Rain, Rain Go Away!

On a beautiful day like today (is that Forsythia blooming?!), the thought of dreary rainy weather is pushed far out of our minds, but with spring right around the corner, frequent stormy days are soon to follow! For nannies and parents alike, it's a good idea to have a plan in mind for those times when we are stuck indoors.

Of course, rainy days are great when you can climb back into bed, sip on a cup of tea and finally start that novel that has been sitting on your nightstand for a few months, but when you have little ones with equal (or more) the amount of energy they have on a sunny day, it’s time to get creative!Hop into that rain gear and set out for local adventure!

Library

An oldie but a goodie. If you have time to plan, make a scavenger hunt for the bigger kids, with the participants getting a special bookmark after they’ve found all the items. Examples: Find a book about an African American historical figure. Find a DIY book (challenge them: find one about basket-weaving). Find a Mystery book.For younger kiddos, story times are a lot of fun for young children (and their nanny!). Cameron Village Regional Library has finished its renovations and has an amazing kids’ area packed with great books and beautiful kid-sized furniture. Don’t forget to take a picture with the ‘Street Knight,’ a Scrap to Sculpture made of street signs, guarding the stairway to the second floor!

Museums

Definitely a win/win! From the North Carolina Museum of Art to the Museum of Natural Sciences, the triangle is an exceptional place to expose kiddos to art, science, music, and history. The City of Raleigh Museum often has some interactive exhibits for kids to learn from, and the Museum of History even has a scavenger hunt (Fred’s Finds, Museum Gallery Hunt) for older children. Or, if it isn’t cold, slip on that rain gear and walk the new beautiful extension at the NCMA, there should be plenty of puddles to jump in and neat things to discover!

Marbles Kids Museum: Practice your veterinary skills, bake a pizza and sell it, play hockey, climb up and down piano stairs, drive a bus...need we say more? Although this can be busier on rainy days, it’s the old stand-by for parents and nannies alike!

Bookstores

Never underestimate the power of a book to help you make it through a rainy day! Try a used bookstore with your kids if you haven’t. They will find untold treasures on the shelves, and help out local bookstore owners in the process! So & So Books on Person Street, and Quail Ridge Books & Music in North Hills are both excellent choices.

Arts and Crafts Stores

There are endless ideas online of fun projects to do, or you can put your heads together and come up with something creative and crafty! Celebrate one of the less famous National days like National Bubble Bath Day (January 8^th ~ paint with bubble solution!) or National Find a Rainbow Day (April 3^rd ~ tissue paper rainbows!).

Community!

Check out the community art classes at the Town of Cary and City of Raleigh websites. If it’s predicted to be a rainy week, plan ahead! This is a great way to pass the time, and kids love being able to take home a special project to show family members!Leanne Powell, 2017