Rainy Day Activity Idea : Laundry on the Line!

After all the lovely weather we've had lately things seem to have taken a bit of a nose-dive and it's been raining continually for the most part of the the half-term week. There's no sign that it's thinking of giving up any time soon either and while we've had a few fun trips out in welly-boots, coats and umbrellas for a puddle-stomp, we've been stuck inside of the house most of the time.

Yesterday afternoon, after a quick dash around the house to collect some supplies, I tied a piece of string from one dining chair to another and created a miniature indoor washing line! My youngest had spotted the peg basket on the shelf a few minutes before and been begging me to get them down for him to play with so I provided both eager looking Pre-Schooler's with a basket of pegs and a laundry basket (an old shoe box) of dolls clothes. Creative play started instantly with my eldest declaring that the doll's clothes were wet and had to be hung up on the washing line to dry.

They had fun pegging them up (and practising their fine motor skills!) and then set about getting them dry. They pretended to be the wind by blowing at the clothes on the line until they moved and my eldest coloured in an old toilet roll tube that was waiting to be recycled which quickly became the sun and was held over the washing to help it dry a bit quicker. When they were satisfied that all the clothes were dry they unpegged them from the line and placed them back into the washing basket.

They carried on in the same manner for most of the afternoon and it filled up quite a few hours with some simple but fun and imaginative play. The next step is to get them hanging up my washing once the weather improves ;)

Has it been raining where you are too? What fun things have you been doing to fill up the days and keep the little ones entertained? I'd love to see your links!