. Add natural materials like leaves, twigs, and flowers for extra creativity. You could also use privacy fence with permission of course.
- Worm Hunt: Rain often brings worms to the surface. Go on a worm hunt and observe these fascinating creatures. You can create a temporary worm habitat to study them before releasing them back into the garden.
- Rain Dance: Celebrate the rain with a fun rain dance. Put on some music and dance around in the rain. It’s a joyful way to connect with nature.
- Nature Scavenger Hunt: Create a list of items to find in the garden, such as different types of leaves, flowers, rocks, or insects. A rainy day scavenger hunt can be an exciting adventure.
- Rain Art: Use water-soluble markers or chalk on paper and let the rain create beautiful patterns and designs. Hang the artwork to dry and see how the rain has transformed it.
- Water Collection: Set up containers to collect rainwater. Use the collected water for watering plants or filling up birdbaths. This activity teaches about water conservation.
- Garden Observation: Take the time to observe how the rain affects the garden. Notice how plants look different when wet, how raindrops collect on leaves, and how the garden soil changes.
- Building Dams: Use natural materials like rocks, sticks, and leaves to build small dams in streams or puddles. It’s a fun way to explore how water flows and interacts with obstacles.
- Outdoor Storytelling: Bring a waterproof blanket or tarp and set up a cozy storytelling spot in the garden. Read garden-themed books or tell stories about nature and rain.
- Rainy Obstacle Course: Set up a fun adventure in the garden with rocks to jump over, limbs to crawl under, and more right in the garden during the rain. You can use whatever you have around. You don’t need fancy equipment.
Garden Guide for Kids
If you want to learn how to get started gardening with kids, check out our ebook on teachers pay teachers Gardening Guide for Kids: Growing with Little Sprouts (Ages 1–4) 48-Page eBook. Gardening 101 materials, tips for gardening with really young kids and more!
These activities allow kids and adults to embrace the rain and discover the beauty and excitement it brings to the garden. Remember to dress appropriately for the weather and stay safe while enjoying these outdoor rainy day adventures.
For more daycare activities for your kids, check these out:
