Fun Things to Do at Home on a Rainy Day

This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase from one of these links I will get a commission.

Things to Do With the Day to Yourself on a Rainy Day

My favorite way to spend a rainy day is alone. Fellow introverts, raise your hand! If you are lucky enough to get a rainy day to yourself, don’t waste it binging Netflix and mindlessly scrolling social media, take advantage of the opportunity to treat yourself, have some fun, and get some of those things you know you should be doing DONE!

Things to Do Inside on a Rainy Day

Pop some dinner in the slow cooker This may be the first thing you want to do on your solo rainy day adventure. Spend the day doing something (or many things) awesome and then imagine scooping out some soul-soothing homemade chicken soup at the end of a rainy day. The perfect end to a perfect day!

Light some candles, put on some mood music, brew a pot of tea After dinner is bubbling away, set the mood. Clouds and rain are already the perfect backdrops but make the house even more cozy with lighting. If candles aren’t your thing, what about a Himalayan salt lamp and essential oils in the diffuser? Put on your favorite music and relax with a cup of tea while you plan your perfect at-home rainy day.

Have an at-home spa day Start with a hot relaxing bath, use Epsom salts and essential oils. Do a deep conditioning hair treatment, try out a mud mask, moisturize your entire body, give yourself a nice manicure or pedicure.

Meal prep Throw a bunch of chicken breasts in the slow cooker, cook up a big pot of rice, or chop up those vegetables that are languishing in the back of the crisper drawer. You’ll be ready for healthy, delicious meals in a snap in the days to come. Your future self will thank you.

Do yoga Or some other indoor workout. I like yoga on a rainy day because I don’t really feel like I need to change into workout clothes. Hello, already living in yoga pants and t-shirts. And I don’t need a shower afterward.

Organize something that really needs it You know you’ve been putting it off, whether it’s inbox chaos, receipts, or your bookshelf; light some candles, put on great music and just GET IT DONE!

Try a new hobby If you are anything like me, you already have all the “gear” for a new hobby. You just haven’t used it yet. Shopping at the craft store is so much fun. Dig out those crochet hooks, find a great YouTube video, and finally figure out how to “chain stitch”.

Purge your closet This one always feels so good when it’s done. Let go of the too big, too small, too worn, too out of style, too not your style. Bonus points if you start a list of clothing you actually need so the next time you go shopping you won’t end up with something that will just wither in the back of the closet until the next purge.

Write a letter Write to your mom, your grandma, your third grade best friend, your favorite college professor, or your first boss and let them know how much you love them, appreciate them, and some amazing memories you have of your time together. Write in ink on paper and put it in an envelope with a stamp and a return address. Take it to the post office and mail it. You will make someone’s day.

Clean something that you don’t normally clean when doing housework Baseboards, window frames, oven range hoods. It’s all stuff that we don’t think of when we’re cleaning on a regular basis, and honestly, it probably doesn’t need to be cleaned all that often, but it does need to be done sometimes.

Rearrange a room It’s easy to get stuck in a rut and feel like you need to go buy some shiplap home decor from Target, but you probably don’t. Try rearranging a room and bringing in accessories and furniture from other rooms to give an old tired room a new fresh look. Although I would probably never say no to a fresh coat of paint to give a room a new life.

Take a nap Sleep can be hard to come by and if you are “crushing it” on 5 hours a night, it’s definitely time to take a nap and seriously rethink your priorities. Sleep is important, my friends, stay rested!

Read a book Tackle the pile on your nightstand you never seem to get to, browse your bookshelves or even take a rainy day field trip to the library. It’s also an awesome place to hang out on a rainy day.

Journal Spend some time putting thoughts to paper, recording memories and milestones, dreaming big and making goals, and checking in on the progress you’ve already made to your big amazing life!

Things to Do Outside on a Rainy Day

Throw on your boots, grab a poncho or an umbrella and let’s venture outside in the rain!

When life gives you a rainy day, play in the puddles!
Unknown

Take a walk and splash in some puddles Just stroll through the neighborhood, or visit a park or other pedestrian thoroughfare. Definitely take the time to splash through some puddles. This is about fun, remember?

Go to the park and feed the ducks Or whatever birds are hanging out at the park today.

Go somewhere people are and people watch Enough said…moving on…

Catch raindrops on your tongue This is trickier than it looks, perhaps best tried far away from traffic.

Look for rainbows While you’re on that walk, the clouds may part and you may get a chance to see one of nature’s most glorious showoff moments: the rainbow!

Make a nature boat and set it to sail Make a boat of leaves and twigs and let it sail away, either down a storm drain in your neighborhood or a stream in the park.

Draw with sidewalk chalk The moisture on the pavement gives the chalk a different look and feel than when it’s dry.

Put out the rain gauge and see how much rain has fallen If you don’t have a rain gauge, try a shallow, flat bottomed can like a tuna can.

Squish barefoot in the mud For the truly brave among us, slip off your boots, roll up your jeans and go barefoot. You may look like a crazy person, but it is so much fun!

Twirl with umbrellas There’s just something so magical about twirling. Try it in the rain with an umbrella. Throw your head back and dry to catch a raindrop on your tongue while you’re at it.

Blow bubbles Watch the raindrops hit the bubbles as they float through the air and watch them pop.

Plant seeds in the garden As long as it’s not pouring rain, it’s the perfect time to plant. With the rain, the ground will be easier to work, the air will be cooler, the sun won’t be as intense, and you won’t even need to remember to water the seeds after planting.

Rescue some worms As you walk along the sidewalk, you may notice worms. If they stay on the sidewalk once the rain has stopped and the sun dries out the pavement, they will die. Rescue the worms you see by placing them back into the damp earth.

Sing and dance in the rain This one goes perfect with twirling. Belt out a chorus of “Singing In The Rain” as you splash through the puddles.

Watch for animals When it rains, you may see different animals out than you do on a sunny day. Frogs and toads, anyone?

Try rain photography If you have a water-resistant camera and a good eye, try catching some shots of raindrops, kids playing in the mud, or even a double rainbow.

Make mud art All you need is a stick, or your hands and some imagination. Try drawing on the sidewalk with mud, fingerpaint and make swirls and handprints to decorate the sidewalk. You could even build a mud castle or a dam.

Meditate in the rain Find a relatively secluded spot where you can get comfortable and just sit and just be. Smell the freshness of the air, listen to the sound of the raindrops, watch the clouds dance by, feel the humidity of the air on your skin. Just breathe and enjoy.

Final Thoughts on Things to Do on a Rainy Day

There are so many things to do on a rainy day, including treating it like any other day. But if you get the chance, try something new. Spend a rainy afternoon at home, snug and warm and productive or get outside into nature and enjoy the gift of a beautiful rainy day and play like a little kid again. The choice is yours.