6 Rainy Day Activities for Language Fun

We love playing outside just as much as any family but it has been raining and stormy here most of this month. The worst part is that most of the time there’s been lightning so we couldn’t even play in the rain and the few days it has been sunny, the mosquitos have been unbearable. My daughter was outside for 30 minutes and came in with 7 bites just on her forehead!


I hate being stuck inside but since we have to, let’s try to make the most of it. I’ve got ______ fun activities that can get your kids using their language skills inside on a rainy day. As always, adjust them, change them and make them your own. Do what works for you because every kid is unique.

Let’s go….

Board Games - Board games are fun because you can often use as little or as much language as you want. You can simply count spaces & say ‘my turn’/’your turn’, you can have full conversations about strategies, or anything in between. If your family doesn’t already know the rules, try explaining them in your target language or, if you don’t speak much of the target language, try demonstrating the game play with what language you do know.

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Art - Whether you’re artistic or not is completely irrelevant. Trust me! I always thought I was ‘bad’ at art until I had kids. Then I learned that as long as I was having fun and expressing myself, it didn’t really matter what the end result looks like. Paint a picture, create a craft, sculpt with play dough or even just color with crayons. Regardless of what you choose to do, ask your kids about their art. What’s their favorite part? Why did they choose a certain color? How does their art make them feel? Just keep the conversation going. If you’re family isn’t able to hold full conversations in the target language, don’t worry. A great way to incorporate language here is by modeling it. For example, if your family’s target language is Spanish, you might say: “I love how this azul looks in my picture! Do you have any azul in yours?” or “Woah! My vaca turned out so grande! Is yours grande or pequeño?”

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​Dance Party - Dance the day away with some upbeat music in your target language, sing along when you can. I don’t think this one needs much more explanation than that ;)

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Legos - Building creations from your own imaginations will give you tons of language opportunities for everything from colors & counting, to storytelling and conversations. Let your imagination run wild. Remember, there’s no rule saying that you absolutely have to follow the directions that came with the kit. Just get down on the floor and let your imaginations run free. Don’t forget to ask a lot of questions using your target language.​

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Charades - Whether you’re fluent in your child’s target language or just know a few words, charades can be a great way to get moving, practice using language & laugh a lot. This one is especially good for those kids who are nervous to speak in the target language. The sillier the topics, the funner the game will be. Remember, kids (and adults too) learn better when they’re having fun! 

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Baking - Baking is another great activity for family's of all language levels. It's an activity that's great whether your practicing numbers, colors & food names or your practicing following directions, conversational skills and complex grammar skills. Added bonus: You get sweet treats when you're done (YUM!)

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Well, there you have it. Six great ways to turn a gloomy & rainy day into a whole lot of language fun! Do you have other rainy day activities that make language fun in your home? I'd love to hear about them in the comments below =)