Rainy Day Survival Guide

In this rainy weather, I'm just as guilty as the next mom of turning on another movie, handing the kids a sippy cup and ignoring them for hours on end so I can "get something done" (which usually involves the ever important shopping online, catching up with friends on the phone, flipping through a fashion mag and painting my toenails).
Over the past century long rainstorms we've had, I have a few helpful tips that do not involve a television set. Oh, except for one and that's Madagascar 2, an inflatable mattress and stovetop popcorn (fun for the whole family).
Okay, back to my point, here are my treasured secrets:
#1. San Simeon Elephant Seals-sure it's a 45 minute drive in the car in rainy weather to get out for 10 minutes in the freezing cold...but there's coffee, snacks and treats in Cambria, and all the hilarious conversations you can have with your kids about the "ephelant seals".
#2. Children's Museum: where every other poor frazzled parent takes their kids these days
#3. Library, books, movies, puzzles and plenty of people/kid watching
#4. PLAYDOUGH at home, raid the kitchen drawers for fun utensils. Here's a recipe, it's so easy even I can do it:
"STOVE-TOP PLAYDOUGH":
2 cups flour, 1/2 cup salt, 4 Tblsp. Cream of Tartar, 2 Tblsp. oil, 2 cups water, 4 tsp. food coloring.
Mix flour, salt and cream of tartar in a a pot. Add the rest of ingredients. Cook and stir over medium heat 3-5 minutes. Just when it looks like a globby mess and you're sure you've screwed it up, it will form into a ball in the pot. Turn it onto a lightly floured surface, knead and store in an airtight container. This makes enough for 2 kids and an adult to play with.
Anybody else have a good activity idea????

Comments