Screen Free(ish) Sunday: 11 Activities for Rainy Days

Kids stuck inside with nothing to do? Try these 11 "boredom busters" to up the family fun factor. (If you’re really stuck, attempt them all!) These activities for rainy days include ideas for things to do inside, such as, a pots-and-pans musical, a dance competition, an impromptu fashion show, a bubble wrap pop-a-thon and so much more. 

1. Puppy Groomathon. Scrub-a-dub-dub your canine companion in your slop sink or tub. All can lend a hand. No pup? No problem. Bathe stuffed animals instead. 
2. Pots and pans, the musical. Relinquish whatever cookware you don’t plan on using at dinner. Let the kids do the rest.
3. Button, bead and string bracelets. Make them. Take them apart. Have kids count or sort the buttons and beads by size and color. *Buttons and beads are choking hazards for kids 3 and under. If you have little ones, make sure you supervise them at all times.
4. Beauty school (boys included). Mousse up everyone’s locks and style some crazy hairdos. The weirder the better. Take pix.
5. Homemade butter. Set aside a pint of heavy cream and one glass jar with a lid. Pour cream into the jar. Tighten the lid and shake. Voila!
6. Fine-motor skills workout. Gather two fistfuls of Q-tips. Hold loosely over a carpet or table.  Release. Retrieve.
7. Breakfast for dinner. Kid’s choice. Anything they want.
8. Bubble wrap derby. Roll out very long strips of bubble wrap. Stomp to squash the bubbles. Continue until all the bubbles pop.
9. Dancing with the Stars, home edition. Hold a dance-off.
10. Project Runway, home edition. Style outfits using old, preferably hideous oversized hats, gloves and costume jewelry (prom dresses too). Walk the catwalk. Whoever looks silliest picks dessert.
11. Bathtub “fishing.” Toss balls of varying sizes into a bathtub. Scoop them up with plastic cups.