Rainy caravan days are inevitable if you own a static caravan in the UK. We have around 150 days of rain each year in the UK so it’s always a good idea to have some rainy day activities up your sleeve! While I would love nothing more than a cosy day in the caravan reading books next to the fire, my family don’t agree and they’re quickly moaning they’re bored while climbing the walls.
It can be difficult to keep the whole family entertained during a rainy day in a caravan, so here are some great ideas to keep the whole family happy.
Bodyboarding and surfing
One of our favourite things to do when it’s raining is to go bodyboarding. If you’re going to get wet in the rain, you might as well do it properly and get soaked in the sea!
Provided it isn’t too cold, bodyboarding is a fun activity the whole family can get involved with as it doesn’t require much skill or practice. Just swim out with your bodyboard and allow the waves to push you back to shore.
Make sure everyone is wearing thick wetsuits and you’ve got fluffy towels and hot drinks to warm up when you get out of the sea.
Make your movie day a real event
I’m sure many of us will put on a film when it’s raining so why not make your movie day a real event?
Draw the curtains and turn the volume up. Go big on the movie snacks with lots of popcorn, ice cream, hot dogs and nachos to make it feel like a real cinema experience. Our kids like to bring their blankets onto the sofa and make a big, cosy den.
We like to pre-download our films at home using Sky Go, Netflix or Amazon and then connect a laptop to the caravan TV. This is a great idea if your caravan wifi can be slow or unpredictable. It can also be easier to have a limited number of films to choose from as it stops any family arguments!
Dig out the board games
How often do you sit down as a family (with no screens, devices or gadgets!) and play a game together? I’m guessing that it’s not very often for most families but a rainy caravan day is the perfect opportunity.
You’ve got classic board games like Monopoly, Guess Who, Cluedo, Game of Life, Scrabble, Operation, Frustration, Snakes and Ladders, Chess, Drafts and Connect 4.
Other great games that don’t require the actual board include Pictionary, Charades and Who am I? You also can’t go wrong with a pack of cards and even the littlest of family members can play Snap. If you don’t mind things getting a little chaotic then The Floor is Lava is a fun game with kids, as well as Jenga and Hide and Seek. For Hide and Seek we prefer to take it in turns hiding a small object as there are a limited number of hiding spots in a caravan!
Have a sandcastle competition
When the rain turns to drizzle, get yourself to the beach for a sandcastle building competition. Wet sand is the best for sandcastles so grab your buckets and spades and get creative. Do a quick Google search for ‘sand structures’ and you’ll get some incredible inspiration for amazing things you can do with the sand.
Make a list of local indoor attractions
Before the rainy days arrive it’s a good idea to have a list of indoor attractions you can look at for inspiration when wet weather is forecast.
List 5-10 attractions and work your way through them with each rainy day. I find a list like this helps the whole family make a decision faster and you can get your activity booked and organised before the inevitable moans of ‘I’m bored!’ begin!
Look out for local National Trust attractions, indoor play centres if you have young children, theme parks, aquariums, museums, cinemas, amusement parks and even garden centres with a nice cafe and a play-park!
Bake some tasty treats
Is there anything better than a cosy caravan filled with the delicious smell of freshly baked cookies?
A rainy day is the perfect opportunity to do some baking and whip up something delicious for the family. If you aren’t much of a baker, or you have limited utensils and ingredients in your caravan, then pick up a few baking kits from the supermarket. These kits make baking simple and you usually only need to add an egg and a splash of milk or some oil.
Wrap up warm and embrace the rain
They say there’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing, right? Wrap up warm, put on your waterproof clothes and your wellies or warm boots and get out in the rain. Flasks filled with hot chocolate and marshmallows will tempt even the neshest of family members out in the rain!
Little kids love splashing in puddles and our children have always loved wearing fun, animal-themed puddle suits. Older kids may need a little more motivation to get outside but we usually find the promise of a hot drink and a cake at a nearby cafe can tempt them out.
Make a meal of it
Many of us are more accustomed to making quick and easy family meals, but why not spend the day making a big family feast? We like to cook a roast dinner on cold, rainy days at the caravan.
We have to be a little creative when cooking a big meal in a tiny kitchen but we make it work and everyone gets involved. It might be cramped and chaotic but these are the meals your family will remember!
Get crafty
Many people will wince at the thought of a family craft day in a caravan because we’re instantly thinking of paint and glue and glitter, but crafty activities don’t need to be messy. Look out for craft kits to make things like puppets, friendship bracelets, knitting kits, cross stitch, window art or charms.
My kids love hama beads and aqua beads for a quiet, mindful activity that keeps them quiet for hours!
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Published on 15 February 2023 By Jenny Blumsom