When I’m at the cabin, I love to spend as much time as possible outdoors. But unfortunately, the weather doesn’t always allow that.
If you’re at the cabin and it starts to rain, what can you do? Even worse, what if the wind picks up and it gets stormy outside? I’m compiling a list of some of my favorite activities to do when the weather isn’t cooperating. These are some of my favorite indoor and bad weather activities. Hopefully, these will give you some ideas for fun activities you can do when it’s not warm and sunny outside.
This is a living list. As I find more ideas, I’ll add them. So if you have any ideas of fun activities you like to do at the cabin when the weather isn’t cooperating, please share in the comments below.
Play Music
One of the best ways to pass the time is to sing or play music.
Whether you’re a pro or a complete beginner, sitting around the room with family and singing some songs can be a lot of fun. It’s definitely a good fit for a relaxing trip to the cabin. And if you have any instruments that are easily portable, bringing them with you to the cabin is a great idea.
I’ve had lots of great memories sitting around a campfire with a family member playing the guitar while the rest of us sang folk songs. Pick whatever music you and your kids like and enjoy a good song or two!
Learn magic
If you have access to the internet and a deck of cards or a coin, then one great way to pass the time is to learn some fun magic tricks. Have everyone learn a trick from the internet. After you’ve had sufficient time to practice, come back together and show off what you’ve learned.
You may find that learning and performing an illusion was a ton of fun and helped pass the time while a storm was raging outside.
Cook something fun
This one definitely takes some foresight. One fun and tasty way to pass the time is to cook something fun.
Whether it’s making a pizza from scratch, baking a pie, or cooking a gourmet dinner, spending time together in the kitchen can be a valuable learning experience for children and a fun way to spend an afternoon. If you have some recipes and the ingredients, making breads can be a lot of fun and is a great food that you can involve kids in.
Bread requires raising and kneading which gives kids something to do. And the process doesn’t require constant attention, but can last all day. Plus, it’s really satisfying to get to enjoy some tasty food that you made.
Build toothpick towers
This can be a really fun activity for an afternoon. All you need is a box of toothpicks and a bag of mini marshmallows.
You use the toothpicks for the structure and the marshmallows to connect toothpicks together and you build buildings, bridges, towers, or whatever you want. You can turn it into a competition to see who can build the tallest tower in 30 minutes. Or see who can build the strongest bridge. Or, just enjoy an afternoon building whatever you want out of toothpicks.
Play a group game
There are a lot of really fun group games that don’t need a game board or anything. You just need people.
Some of my favorites are Mafia, the Sign Game, and In the Manner of the Adverb. These games lead to lots of laughs and you can learn how to play these and several other fun group games in my article here.
Play a board game
This one seems obvious, but every year new board games come out and they can be a lot of fun. Plus, board games can be a really great activity to bring people together.
These days, to pass the time we tend to watch TV and movies, play video games, and do lots of activities that don’t require human interaction. Board games are a great way to pull people together.
If you have problems with family members that are too competitive, maybe try a cooperative game. There are a lot of great games out there where all players work against the clock to win. Some of my favorites are Castle Panic, Pandemic, and Elder Sign. But there are many, many more. Check out these cooperative games available on Amazon.
Pick a game that fits in with your family’s interests and get playing. Some of the best family conversations I’ve had have been over a board game.
Make a movie
One of the funnest activities I’ve done with siblings and cousins at the cabin is make a movie.
When I was a kid, we had to borrow the adults’ video camera, but these days all you need is a cell phone to record a fun video.
We all got together and made up a storyline. Everyone volunteered for roles and we took turns filming. In the end, we had a really cheesy movie and a host of great memories. The best part is that I can rewatch my old movies and relive those memories for years to come.
Learn Interesting Trivia
Pick up a trivia book at the library or from the store. Books with riddles or just interesting trivia can be a lot of fun and do a good job of getting your brain working.
Sitting at the cabin with no trivia book? Just google “interesting trivia” and check out the sites that come up. Pass the time and learn something new in the process.
Have a Dance Party
Turn on some music and start dancing!
The kids especially love this. We just pull out a cell phone and connect it to the speakers and in moments we have dancing. It’s just our family, so nobody cares how their dancing looks. We just let loose and have fun. In addition to passing the time, it’s also great exercise.
Put on a Play
This is a lot like making a movie. It can be a ton of fun for kids to put on a play. They can spend the whole day practicing their parts. Then, they get to perform the play for the parents.
Make it about anything you want. Go all out. Use clothing and other materials you have on hand to make props and costumes. And then just have fun with it.
Read a Good Book
Want to have some quiet time alone? Pick up a good book. Whenever I travel, I like to have at least one of the books I’m reading with me. That way I can escape to the book or learn something new whenever I need to pass the time.
Reading is a great activity when you’re stuck inside with nothing else to do.
Tell Scary Stories by the Fire
Whether you tell scary stories or even fun stories about your childhood, sitting around the fireplace and telling stories is another great way to come together as a family while the weather keeps you indoors.
In the evening, scary stories can be a lot of fun. But they need to be tamed to the age of the people listening. Still, the effect of telling scary stories in the dark around a fire at a cabin is pretty awesome. You can’t really ask for a better setting.
Stories from your childhood can be great too. They’ll give your kids a little more insight into who you are and make you more relatable to them.
Make a Craft
Use what materials you have and make something fun and crafty. If you’re so inclined, you can do a lot with some construction paper, tape, yarn, and a few paperclips.
Struggling with ideas? There are probably about a million ideas for home crafts to do on Pinterest.
Play out in the Weather
If it’s really stormy or windy outside, then stay inside. Safety comes first. But if it’s just drizzling or snowing outside, then maybe it’s time to bundle up and enjoy the outdoors.
Put on some rain boots and jump in the puddles. Put on a jacket and run around in the rain. If it’s snowy, go enjoy the snow. There’s a lot of fun to be had in the rain and snow, as long as you can get warm and dry afterward. If you’re looking for some great activities to do in the snow, you can read some of my favorite ideas here.