Rained in and loving it…

Summer breaks are usually filled with all kinds of activities and vacations but it's the rains that trap us all indoors. Even though we eagerly await the rains, it can be a real struggle to stay occupied indoors, especially with kids. An increase in screen time for kids and adults alike is bound to follow. And we don't need to tell you about the adverse effects of excessive screen time.

Here are some non-screen activities to try out with your loved ones:

Picture credit: Greta Hoffman for Pexels

Make use of this wonderful weather to plant a little veggie garden or some bright flowers. The sun is milder and water aplenty, let nature do its work. Don't worry if you have no yard or balcony, find those jars and old containers you’ve been saving and put them by the window. Plant herbs, little flowers from your local nursery or even little spring onion cutoffs will give you some greenery. Trust us, the little ones will love this experience of nurturing.

Picture credit: Kampus for Pexels

And if you already have a little garden set up, get some paint and give your pots a splash of colour. Try making faces on your pots and count how many different ones you can come up with. You can even paint little pebbles or rocks and make them the guardians of your plants, ours is called “nature nanny”.

Parks and Pools may be closed but you know what is open? Museums and galleries. Plan a day of showing your kid your favourite museum. You could carry a little book and crayons so they can draw something if it inspires them or take a guided tour so they can listen to all the fascinating stories about the artifacts as they walk around.

Take all your knick-knacks along in one of our totes.

Sharing food with loved ones has a special place in all our hearts, how fun would it be if we could pass on our favourite foods to our kids? Ask for a little helper in the kitchen and show them the way around while you make something as simple as chai together. They could maybe measure each ingredient and hand it over to you, it will get a little messy, but you’re making a core memory.

On especially rainy evenings when all you want is to cozy up. Gather friends and family for a movie night in with some crunchy snacks. You can even make a little tent set up with fairy lights and snuggle together with your kids for a Ghibli movie, we recommend “My Neighbour Totoro”.

Working with the hands is known to help build cognition and is easier when learning a new skill. You can begin with basic skills like sewing a button or more fun ones like bead jewellery making.

Have you checked out our craft kits?? Make a wall hanging or keychain in all kinds of colours and shapes. New skill unlocked.

An oldie but goldie, of course, are paper boats. Bring out some paper, teach the kids how to fold a boat and then you know what to do…Hope these help you curb screen time and build some precious memories with family. If you have some more ideas, do share them with us. 

And don't forget to tag us in your fun rainy day activities on Instagram!

Amisha Bajpai

Design Practitioner, Researcher and Educator

Amisha Bajpai is a trained architect and designer, working with clothing, crafts and culture. An avid explorer of intersectionality in design research, practice and education. She is part of a design studio working closely with artisans in Ahmedabad, India, towards designing textiles, clothing and experiences. Her deep interest in cultures and histories surrounding spaces, textiles and clothing, are the driving forces of her writing endeavors.

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