100 Things to Do on a Rainy Day to Keep Spirits High

I've spent enough rainy Saturdays staring out the window to build a real answer for what actually helps.

Raising kids and running a house that always has someone in it means my rainy day activities list has to work no matter who ends up in the room.

Here's my list of things to do on a rainy day that more than earned a permanent spot, sorted by who you're stuck inside with.

Quick list: 100 things to do on a rainy day, by who's home

For adults (25): deep clean a closet, bake banana bread, start a puzzle, read a chapter, journal, master a new coffee or mocktail recipe, reorganize your bookshelf, do a home workout, meal prep the week, learn a new skill online, write letters, take a long bath, sort old photos, plan a trip, deep-condition your hair, repot a houseplant, mend a piece of clothing, update your resume, listen to a full album, try a face mask or skincare reset, sharpen your kitchen knives, organize your phone photos, write in a 5-year journal, practice a language app, polish your shoes.

For kids (25): build a blanket fort, sing along with a favorite game on TV, finger-paint, make macaroni jewelry, do a scavenger hunt indoors, color, build a Lego city, put on a puppet show, bake cookies together, learn a card trick, make slime, write a short story, play dress-up, do a science experiment, draw a comic strip, build an indoor obstacle course, hold a paper airplane contest, put together a puzzle mat, learn origami, make a comic book, play hide and seek, build a marble run, make shadow puppets, practice a magic trick, write a letter to a pen pal.

For couples (25): cook a new recipe together, have a movie marathon, pair up on a puzzle-solving game show, slow dance in the kitchen, do a puzzle side by side, plan your next trip, give each other massages, write love notes, try a new board game, take a bath together, stargaze from the window, reminisce over old photos, learn a dance routine, make a pot of tea and talk, build something together, try a couples workout, take an online class together, cook breakfast for dinner, write each other a bucket list, draw each other blind, do a puzzle race, plan a future home, write a shared playlist, try a tarot reading or horoscope deep dive, recreate your first date at home.

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For the whole family (25): trivia night, a karaoke session, a baking project, an indoor picnic, a movie marathon, a cleaning contest, a talent show, a board game tournament, a scavenger hunt, storytelling by flashlight, a family cook-off, a home science fair, an indoor camping night, a photo scavenger hunt, a family art gallery, a family fitness challenge, a costume relay, a lip sync battle, a build-a-fort competition, a family podcast recording, a memory box project, a homemade obstacle course, a family game show night, a recipe swap, a family time capsule.

Best things to do on a rainy day for adults

I lean into these when the house is quiet, or the kids are busy with something else.

1. Deep clean a closet: Clearing out what you don't wear leaves way more room, and decluttering helps just as much when the weather turns cold instead of wet.
2. Bake banana bread: Mash bananas, mix in flour, baking powder, eggs, brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon, then bake at 350°F for an hour, and cooking lowers stress while it bakes.
3. Start a puzzle: A warm drink and mood music turn edge-piece hunting into a genuine reset.
4. Read a chapter: I tore through The Crown of Gilded Bones by Jennifer L. Armentrout while thunder rolled outside.
5. Journal: A gratitude list gives a rainy afternoon room for slower thinking; the same fix works for boredom on any weeknight.
6. Master a new coffee or mocktail recipe: Picking an unfamiliar drink turns a slow afternoon into a small project worth repeating.
7. Reorganize your bookshelf: Sorting by color or how often you reread something gives a tired shelf new life.
8. Do a home workout: A bodyweight circuit keeps training on track when the gym isn't an option.
9. Meal prep the week: Batch-cooking proteins and grains while it rains means the rest of the week runs itself.
10. Learn a new skill online: I've picked up Unreal Engine tutorials between loads of laundry on rainy afternoons.
11. Write letters: A handwritten note to someone unexpected takes 15 minutes and outlasts a text by years.
12. Take a long bath: Water hot enough to fog the mirror turns a rainy evening into a full reset.
13. Sort old photos: Digging through forgotten pictures turns into an unplanned hour of nostalgia.
14. Plan a trip: Sketching a loose itinerary gives a rainy afternoon real momentum.

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15. Deep-condition your hair: A mask under a shower cap for 30 minutes finally gets the attention it keeps missing.
16. Repot a houseplant: Fresh soil and a bigger pot make a tired plant look new in under 30 minutes.
17. Mend a piece of clothing: A missing button or small tear finally gets fixed once the rain removes every excuse.
18. Update your resume: Rain is oddly good motivation for adding the last year of work you've skipped logging.
19. Listen to a full album: Playing a record start to finish, no skipping, turns background noise into something worth hearing.
20. Try a face mask or skincare reset: Just 15 quiet minutes with a mask on beats scrolling your phone.
21. Sharpen your kitchen knives: A properly sharp knife makes every meal after easier to cook.
22. Organize your phone photos: Deleting duplicates and old screenshots turns a cluttered camera roll into something worth scrolling.
23. Write in a 5-year journal: One prompt a day becomes fascinating once you compare this year's entry to last year's.
24. Practice a language app: A rainy afternoon is a good excuse to knock out a week's worth of lessons at once.
25. Polish your shoes or organize your closet: Small maintenance tasks like this only get attention once the weather forces you inside.

Best things to do on a rainy day for kids

Kids don't care about the weather until boredom sets in, so I keep a rotating bench of ideas ready.

1. Build a blanket fort: Couch cushions and spare sheets turn into a full afternoon project.
2. Sing along with a favorite game on TV: CoComelon: Sing & Play with JJ is my youngest's favorite on Fire TV, where she sings and plays right along with JJ.

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3. Finger-paint: Butcher paper on the floor and washable paint buys a solid hour of mess.
4. Make macaroni jewelry: Dyed pasta and string turn into necklaces worn proudly for an afternoon, one of several family activities with almost no cleanup.
5. Do a scavenger hunt indoors: Hiding small toys and giving color-based clues buys 20 solid minutes of quiet.
6. Color: A fresh coloring book and a full box of crayons still work the way they always have.
7. Build a Lego city: Dumping the whole bin out turns into hours of quiet, focused building.
8. Put on a puppet show: Socks and markers turn the couch into a stage kids will use again and again.
9. Bake cookies together: Kids love cracking eggs more than eating the result, but the hour together is worth it.
10. Learn a card trick: One sleight-of-hand trick from a tutorial keeps kids practicing all week.
11. Make slime: With an adult measuring and mixing, kids can stir up a stretchy batch, then wash hands when the experiment's done.
12. Write a short story: A blank notebook and a starting sentence turn into a real creative project.
13. Play dress-up: A bin of old costumes lets kids become someone else for an afternoon.
14. Do a science experiment: Baking soda and vinegar volcanoes never fail to deliver genuine wonder.
15. Draw a comic strip: Folded paper turned into panels gives kids a structure for any silly plot.
16. Build an indoor obstacle course: Cushions, tunnels, and a laundry basket hoop turn the hallway into a workout.
17. Hold a paper airplane contest: A stack of paper and a long hallway keep kids occupied for ages.
18. Put together a puzzle mat: A roll-up mat lets a half-finished puzzle get tucked away safely.
19. Learn origami: A few folding videos and square paper make for a calm afternoon.
20. Make a comic book: Stapled paper and a made-up superhero give kids a creative outlet.
21. Play hide and seek: A rainy day with the whole house available makes for great hiding spots.
22. Build a marble run: Cardboard tubes and tape turn into an engineering project that keeps rebuilding itself.
23. Make shadow puppets: A flashlight and a blank wall turn into a full puppet show.
24. Practice a magic trick: One trick learned well beats 5 done halfway.
25. Write a letter to a pen pal: A real letter turns handwriting practice into something kids want to do.

Best things to do on a rainy day for couples

Rain has quietly become a favorite excuse for a slower kind of date night.

1. Cook a new recipe together: Picking something neither of you has made before turns the kitchen into shared chaos.
2. Have a movie marathon: Stacked pillows and dimmed lights turn a rainy evening into a mini premiere.
3. Pair up on a puzzle-solving game show: Wheel of Fortune lets you play as partners or opponents on the same board.
4. Slow dance in the kitchen: All you need is a song and enough floor space.
5. Do a puzzle side by side: Splitting a puzzle across a table gives hours of quiet company.
6. Plan your next trip: Mapping out where to go next gives the gray afternoon a sense of direction.
7. Give each other massages: Just 10 minutes each is a simple reason to slow down and pay attention.
8. Write love notes: A few honest lines left somewhere unexpected turns an ordinary day into a surprise.
9. Try a new board game: Something neither of you has played turns a rainy night competitive.

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10. Take a bath together: Candles and a shared playlist make even a small bathtub feel like an event.
11. Stargaze from the window: Watching for the first break in the clouds becomes its own quiet activity.
12. Reminisce over old photos: A shared camera roll from years back turns into an unplanned hour.
13. Learn a dance routine: A tutorial video and a cleared living room turn into a genuinely fun afternoon.
14. Make a pot of tea and talk: No phones, just an actual conversation the week rarely allows.
15. Build something together: A small furniture kit gives you a shared project with a visible finish line.
16. Try a couples workout: A short at-home circuit built for 2 adds friendly competition.
17. Take an online class together: A cooking or language lesson gives you a shared project past the rain.
18. Cook breakfast for dinner: Having pancakes at 7 p.m. feels like a small rebellion against the sky.
19. Write each other a bucket list: Trading lists of shared experiences gives the day direction.
20. Draw each other blind: Drawing your partner from memory, eyes closed, turns funny fast.
21. Do a puzzle race: Splitting a puzzle in half and racing to finish adds friendly stakes.
22. Plan a future home: Sketching a dream kitchen neither of you owns yet passes a gray afternoon.
23. Write a shared playlist: Trading songs until it sounds like both of you gives the day a soundtrack.
24. Try a tarot reading or horoscope deep dive: Serious or not, it's a fun excuse for a long talk.
25. Recreate your first date at home: The same meal or music brings back a nostalgia rain seems to amplify.

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Best things to do on a rainy day with the whole family

These are the activities that turn a gray afternoon into a memory everyone brings up later.

1. Host a trivia night: Jeopardy! runs exactly like the show, with Casual, Classic, or Expert mode for every age.
2. Host a karaoke session: Karaoke scores your pitch as well as your lyrics, so bragging rights actually mean something.
3. Start a baking project: Splitting decorating duties on cookies turns a recipe into a full afternoon.
4. Have an indoor picnic: A blanket on the floor and good snacks change the whole evening.
5. Run a movie marathon: Letting each person claim a genre keeps the whole group engaged.
6. Turn cleaning into a contest: A timer and split-up rooms make chores disappear fast.
7. Put on a talent show: Everyone performs an act, judged by whoever isn't performing.
8. Run a board game tournament: Bracket-style rounds crown a champion by dinner.
9. Do a scavenger hunt: A list of household objects sends everyone racing through the house at once.
10. Tell stories by flashlight: Closing the curtains for storytelling turns into a bigger game night fast.
11. Run a family cook-off: Splitting into teams to make the best dish gets everyone involved.
12. Host a home science fair: A few kitchen-table experiments turn an afternoon into a full event.
13. Set up indoor camping: Sleeping bags in the living room recreate a campout without leaving home.
14. Run a photo scavenger hunt: A list of objects to photograph keeps everyone moving through the house.
15. Build a family art gallery: Everyone makes a piece, then you hang the collection for the week.
16. Try a family fitness challenge: Simple relay-style exercises scale for every age in the house.
17. Host a costume relay: Digging through closets for the fastest outfit change adds real chaos.
18. Run a lip sync battle: Everyone picks a song, judged only on enthusiasm, and it works for get-togethers with friends too.
19. Hold a build-a-fort competition: Teams race to build the sturdiest fort in the house.
20. Record a family podcast: A phone and a few questions turn into a keepsake nobody expected.
21. Make a memory box: Small objects and notes from the day become something to open next year.
22. Build a homemade obstacle course: Furniture and a stopwatch turn the living room into a competition.
23. Run a family game show night: Invented categories give everyone a shot, especially with Song Quiz for the music round.
24. Host a recipe swap: Everyone brings a dish, swaps recipes, and the whole family eats family-style.
25. Start a family time capsule: Sealed predictions give the afternoon a reason to look ahead.

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Why rain doesn't have to ruin your day

Rainy weather genuinely lowers mood and energy by cutting sunlight exposure, which throws off serotonin and leaves people feeling flat.

Having a ready list of things to do on a rainy day at home breaks the slump fast.

Rainy days now feel like forced pauses that reset the whole week, whether that's a nap or an hour of trivia with everyone piled on the couch.

Come rain or shine, Weekend brings the entertainment

When the weather rules out anything outside, Weekend answers the question of things to do on a rainy day right from the living room. Every game gives the whole house a place to come together and a reason to lean forward for the next round.

Weekend’s lineup includes:

• Jeopardy! brings the official TV game to your screen with familiar clues, the same atmosphere, rules, and pacing.
• Song Quiz brings music trivia across decades and genres into the room; hear a short clip and shout out the song and artist for points.
• Wheel of Fortune turns players into puzzle solvers, calling letters together and racing to crack the board before anyone else.
• Karaoke (on Roku) tracks lyrics and pitch, so the sing-off can carry on once the trivia questions wind down.
• Guess the Emoji challenges the room to decode movies, phrases, and pop-culture clues from emoji strings.
• Sketchy AF builds a drawing a stroke at a time, and the earlier you guess, the more you score.
• Spot On sends the group around the world from the living room, dropping pins and racing to guess landmarks.
• Wit’s End turns your TV into a chaotically fun fantasy adventure with an AI game master that builds entire stories around your choices. 
• 20 Questions (on Roku) turns every guess into a group debate the whole room can join.
• CoComelon: Sing & Play with JJ gives the youngest member of the house a turn to sing, clap, and learn along with familiar songs between the bigger rounds.
• Meme Supreme turns a lull between rounds into its own game, with the room voting on the funniest match for each scenario.

Want an easy way to carry your lineup into a full family night? Start a 7-day free trial and play Weekend on your smart TV.

FAQs

What are the best indoor activities for a rainy day?

The best indoor activities scale up or down depending on your energy. Trivia rounds, karaoke, puzzles, a movie marathon, or a simple baking project all work whether it's just you or the whole house.

What are good rainy day activities for kids?

Good rainy day activities for kids need to burn energy, since running around outside isn't an option. Blanket forts, indoor scavenger hunts, CoComelon: Sing & Play with JJ on Fire TV, painting, and simple baking projects keep younger kids engaged.

How do you boost your mood on a rainy day?

The main difference between a good rainy day and a rough one usually comes down to whether you plan something or just wait it out. A feel-good playlist, a hot drink by the window, or a quick round of Song Quiz tend to snap me out of a gray mood fast.

Are rainy day activities different for couples versus families?

Yes, couples and families tend to want different paces. Couples lean toward slower, connection-focused activities like cooking together, while families do better with higher-energy group activities like trivia nights or karaoke that give everyone a turn.

How can I get Weekend on my smart TV?

You can get Weekend on your smart TV by opening the app store on Roku, Fire TV, Samsung, or LG, searching for Weekend, and installing it. I had the 7-day free trial running and Jeopardy! loaded in under 5 minutes.