Activity Inspiration: Dicey Weather!

Early childcare weather game 

This fun activity is the perfect game to create in advance and store away for a day that the weather keeps your group inside! You’re sure to get lots of wiggles and giggles going regardless of a rainy day. This game is good for social and gross motor skill development.  

Supplies: 

• Two cardboard boxes 
• Six posters 
• Markers 
• Tape 

Set-up 

Set the game up by drawing weather symbols on the six sides of one of the boxes: rain, wind, snow, sun, cloudy, stormy. Note: change up these weather symbols for weather in your area! Perhaps snow or fog are appropriate inclusions for where you live. Make six posters that match the weather symbols on the dice. On the other dice, write movement words, such as run, jump, skip, crawl and jog.  

To play: 

When it’s time to play the game, hang the weather posters around the space. Have the children take turns rolling both dice, and follow the action word to the corresponding weather sign, for example hopping to wind, running to rain or crawling to sun.  

Extend the fun:

Did you have a blast on your bad weather day? Extend the fun by engaging them a little more.  

• After the rain comes the rainbow! Arrange bright, multicolored fruit slices for a healthy and delicious rainbow to end the weather play. 
• Read a picture book about the weather. Some favorites include Little Cloud by Eric Carle and Cozy by Jan Brett.   
• Include art. Have participants paint watercolor images of clouds and storms. 

We can’t wait to hear about how you’ve turned lemons into lemonade with this inclement weather game! Email us the results at nca@cacfp.org or tag us in the photos @NationalCACFP on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and stay tuned for more activity ideas.