Here are LOTS of ways to entertain kids in an RV on a rainy day, including NEW game ideas and activities (not the same ol' same ol')…
One thing I love about our RV Lifestyle Community is how many members answer questions in our online group!
Recently, Delia asked a great question. She wrote:
“Any cheap indoor games for when it rains while camping? Trying to keep the electronics at home and you can only play so much checkers/hang man/tic-tac-toe 
.”
Delia received more than 700 comments filled with great suggestions for rainy day games, activities, and more.
We're going to share many of those suggestions, and some of our own, too. And don't think we'll give the same old suggestions! We included NEW games and activities you may have never played before!
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20 Ways to Entertain Kids in an RV on a Rainy Day
The following are some of those suggestions on how to entertain kids in an RV. We'll include plenty of helpful links and resources for each suggestion to get you going.
We're always on the lookout for new games. So, if you have any recommendations, please share in the comments at the end!
1. NEW Card Games for Kids
A deck of cards really comes in handy on a rainy day, especially if you have The Ultimate Book of Family Card Games* to go along with it. That book turns one deck of cards into over 50 games!
But some newer card games have gained a lot of popularity, too. Here are some your family may not have tried yet:
2. CAMPING Board Games
Board games are an obvious go-to activity for kids on a rainy day, but what if you're tired of the same old games? Sure, you can never go wrong with Guess Who, Battleship (Travel Size), and Charades for Kids (Snap Box).
But there are some great camping-related board games your family will love. You can see our full list of best board games for camping, but here's a sampling for kids of different ages:
3. Dice Games
Card games: check! Board games: check! Dice games… let's do it!
Travel Yahtzee! is an all-time favorite dice game, but it's not the only one to add to your RV game collection. Facebook comments shared a few dice games you may have never tried before:
Those were all highly recommended in the comments on the Facebook post!
4. Sticker Books
Sticker books are fun for kids of all ages. They can create fun sticker scenes. Or put a series of stickers together that come together to make one large picture!
The nice thing about sticker books is that they are a quiet activity and do not take up much storage space. That means they are easy to take along in the trailer!
There are also these really neat Sticker by Letter books that have become quite popular lately.
5. Coloring
Coloring is relaxing for children and adults alike. It doesn't require much thought, and the simple motion can lull you into a relaxed state.
We highly recommend this Art Case Coloring Set. It's 140 pieces of coloring supplies in a portable case. Here are some great suggestions for nature or camping-related coloring books to go along with the coloring set:
- National Parks Coloring Book*
- The Wondrous Workings of Science & Nature Coloring Book*
- Flower Coloring Book*
- Bird Coloring Book for Kids*
(Speaking of which, you might want to check out 13 Best Travel Crafts & Activity Books for Adults. We need something to do on rainy days, too!)
6. Activity Books for Kids
If a coloring book doesn't keep your kid busy for long, try activity books! The variety of puzzles, games, coloring pages, and more should keep their attention longer.
There are so many activity books for kids available, but we tracked down some great camping and nature-related options:
- Animal Habitats Activity Book*
- Another Logic Workbook for Gritty Kids*
- My First Log Workbook for Gritty Kids*
- Letters from Camp Mad Libs
Your kids can share the fun by mailing their completed Mad Libs to family and friends back home!
7. Nature Rubbings
Rv Lifestyle member, Mikayla, said they enjoyed doing nature rubbings with their children. What a great way to bring nature from the outdoors into an indoor routine.
Leaf rubbings are easy to do, too. You and your children can collect attractive leaves or other fallen items while exploring the outdoors, then do a crayon rubbing in the trailer in the evening time. It is a great way to make natural connections throughout the day and keep them off the screen.
Are you traveling in the snow or desert and don't have any leaves? No worries! You can buy these leaf rubbing plates for your kids to work with.
Mike and Jennifer's Summer T-Shirts for your next adventure
8. Secret Scrap
While this was suggested as a funny response in the Facebook comments, it sparked an idea for a clean-up game. You could play this with kids inside a messy RV!
Choose a “secret scrap” in whatever mess your kids have made. Perhaps it's the purple crayon among a table full of crayons and coloring books. Then tell the kids to clean up until they find the secret scrap.
Once the kids grab the secret scrap and put it away, they win some sort of prize.
Make the prize simple. Maybe that child can choose the family game for the evening or what to visit first the following day.
It's a way to entertain kids in an RV and take a load off your shoulders!
9. Audio Books
Another great suggested pastime is to listen to audiobooks. Children can lay down and quietly listen to a story being read to them. Or even listen to them while coloring or doing a sticker book.
The great news is that there are hundreds to choose from in many different genres. You can even find some that span other age groups that the entire family will enjoy!
If you have the free Libby app connected to your library card, your kids can listen to audiobooks for free!
Just be sure to have some comfy kids headphones* on hand!
10. Nature Journaling
A member suggested journaling with kids as a quiet, indoor pastime. This is an excellent idea because it can help connect what children see outside with other skills, like creativity and writing.
Any small notebook will do, but we have discovered this Ultimate Travel Journal for Kids that provides journal prompts to get your kids going.
Your children can write about their day, draw pictures, fasten leaves to the pages or do nature rubbings. Consider looking up some nature journaling prompts to spark their creativity!
I found this free printable nature journal for kids, which looks neat, too.
11. Cross-Stitch
This set of cross stitch comes as a complete kit and is great for ages 7-13. They can also be turned into backpack charmers or used as ornaments.
Your kid will like the calm embroidery and having a piece of art when it is complete.
You never know if a kit like this will inspire a new crafting passion in kids. And speaking of crafting kits…
12. Knitting or Crochet
Knitting and Crochet are listed as one item since they are different yet similar. Both activities take yarn and create valuable items by using a needle or two.
It's a wonderful way to entertain kids in an RV and end up with sentimental decorations for everyone!
You can start your kids off with this Learn to Knit Pocket Scarf* or Woobles Beginner Crochet Kit*.
But wait! We're not done with yarn hobbies yet…
13. Weaving & Embroidery
Depending on your child's age, weaving or embroidery might be a fun indoor pastime. While I already mentioned cross-stitch above, these might be appropriate activities for two different-aged children to do together.
They both require concentration and handy work to create something artistic.
It's also an activity that can grow with your child, all the way into adulthood!
14. Rock Painting
Rock Painting is a fun and creative activity that can entertain children and teach them the value of sharing. First, they can paint rock in fun, colorful ways. This helps them express themselves.
Then, they can hide the rocks around town or on trails for others to find.
Not only do they get to express themselves creatively. They also learn the value of sharing that fun with other people.
Just be sure to read what NOT to do with painted rocks while camping.
15. Paper Dolls
One RV Lifestyle member suggested a classic pastime to entertain kids in an RV: paper doll making.
Not only are paper dolls fun to cut out and create. They help younger children hone their fine motor skills and imagination.
It's a wonderful idea that I wouldn't have thought of myself! That's why our RV Lifestyle Facebook group is so wonderful.
16. Origami
Speaking of paper, origami is an excellent rainy day activity for kids. This Origami Extravaganza! Set is a good set to start with.
Or, you can combine audiobooks and origami with Tom Angleberger's origami Star Wars book series*. Kids love the funny stories and making the origami characters that go along with them.
17. Jacks
Another classic! Jacks is a fun ball-bouncing game that can be played indoors.
It is engaging and also helps kids fine-tune their motor skills! It's a game boys and girls can enjoy playing together, on their own, or with their parents.
It takes up practically zero space in the RV, which is always a plus!
18. LEGO
You might think taking a bunch of tiny Lego pieces in your RV is a terrible idea. But don't worry, you can use this organizer box to keep things tidy.
Lego has an EXCELLENT reward program called LEGO VIP. It's FREE and you earn points for shopping in LEGO stores or at LEGO.com. Unlike other reward programs, LEGO VIP is generous with their reward points and what you can buy with them.
Plus, there are special sales for VIP members, too. (By the way, we're not affiliates of LEGO, just big fans.)
19. Cooking with Kids
Since you're inside, you might as well put that RV kitchen to use! Take the rainy day as an opportunity to teach your kids to cook and try a new recipe they'll love.
You can always check our sister site CampingFoodRecipes.com for new ideas. But here's a sampling of camping treats your kiddos will love:
By the way, if you have a favorite go-to camping recipe, we'd love to try it! Please Submit a Recipe on our sister website.
20. Family Movie Night
Even though this list has avoided screens thus far, sometimes there's nothing better than curling up as a family to watch a movie. A rainy day is the perfect excuse to do just that!
We have a list of great movies to watch while camping, but here are some kid-friendly movie suggestions for different ages:
- RV (of course!)
- Wild America
- Homeward Bound- The Incredible Journey
- The Sandlot
- Goonies*
- Abominable*
- Smallfoot*
- Dora and the Lost City of Gold*
17 Summer Camping Toys for Kids
Now that you have plenty of ways to keep your kids entertained on rainy days, you should check out our list of summer camping toys for kids.
We bet you haven't seen most of these toys before! Go to our list of summer camping toys for kids…
Mike and Jennifer Wendland's Yellowstone Travel Guide
At the top of every RVers bucket list, it is a place so majestic, so wild, and so big that it calls us to return, to explore, to get to know the diversity of its land and animals over and over again.
Everywhere you look are waterfalls, fast-moving rivers, geysers, sheer rock faces, towering lodgepole pines, all framed by mountains under the bright blue cloudless sky.
It’s spectacular for those who love the wilderness and getting up close and personal with it. Enjoy Yellowstone for RV travel.
Mike and Jennifer Wendland's Yellowstone Travel Guide
At the top of every RVers bucket list, it is a place so majestic, so wild, and so big that it calls us to return, to explore, to get to know the diversity of its land and animals over and over again.
Everywhere you look are waterfalls, fast-moving rivers, geysers, sheer rock faces, towering lodgepole pines, all framed by mountains under the bright blue cloudless sky.
It’s spectacular for those who love the wilderness and getting up close and personal with it. Enjoy Yellowstone for RV travel.
Mike and Jennifer's Ultimate Michigan and Great Lakes Bundle – THREE ebooks
This bundle contains our ever-popular Michigan Upper Peninsula 7-Stop Adventure Guide PLUS the NEW LOWER Michigan Adventure Guide PLUS the US Side Tour of the Great Lakes! This ULTIMATE Bundle will help you keep enjoying Michigan and the Great Lakes for years!
Official RV Lifestyle QUICK Links to ALL our eBooks
You can see ALL our eBooks here, or use the following Quick Links to go straight to what you need!
● Arizona
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And MANY of these are BUNDLED together:
New England Bundle
Coastal Maine, Adirondacks
Ultimate Michigan and Great Lakes Bundle – 3 ebooks –
Upper Peninsula, Lower Peninsula, and the Great Lakes Tour
Michigan Bundle
Upper Peninsula, Lower Peninsula
The Great Lakes Adventure Guide Bundle
The Great Lake Shoreline Tour & JUST the Upper Peninsula Guide
Florida Adventure Guide Bundle
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Southwest Adventure Guide Bundle
Arizona, Colorado, Southern Utah)
Ultimate 7-Day RV Adventure Guide Bundle
Collection 1- our first 10 ebooks (does NOT contain Great Lakes Shoreline or Natchez Trace)
We also have a nice collection of ebooks that will help you navigate the RV Lifestyle.
Like these:
The Beginner's Guide to Boondocking
The Ultimate Guide to Cheap or FREE RV Camping Sites
Boondocking and Free RV Camping EBOOK Bundle
The Beginner’s Guide to Boondocking ebook and Ultimate Guide to Free Camping Sites
And ONE PRINT book 🙂 and yes, before you ask, we have plans for MANY more print books.
The Complete Guide to Boondocking – PRINT VERSION
This is the same as the ebook titled The Beginner's Guide to Boondocking but in print.
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