From Blog: Bucket List Journey
Some people love it, some would rather have a sunny day of beach activities. Either way, I think we can all agree that the rain can stop us from doing some things we want to do. But, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t a ton of fun rainy day activities, whether you’re a kid or an adult!
If you look at it another way, you can think of it as an opportunity to do the activities that you might have been putting off for a long time. More importantly, it can also be a chance to tick off ideas from your bucket list.
Let’s seize the chance to turn the frown upside down with this list of fun things to do on a rainy day!
Rainy Day Bucket List: Fun Activities & Things to Do Indoors
1. Bake Something Delicious (Like Pie & Cookies)
For all you pie lovers, there’s an art to making the best homemade pie. It’s all about the fruit inside, creating the perfect pie crust and making it with a touch of love. It doesn’t matter if it’s apples, lemons or peaches — choose whatever is sure to make your mouth water.
Get yourself The Perfect Pie cookbook or use one of these popular recipes to help you with your pie:
Maybe cookies are more of your ideal treat for a rainy day? Baking cookies can get a little messy, but who doesn’t like a home filled with smiling faces and the smells of fresh-baked cookies? It doesn’t matter whether it’s snickerdoodles, oatmeal raisin or simple chocolate chips, spend an entire day just baking. The one who does the most work gets to lick the spoon!
For some delicious cookie ideas see the Epicurious’ 113 Favorite Cookie Recipes (and send me a dozen of the spiced molasses cookies!). Don’t forget the cookie sheets! The Rachael Ray Yum-o! Nonstick Pans are amazing, or at least get yourself some silicone baking mats that make the process so much easier!
2. Belt It Out at a Karaoke
If you’re brave enough and there’s some equipment available, or you happen to be at a karaoke bar, singing your lungs away to your favorite tunes, alone and together with your friends, is another fun way to spend a rainy day. Choose your favorite tunes released in the year, and make them yours. Doesn’t matter if you’ve got a great voice or not, so long as you are having fun!
There’s plenty of great songs to choose from, but for some help see these epic 150+ Best Karaoke Songs of All Time
3. Binge Watch a New TV Series
This is the perfect thing to do on a rainy day! Cook up some popcorn, cozy up under a blanket and find the perfect TV series to binge watch. I have happily and obsessively watched all the seasons of The Good Place, You and Schitt’s Creek. They were all fantastic! You can easily find something fun and entertaining on-demand or there’s plenty of options if you are an Amazon Prime member. If you are struggling to find a show , then the 33 best TV shows to binge-watch will help you out.
4. Break Out of an Escape Room
An escape room is known to offer live games where participants are locked in themed rooms for an hour and left to solve puzzles in order to find their way out. They offer an immersive, fun, and entertaining way of engaging your brain as you compete with other participants.
5. Brew your Own Beer
It has been claimed that beer is the most consumed alcoholic beverage in the world. No matter where you are, you’ve probably noticed craft breweries popping up with uniquely named flavors — the industry has grown way beyond the simple Coors Light! Why not try your hand at creating your own flavor profile that fits your taste buds? It’s easy to do with the perfect beer making kit and a few award-winning home brew recipes.
6. Build a Model Airplane or Car
With hundreds of little pieces, building a model is one of those rainy day activities that takes a lot of time, effort and dedication. Choose from these best selling model airplane kits or these top car models, and then put your patience to the test.
7. Indoor Camp in the Family Room
How fun would it be for the whole family, kids and all, (or just the two of you) to have an evening camping in the family room? Move the furniture out of the way and set up a pop up tent right in the middle of the room. Then gather up your pillows, blankets, snacks, books and any other for activities you want to do while you are disconnected.
8. Check Out an Indoor Skating Rink
Going to an indoor skating rink for some is just a cute date night idea, but it’s also a terrific opportunity to sneak in some exercise without even realizing it.
This can also be a chance to learn how to skate on the ice if you haven’t done this before. And though it may look similar to roller skating, you’ll feel the difference once you’re in the ice rink, so give it a shot!
9. Clean Out & Organize Your Closet
It is surprisingly rewarding to be able to purge some clothes, plus it is purely a bonus that you can donate or consign them! If you are anything like me then it’s pretty hard to decide what to keep and what to give away, so use these 17 Invaluable Tips For Anybody With Too Many Clothes.
10. Complete a BIG Jigsaw Puzzle
This is one of those fun things to do on a rainy day that most of us haven’t done since we were children! You don’t find too many opportunities where you can concentrate on one thing, so be present and let everything else in your mind go. That alone will be worth every minute.
Not sure what puzzle to complete? Check out the best 1000 piece jigsaw puzzles for adults (& tips to complete one) or just buy one of these popular ones:
- SunsOut: Ele-Fantastions
- White Mountain Puzzles: Things I Ate As a Kid
- Chicago Puzzle Company: Panorama Collection
- Buffalo Games: Hummingbird Garden
- White Mountain Puzzles: Neon Signs
11. Create a Blog
Both Blogger.com and WordPress.com offer free blogs with easy setup, all you have to do is come up with something creative to talk about. Some of the most popular blog topics are Money, Travel, Food, Mommyhood, Technology and Celebrity Gossip. Put a new spin on any of these things and start writing!
If you want to start a bucket list blog (that makes me all tingly inside), then read my post on How to Start Your Own Successful Bucket List Blog in 6 Easy Steps. Follow these steps and your blog will be up and running in just a couple of hours! But, make sure to know the top beginner blogging mistakes to avoid (& how to fix them).
12. Create a Family Recipe Book
During rainy days, you will have a lot of time cooking, and what better way to incorporate your love for food than creating your own family cookbook that you can pass on for generations.
Family cookbooks are a traditional handcrafted gift. Make yours extra unique by incorporating a little family history and honoring the individuals and places that inspired the recipes you enjoy.
You can check this if you need help creating your own cookbook: How to make a family cookbook, filled with recipes from your favorite people.
13. Create a Scrapbook
Creating a scrapbook is a great way to be able to look back and reminisce about all the adventures and good times you have had. You can preserve all your experiences in the form of pictures, ticket stubs, pressed flowers or just about anything else. And if you get the entire family in on this beautiful project, it will be something you cherish for a lifetime. PS: Here are some cute layout ideas!
14. Create the Perfect Rainy Day Song Playlist
Music is a great way to get you geared up for any day, especially one made for spending it chillaxing indoors at home. Having a hard time thinking of songs? Spotify has made it easy with its hundreds of playlists to choose from, one of my favorites is the Best Chill Music.
15. Create Your Own Cocktail
Become your own mixologist by concocting the perfect cocktail. The best part about this bucket list goal is that you will have to do a lot of sampling before coming up with your own perfect harmony of flavors. Practice makes perfect! If you’re not the best at creating drinkable concoctions, you can check these 10 tips on how to make a great cocktail. Or base your drink off of one of the Great Classic Cocktails.
After many trials and errors, my signature cocktail creation was a Lemon-Basil Fizz made with prosecco, coconut rum, raspberries, basil and lemon sorbet (see the video below and get the recipe here).
16. Jump at an Indoor Trampoline Park
You might get stuck out with the youngsters and their never-ending energy on rainy days. The Indoor Trampoline Park is a fantastic location for children and the young at heart!
Though it might be tempting to perform backflips and stuff (unless you’re a professional), it’s better to exercise caution for a fun and safe jumping experience.
17. Finish a Crossword Puzzle
Select a challenging crossword to attempt and don’t cheat! No dictionaries or assistance allowed! Finishing a crossword puzzle can take many hours, but if you don’t want too much of a challenge buy the New York Times Light & Easy crossword puzzle book and make it a challenge to see how many inside the book you can complete.
18. Get Ordained
Have you ever wanted to officiate a wedding ceremony? Then think about becoming an ordained minister — it’s easier than you think. Simply Google “get ordained” and a slew of websites will come up that offer free ordination. On my last birthday, I got ordained with the American Marriage Ministries. It was super simple, free, and only took mere minutes. Get started now with this article on How to Get Ordained Online: 5 Easy Steps to Ordination
Be aware that each state has different laws on who can marry someone, check with Marriage Laws to find the rules in your state.
19. Go 24 Hours without Internet, Radio or Television
Now, I know, this is a tall order and may not be easy for some. We use the internet for everything nowadays. But think about it. When was the last time you went for two hours without your phone? Try going 24 hours without internet, radio or TV. Read a good book, talk to your family or use the time to complete some of the other ideas on this rainy day bucket list. Soon enough you will wish you had these quiet and peaceful moments more often.
20. Go Bowling
Yes, you can go bowling anytime of the year, but bowling during a rainy day is a great way to escape the weather outside. You can enjoy putting on those oh-so-cute shoes and taking your best shot at getting a strike. Bonus bucket list points if you bowl a turkey—three strikes in a row!
21. Have a Dance Party
Of all the things that we have on this list, this is one of the activities you can enjoy, rain or shine. You can invite your family, friends, neighbors, anyone!
There is no limit to what type of dance you can do. It can be a Zumba dance party, ballroom, or even freestyle. If you don’t know how to dance, it’s okay, it’s a rainy day activity just for fun!
22. Have a Board Game Night Marathon
Stay in for the evening, get cozy in your jammies and have a board game night marathon. There are different games for all ages, but Bingo and Scrabble are favorites for almost everyone in the family (this bingo set comes with everything you need!). You can make it even more fun by adding prizes for the winner, like store gift cards, candies or extra TV time for the kids.
Unsure of which games to play? Check out this list: Board Games Bucket List: 50 of the All Time Best Ones to Play
23. Have a Movie Marathon (Watch all the Oscar Winning Movies)
One of the most enjoyable things to do on a rainy day is to watch some old and new movies. Yes, it’s perfectly acceptable to spend a whole day inside vegging out and watching movies.
Keep a warm blanket on hand to snuggle under, prepare a bowl of popcorn, and settle down to watch the shows!
24. Have a Pajama Day
What kind of luxury would it be to spend all day in your pajamas?!? Put on your most comfy pair and lounge for a full 24-hours.
Don’t have a comfy pair of PJ’s? Try J. Crews dreamy cotton pajama set or the cozy ones from PajamaGram.
25. Have a Spa Day
It’s entirely up to you whether you invest in a treatment at a high-end spa or create your own at home. In any case, a self-care day will leave you feeling completely revitalized. Put on a moisturizing face mask (I love this one!) and let the rain’s pitter-patter serve as your personal white noise machine.
26. Have an Arts and Crafts Session
Bring out your inner craftsman at home by doing some arts and crafts projects. You can set up your materials on a kitchen table and try out some things, like coloring or painting, doing origami butterflies or flowers, anything!
Doing arts and crafts can also serve as an opportunity for discovery. It can be the start of finding a new pastime for the hobby bucket list that you will love or rekindling an old one that you used to do when you were a kid.
27. Have an Indoor Picnic
Picnics aren’t just for the outdoors—clear a space on your living room floor and recreate a memorable dining experience. You can even pack a traditional wicker basket with your favorite picnic foods and enjoy the feast without going too far. Real Simple magazine can help you out with their Picnic Packing Checklist. If you want to set up an Instagrammable picnic, here’s a cute red checkered picnic basket.
28. Have an Indoor Treasure/Scavenger Hunt
Are there any children in the house? A treasure hunt will keep them occupied indoors on a wet day, but it’s a fun rainy day idea for adults too. Make one set of clues for each player (for added fun, rhyme the clues), with each clue leading to the next and, eventually, the treasure. Seal them in envelopes with a clue number to make it easier for the treasure hunters to track them down. Of course, having a prize at the end will help motivate them even more.
29. Eat Breakfast in Bed
Start your rainy day morning in a truly relaxing way, with a tasty breakfast in bed. The easiest way to complete this goal would be to order room service at a hotel, but don’t cancel out the opportunity to do it in your very own home too. How dreamy does it sound to indulge in some waffles, eggs and mimosa’s while still cozied up in your bed.
30. Head to the Mall
There are many things to enjoy about a trip to the local mall, whether it be window shopping, eating food, or even just people-watching. Plus, you may find some hidden gems that you realize you need or want.
31. Hit Up a Local Brewery
You don’t need the sun to enjoy a cold local brew, it’s a fun thing to do on a rainy day too! Most of them also provide behind-the-scenes tours, so you can spend an afternoon learning all about how they make beer while enjoying a pint or two of beer.
32. Host a Tea Party
Throwing a tea party is one of the most traditional things to do on a rainy day. Put on your most formal attire (or pajamas!), prepare the table with fine china, and put on your most eloquent demeanor (remember to extend your pinkie and sip on your tea politely).
33. Host a Video Game Tournament
Even if you’re not a big gamer, having a few friends around (or online) to compete for the title of ultimate champion is a lot of fun. It doesn’t have to be something like Fortnite or Call of Duty. Even with classic games like Tetris or Mario Kart, the friendly competition will make everyone hyped! So, get that gaming console out, pick a few favorite games, and get your competitive spirit on!
34. Keep a Gratitude Journal
Start by listing five things you are grateful for. In the beginning it will probably be a struggle to come up with a mere five, being wrapped up in a world full of fear can disguise the good in your life. Think hard. Did you just drink a deliciously warm cup of coffee? Or did you connect with a friend by text? Or enjoy a heartwarming movie on television? There is always something to be grateful for—always.
Need help with coming up with things to be grateful for? Read the article Being Grateful: 100 Things to Be Thankful For Today
35. Knit a Scarf
Go to the local craft store (or order online) and pick out your favorite yarn to knit yourself a cozy scarf. You can find different How-To videos on YouTube or even learn from family or friends if you don’t know how to make one.
You can also check out this step-by-step video on How to Knit a Scarf for Beginners.
36. Learn a Magic Trick
Bring on the abracadabra! Everyone can appreciate the good old vanishing coin trick or pulling a flower bouquet out of your sleeve. If your whole family is bored, you can even have each member in the household learn a different trick and then put on a show!
You should be able to find an illusion to attempt within these 10 easy magic tricks, or simply buy a Card Magic Kit that includes tons of tricks to try. By the way, if you want to perform a card trick, but no ordinary deck will do, then step it up a notch with some sparkling gold foil cards.
37. Learn a New Language
You can learn a new skill at any age, so why not learn a new language? It can be a fun and interactive experience for the whole family. Perhaps you can learn the language of a dream destination where you hope to go on a vacation someday? Dream big!
Rosetta Stone and Duolingo are two great programs to get you started.
38. Learn Calligraphy
I have always been wowed when I see a perfectly calligraphed letter—it truly is an art form! You can start with faux calligraphy that uses a standard ballpoint pen or buy a simple lettering set that includes a brush pen!
39. Learn How To Cook
It doesn’t matter if you’re already a Chopped champion in the kitchen or if you can barely boil water. Cooking classes are all about learning to make delicious food and then eating it, so they’re ideal for a rainy day!
There are several online cooking classes to pick from, where you may learn from the finest chefs how to cook new recipes or even techniques to improve your cooking.
40. Learn to Juggle
You’ve got some time to kill at home? Grab a few oranges (or apples) and perfect your juggling skills. This video says that you can learn in 10 minutes—let me know how that turns out for you!
41. Try to Meditate
Meditation is much more than sitting in a lotus position chanting “om” over and over again—it is a way of life. Clearing your mind through meditation has many benefits, like lowering blood pressure and anxiety levels. Plus, it can give you a brighter outlook on life! Having an “empty mind” for even a few seconds can seem like a challenge, but this 10-minute guided meditation will help you along the way.
42. Learn to Play a Song on an Instrument
It’s time to channel your inner rock star and learn a song on the instrument of your choice. Pick something like a guitar, keyboard, ukulele or even a harmonica for your musical gadget then pop onto YouTube to find a class.
Learning a song of the harmonica has been on my bucket list and this harmonica and lesson guide will have you playing When the Saints Go Marching In in no time at all!
43. Learn to Use Chopsticks
Not very many adults know how to do this and even fewer kids can comfortably use chopsticks. Do you want to seem sophisticated and well-cultured, then learn how to use chopsticks. It can even be a fun way to eat your favorite bowl of noodles, and you can impress your friends when you are all out for sushi.
44. Make a Bucket List
If you don’t have a bucket list yet (why the heck not?!?!?!), take this opportunity at home to create one. Don’t worry if you don’t know how to start—you’ve come to the right place—here are some articles to help you:
- How to Make a Bucket List: 5 Easy Steps to Create a Great One
- 1000+ Ideas for Your Bucket List
- 10 Incredible Ways a Bucket List Can Improve Your Life
- 5 Tips to Help Conquer Your Bucket List
- Bucket List Meaning: What’s the Definition and What is it?
45. Make a YouTube Video
We are all gifted with unique natural skills like dancing, singing, drawing, acting and so on. To showcase your skills or creativity and to get a chance to see just how many people find that impressive, why not create a YouTube video? Just create your first YouTube video showcasing your natural flair and upload it. It’s a brilliant way to tap into your creative side and you just might make money out of it. Plus, it can be simple and free!
46. Make an Origami Animal
Origami is a big part of Japanese culture and it truly is fascinating how little tiny pieces of paper can be crafted into beautiful pieces of artwork. The crane is one of the most popular shapes and you can fairly easily learn how to make one. There are countless videos and instructions online and below are two that worked for me.
It’s perfectly okay to use a simple piece of white paper, but you can also buy traditional Colorful Japanese Origami Washi Paper online.
47. Make Fresh Pasta
One of my fondest memories as a child was helping my Italian grandmother make fresh pasta on the kitchen table. It didn’t matter what shape it was, the handmade pasta always tasted better. There is nothing like the taste of fresh pasta and it is fairly easy to make, using only 3 ingredients you can make fettuccine, pappardelle or tagliatelle. This pasta recipe is the one I use at my restaurant.
At my Italian restaurant we use the red Marcato Atlas Pasta Machine every single day and love it! They have a bunch of other cool colors too.
48. Make Homemade Pizza
People can be picky little eaters, but almost everyone loves pizza! From kneading the dough to adding your favorite toppings and sprinkling hearty amounts of cheese, everyone in the house can have fun making their own personal pie.
Get started with this easy pizza dough recipe and these 20 homemade pizza recipes.
49. Make Ice Cream
Instead of going to the grocery store to buy your favorite ice cream flavor, set up shop and make some at home. And making your own is not as hard as it may seem. The trick is to perfect the basics, then expand on it by adding different flavors. If ice cream seems too complicated, try making fun flavored popsicles, like Blueberry Vanilla Yogurt. Yum!
This is the ice cream maker and popsicle molds that I use for my sweet treats.
50. Take a Bubble Bath
One of the best rainy day pleasures for people is to dip into a calming hot bath filled with your favorite (or homemade) moisturizing soap blend. After a long day, a tub full of bubbles is the ideal tonic to unwind, release tension, and disconnect from the outside world.
51. Master Your Favorite TikTok Dances
Is there a popular dance or two in Tiktok that you’ve always wanted to learn? Well, now is your chance to do so! You can check out some dance tutorials on how to perform these, or you can also make your own dance choreography for those songs.
52. Mend Old Clothes
Do you have a pile of old garments that you’ve wanted to mend but haven’t gotten around to it? A day spent indoors is the perfect opportunity to rummage through your closet and pull out all the items that require repairs. Grab your emergency sewing kit and start mending up those rips, snags, or tattered ends!
53. Plan a Vacation
When you’re stranded at home due to the weather, you might be dreaming of getting tanned by the beach or going on a beautiful mountain getaway. Now is the perfect opportunity to start organizing your trip!
Make a cup of coffee, open your laptop, and plan your trip, including where you want to go (maybe our ultimate travel bucket list can help?!?), when you might be able to take time off, and how you’ll fit it into your budget. You can also check out our printable packing lists to help you on your trip!
54. Play a Round of Mini Golf
If you love golfing or would want to try it out but can’t because of the weather, then go on a game of minigolf or putt-putt instead! Not only is it beginner-friendly, but it is also a great rainy day activity for kids and adults.
From pirate islands to castles to the craziest courses, you will have a fun yet competitive experience playing minigolf!
55. Play Cards
Card games are a fun and entertaining way to bond with family or friends. It only takes a deck of cards, your wits, and just a bit of luck to play.
You can have a game of the classics like Old Maid or Poker, even ones like Uno (which has its deck of cards.).
Need more ideas? See our Card Game Bucket List that has 100+ fun ones to play with family & friends.
56. Read Some Books (Read a Classic)
I know, this doesn’t sound like the funnest thing to do when you’re bored, but have you ever read ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee? How about ‘Diary of a Nobody’ by George and Weedon Grossmith? The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien? Well, the movies are more entertaining but the novels are pretty sweet too and more detailed. The point is, you can learn more when you read these wonderful classics than you typically do playing Candy Crush on your phone.
If you love the classics then check of the Classic Books Bucket List: 25 of the Best Must-Read Novels. You can easily download many classics to your Kindle for free. Find a ton of free classics on Amazon.
57. Research your Family Tree
It’s getting easier to find out your roots, so spark up an interest in genealogy and start researching your family tree. You can start your search at My Heritage who offers a 14-day free trial or Ancestry.com who gives you a free starter account.
58. Indoor Climbing Gym
Are you a fan of spelunking or climbing? You will surely enjoy scaling the walls at an indoor climbing gym! Not only is it challenging and fun for all skill levels, but it is also a great way to work up a sweat during the rainy season in the comfort of the gym. You’ll also get to meet new friends with the same interest in the process.
59. See a Foreign Film
Sometimes those darn subtitles keep us from watching a foreign film—this time, don’t let them! There are masterpiece flicks made around the world and here are 25 of the best.
60. Splurge on a Solo Meal at a Fancy Restaurant
It’s okay to treat yourself to some fancy food every now and then, so dress up, wear that bow and tie or dress and head to the finest restaurant in your area.
Though dining at a fancy restaurant alone might make you feel uncomfortable, trust me when I say that eating out alone can be an empowering experience.
61. Stay Up All Night
Do you remember when the two of you just started your relationship or you just got some news to share with your BFF? You would spend the wee hours of the morning just talking on the phone. Try to replicate that special period of time by planning an all-nighter that may include chatting, laughing, cooking together or dancing in the kitchen.
Need some ideas for this all nighter? You can ask your friend these 365 thought provoking questions to get to know them even better or check out the top 20 stay-at-home date night to share with your spouse.
62. Visit a Museum
It is always interesting to learn something new about something, whether from a loved one or even the town you were born in. Museums let you travel back in time with their fascinating exhibits and discover their history, even if it’s just for a couple of hours.
63. Volunteer—Virtually!
You no longer have to be onsite to do the good deed of volunteering—you can help right from your comfy couch! Many organizations need help fostering dogs and the United Nations online volunteering program needs everything from researchers to designers to content editing.
64. Write a Haiku
A Haiku is a traditional form of Japanese poetry that consists of only three lines and a total of 17 syllables. The first and third line has 5 syllables and the second has seven. The lines do not need to rhyme, actually most of the time they don’t.
On one of my birthdays, I wrote this one:
A plane flies over,
you dream of being on it.
Ideas flourish.
Want to write your own haiku? The how to write a haiku article will help, and it includes 15 examples!
65. Write a Letter to your Future Self
Writing a letter to your future self can help to lead your life in the right direction. Share your current thoughts on love, family, career, finances, aging, etc. and also your hopes for each of these things in the future. Tuck your letter away and do not open for at least five years!
On my 40th birthday I wrote a letter to my future self. It is a beautiful piece about exactly how I felt at that point in my life. After not reading it for five years, I have now vowed to visit it on every birthday.
Make your letter even more special by picking some pretty paper (like this Japanese Stationary) and handwriting it.
66. Write a Thank You Note to Someone Who Deserves It
So often people want to tell a company or friend how they feel when they are not satisfied, instead write a thank you to show your appreciation for a job well done.
Writing your note on a simple sheet of paper is fine, but stocking up on blank greeting cards may be a good idea instead. I literally just bought these bird greeting cards which would be perfect for a simple thank you.
. . .
You see, there are plenty of things to do on a rainy day to make it worthwhile. Instead of being cooped up at home scrolling through your phone, why not make fun and lasting memories with these ideas, even when you are indoors!
So the next time you wake up and the skies are gray, I hope this bucket list of rainy day activities will come in handy.
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