Rainy Day Activities for Elementary Children

It's going to rain!  It's inevitable, but your sanity does not have to soggy with restlessness that children may exhibit when their normal outdoor activity is interrupted.  So, I have design a a web page for teachers who find themselves situation to entertain children with fun activities.  This page is not only designed for rainy days, but for any other inclimate weather or school activity that may prevent P. E. time.

  The Tasks:

This webquest is designed for teachers who have to provide P.E. activities for their students.

  The Resources:

I have been able to find many links for rainy day activities for elementary children. Many of these should have you provide your classroom with useful activities for those rainy days.
  Rainy Day Playhouse is very good web site that will help teachers overcome children's boredom that may occur when rainy days arrive.  This web site is not only for elementary children, but for children of all ages.

  Learning Network combines the child's brain power and imaginative techniques to compete with their partner on days that will prevent outdoor activities.  Children will find this site challenging, as well as fun.

  Brain Teasers is an exemplary site for those times when going outside is not an option.  As the name of the site indicates, students' brains will be teased and exercised so that boredom will be an afterthought.

  Boowakwala.com is a site that will provide students an opportunity to tap into the creative side of their brains and enhance those creative skills.  This site is excellent for those rainy days when children cannot go outside.

  Kids Domain Online Games is a very creative site that allows students to test their individual skills on those days when regular P. E. time is canceled or postponed.  The games range from the "Alphabet Game" to the "Zoo Dinosaur Quiz", surely this site will provide children with challenging activities to pacify their boredom.
 

  The Process:

Are you ready to cure ills of boredom that accompanies rainy days?  Good, follow these prescribed steps and the fever of boredom will subside rapidly.
  The Rainy Day Playhouse has many interesting activities, but there are three particular ones that are the most intriguing.  Post Office allows student to send each other digital postcards.  Arcade Games a selection of games to play.  AlexWarp allows you to take certain famous faces and rearrange them.

  Next, visit the Learning Network, this site also has several activities for children.  I have chosen Math Baseball, Tic Tac Toe, and Grammar Gorillas.  These activities will provide children the techniques to develop critical thinking skills and problem solving skills.

  Brainteasers is a site that is self explanatory, it provides challenging activities for  children.  I have chosen Wolves vs. Sheep, Magic Puzzlers, and Ball Brainteasers.  These activities will require some effort on the students' part, but it also should provide a meaningful and enjoyable experience.

  Please visit the site Boowakwala.com, this site has many categories that has many activities under those categories.  I have chosen three, Mazes, Shapes, and Catch'em.  Under Mazes, there is the game Santa's Maze, this allows keyboard manipulation.  Under Shapes, there is the game Dinosaur Shadows, this is a matching game.  Under Catch'em, there is the game Kangaroo Cuddles, which also allows some keyboard manipulation.

  Kids Domain Online Games is full of time consuming and mind stimulating activities.  I have chosen three, the Alphabet Game, Find the Hidden Numbers and Letters, and Oddball.  These games are similar in design, in that the game involves matching.  This site provides plenty of activities for those days when the weather is bad.

  I have developed a internet scavengerhunt game to challenge the searching skills of the students.  This quiz is located at Quia.  This quiz can be for any age and any grade level.

  Learning Advice:

This name of the site is Rainy Day Activities for Elementary Children, but the site can be uses for middle school and high children as well.  On several sites, there are different age levels of activities a that teacher can access to provide their students with activities when the regular routine of class is interrupted.  There are test given for some of the activities and there is a place where the teacher can make up his or her own test.  Making up your own test would be best, because you can make sure that the student is actively involved in the learning process and not just merely playing on the computer.   Here you would provide some additional guidance on how to organize the information gathered. This advice could include suggestions to use flowcharts, summary tables, concept maps, or other organizing structures. The advice could also take the form of a checklist of questions to analyze the information with, or things to notice or think about.
 
 

  Conclusion:

The site was created for teachers on days when students cannot participate in regular P.E. activities.  Students participating in the activities will learn and will be entertained as well.  Students will be able to develop problem solving skills, mathematical skills, and computer skills as well.  Knowledge helps develop a strong active brain as toothpaste builds strong healthy teeth.  Removal of either could cause a lack of development in both the brain and teeth.  A PowerPoint presentation is linked to this page.

This page originally written by Dennis Bills and last updated on November 7, 2000.
Created for EDU 506, Computer Application in Education by Dr. Bruce Lewis on June 19, 2000.