Rainy Day Outings

Below are some outings that may help you enjoy rainy days together.

The People in Your Neighbourhood

Next rainy day, plan to meet all the people in your neigbourhood. Spend the day visiting the local fire and police stations, the post office, dry cleaners, mechanic, etc. Along the way take pictures. Once the photos are developed, put them together in a photo album and create a story of your day.

Pet Stores - The Next Best Thing to a Zoo

Pet stores are a great place to visit animals and are learning opportunities too. Most staffers are used to dealing with younger people and will patiently talk to your children about the animals they have. Some will even let children handle them. Specialty stores allow children to meet more unusual animals (such as reptiles or exotic fish).

To Market, To Market

The sites and sounds of the market can be exciting for kids. Children can assist in choosing fruits and vegetables, counting them as they place them in bags, tasting samples and listening to buskers. Have them look for letters or numbers on signs and find things with certain colours or shapes.

Trains, Buses and Streetcars

Next rainy day, travel through your city by taking as many methods of public transportation as possible. In one day, my son thrilled in riding a bus, streetcar and subway! He talked to the drivers along the way, met interesting people, explored many subway stops and loved looking out the window at all the different neighbourhoods. You don't even need a destination - just travel in one giant loop!

Toy Stores and Hobby Shops

Better than museums, toy stores and hobby shops usually allow for great hands-on experiences! Don't have your own Thomas track and engines? No problem, most toy and hobby stores have tracks and trains set up for kids to play with.

By Rochelle Strauss