Finding fun activities for a day indoors isn’t always easy – you’ll need to be creative in order to keep your kids from climbing up the walls. But from magic tricks and cookery tips, to how to make paper mache or host an indoor Olympics – we’ve got five fab activities, to help kids of all ages make the most of any rainy day.

1. Cooking

Food always comes first for kids! So why not bring them into the kitchen for a few cookery lessons? Get them to cook their favourite meals and experiment with new flavours, providing them with basic recipes for cookies, cakes, and savoury dishes such as homemade pizza and pasta bakes. Homemade pizzas are a fun idea for kids of all ages – younger children will love choosing their own toppings, while older kids can have a go at making the pizza dough themselves.

2. Crafting

How about unleashing your child’s creative side with an afternoon of crafting? You don’t need to be an expert on how to make paper mache, or even know how to thread a needle to get started – simply give your child the freedom to make a mess and watch as they turn their imagination into creation. Crafting with recyclables is always popular with parents as it’s easy, and fun, and you don’t need to leave the house – empty jars, cardboard boxes, egg cartons, and toilet rolls are all great crafting materials. There are thousands of child-friendly crafting ideas online, so get inspired and soon you’ll know how to make paper mache, playdough, and all manner of Pinterest-worthy creations.

3. Home Cinema

While limiting the amount of time children spend in front of screens is important, we all need a bit of downtime, and there’s nothing wrong with allowing your children to watch their favourite films or shows in moderation. Treat the television like a special treat by dimming the lights, popping some popcorn and sitting down at your own Home Film Festival: Hollywood-style. Animations are always popular with both kids and adults, while musicals, classic rom-com, and feel-good comedies will help you while away the hours from the comfort of the couch.

4. Show Tim

If your kids love to sing, dance, or put on a show: why not set up a stage and turn the spotlight on them? From magic tricks and puppetry to the theatre, clowning, and even stand-up comedy – every child has a talent, and chances are they’ll love having you as an audience. Just give them enough time to prepare their act, help them with their costumes, and make tickets for all your guests. Then simply clear some space for a stage in your hall or living room, line up chairs or pillows for seating, and crank up the music – you could even film the performance for a later screening in front of the whole family.

5. Indoor Olympic

Just because you’re stuck inside doesn’t mean you can’t be active, and there’s nothing like holding an Indoor Olympics to get your little ones running around and burning off all that excess energy. Assign each child a different nation to represent (fancy dress and face paint will really help them get into the swing of it), and prepare your stadium of events! Pillow sack races, hallway hopscotch, and the standing long jump are all great ideas for small spaces – the kids will love competing for a special prize (e.g. chocolate coins). Let the Games begin!