Guest author: Melanie Gath
When we look for inspiration for rainy-day activities, we find all kinds of ideas and tips online or in magazines – but I’d estimate that about 90% of them are for indoors. But really, rainy weather is no reason to stay in the house. On the contrary! Nature rarely comes to life so wonderfully as in those moments when the nourishing raindrops fall from the sky. Why should we only watch from afar out the window when we could also get up close, catch the raindrops, dance among them, or even make music with them? I’ve compiled a little list here with inspiration for rainy hours in nature.
Let the great puddle jumping begin
Usually this happens almost automatically, because puddles seem to have an almost magical attraction for our children. Didn’t we also love it in our childhood – that feeling of taking a running leap into a big puddle, when the water bounces and sprays in every direction? And that sound – everything about it is fun. Of course, a lot depends on children having the right clothing, because even the most ginormous fun comes to a quick end if kids get soaked and start to feel cold. We developed our rain collection with wild puddle jumpers in mind and made it truly waterproof, yet breathable. Even our hiking shoes can hold up to a great big puddle-jumping party. So who will make it through the longest puddle parkour, hopping from one to the next? Or who can make the water splash the furthest?
Build the sturdiest shelter in the woods
What’s the best way to test if a shelter in the woods is really good and leakproof? Exactly – by building one while it’s raining so you can see instantly if water can find its way through all the sticks and stones. Stopping up the holes can be checked with immediate quality control. And once the shelter is in place, little explorers can slip inside and think up the next adventure.
Rescue snails, worms, and bugs
While there are indeed animals that like to withdraw to their caves or other dry places when it rains, there are also some that get washed away, forced out of their homes. In particular, many earthworms and snails then crawl in numbers over streets and forest paths – searching for a life-saving haven. We humans can give them a hand and, with a great deal of caution and care, bring them to a safe place. Little beetles or other insects are often surprised by the rain and fight for their lives in puddles or other flooded spots. We can also come to their rescue by laying a stick in the water so they can find their way back to more solid ground.
Sand + Water = Magic
Water has its magical attraction, but sand practically calls out to little explorers, too. We don’t need a playground or a classic sandbox, however. No matter where – when sand and water come together, they create something very special. Mud? Exactly! And kids can get up to such wonderful, silly nonsense with it. Or simply transplant sandcastle construction from the beach to the rainy garden and almost recreate a little touch of that vacation feeling.
Build rainwater reservoirs – for the summer
Even if it is the sad fate of rain that many people wish it would just go away and even sing songs for the sun, there are moments when we longingly await it, especially in summer – especially when our plants or the lawn are gasping for water. So wouldn’t it be clever to catch the rain while it’s there so we can use the reserves later, when nature needs the water? Many people have big rain barrels set out for that purpose, but smaller containers can also help gather water.
Design a water parkour
At the beach, little adventurers often become real architects and build entire castles with moats or other waterways around them. So why not also catch rainwater in a self-made water parkour and guide it through the passageways? The forest floor, with its rich variety of leaves, sticks, and roots, holds so much construction material at the ready. Let’s go!
Water-drop laboratory
How big are the raindrops? How many rings form when the rain hits the water? How long does a drop stay at the tip of a blade of grass? How does the world look when viewed through a raindrop? Do all raindrops wobble like little “water warts” on the hand? Does the rainwater in the woods and garden have the same temperature when it has just fallen from the sky? There are so many questions little explorer owls can probe and get to the bottom of in a water-drop lab. And ideally, they’ll record all their findings in a lab report. Then they’ll have the basis for a proper longitudinal study.
Conduct a rain concert
Depending on the type of surface, the rain – or the raindrops, more precisely – can sound very different as they meet the ground or an object. If we catch rain in a glass, at the bottom of a pot, in a bowl, on a piece of foil, in a cardboard box, or on (or with) other objects, it can create a truly unique concert. For little conductor owls, it’s a real musical highlight: the song of rain.
Create rain art
And speaking of the arts, I also have another idea for you. Many colored pencils our children use to put their artistic visions on paper are water-soluble, or even function as genuine, high-quality watercolors for painting. So why not draw a picture and then put it in the rain to see what the raindrops will make of it? Really wonderful and surprising artworks can emerge, and our little artists may then proudly hang them on the wall.
That was a very colorful selection of ideas for you and your explorer owls. So throw on your rain jackets, pull up your rain pants, and dive into the wet adventure!
