What to do on a rainy afternoon: coloring pages and easy ideas

It is raining, it is dark by four o'clock, and nobody wants to go outside. That is a classic moment for a coloring page. You do not need to buy anything, and you can color for as long as you like. This article gives a few ideas for a rainy afternoon, with free pages you can print at home.

Make the spot inviting

A coloring page on the kitchen table works, but a cushion on the living room floor feels cozier. Put out the crayons and paper, and add a warm drink if you like.

For young children, it helps to put the page at their eye level. They can see what is drawn and start on their own.

Four ideas for the afternoon

1. Sharing an umbrella. Sharing an umbrella is a calm picture about sharing an umbrella. While you color, talk about what you would do if you were outside.
2. Boots in a puddle. Boots in a puddle is a good page for talking about the rain itself. How big is a puddle? Why does the water look dark?
3. A cushion fort. A cozy cushion fort suits an afternoon indoors. Color it, then build a real fort from cushions and blankets.
4. A story on the sofa. A story on the sofa can be the start of a reading session. Color a page, then read a book together.

If you want more rain pages, the rain collection gathers pictures with rain, puddles and umbrellas. When the weather clears, the rainbow collection has rainbow scenes for afterwards.

Pair coloring with a book

A rainy afternoon is also a good time for reading. Color a page between chapters, or pick a page that matches the book you are reading. Reading and coloring fit well together.

The book collection has pages with books and reading scenes that fit this idea.

Plan a few short parts

Rainy afternoons are long, and children often lose focus quickly. Plan a few short parts: coloring, then a game, then another page. Stop before the activity gets dull. A page that is not finished is still a good afternoon.

If the afternoon runs long, start a second page. Let children keep their own small stack of finished pages, so they can see how much they have done.

Older children who can read can read the title of each page aloud before they start. It is a short reading task, and by the end of the afternoon they have a small set of pictures to talk about. Ask them which one they would show a friend, and why.

Print with care

Print at 100 percent on A4 in portrait orientation. Check the ink before you start. If the ink is low, the lines and areas come out gray. Replace the cartridge before you print a stack.

To finish

A rainy afternoon does not need a program. A few pages, a place to sit and a box of crayons are enough. The overview of all coloring pages has more pages for other days.