By: Megan Jones

They say when it rains it pours, and California is having one of the rainiest seasons I have ever experienced. When the groundhog said 6 more weeks of winter, he really wasn’t kidding! If you are anything like me, the rain does indeed put a damper on my parade. However, I have found that there are a few things I love about the rain. Although, during the rain we may be bound indoors, there are still plenty of fun and productive things you can do. If you are looking to add some items to your rainy day agenda, here are 5 activities to do when it rains!

Create or Check Your Emergency Kit

With the rainy season we are having, multiple areas throughout the bay have had power outages, trees falling, and sinkholes throughout our highways and roads. You don’t want to wait for an emergency to prepare. Consider creating a emergency kit in the event you have a power outage. If you do plan to make one, some great items to have are generators, portable chargers, prepared foods (such as granola bars, peanut butter), distilled water, mini first aid kits, thermal wear or blankets. You can keep it all in a backpack and store it in a closet and/or in your car.

Prepare a New Meal

When the rain keeps me indoors, my go to favorite thing to do is cook! Consider trying a new meal or recipe. Soups are my favorite thing to make (and they can add a nice aroma to the house). If you are looking for inspiration a Pinterest, Google Search, or try and recreate your favorite dish from your favorite restaurant!

Movie Day

Sometimes rainy days, make the best “lazy days”. However, I don’t consider them lazy at all. Consider it a rest day or self-care day. Get together with friends, family, or have a fun movie marathon for yourself. If you do it with friends and family, everyone can bring a small snack and you can enjoy a communal potluck. Additionally, everyone can write down a movie and you can watch everyone’s favorite. My other favorite way to do it is to watch a marathon or a series movie (Harry Potter is my current favorite).

Check Something Off the To-Do List

Anybody have a long-term to-do list? Action items on mine are flipping my mattress, hanging artwork, finding items to donate, and deep cleaning a storage cabinet. Being honest, this is not always a fun item to do, however it feels so rewarding once you’ve done it. When it rains and you’re stuck indoors it is a great motivator to do the household chores or items that you don’t attend to often.

Do Something Creative

I am a person that prefers constant and consistent movement. To paint, color, or make a photo album I can never find the time to sit down and spend time doing. However, again being trapped indoors can really make me slow down and embrace a slower paced day. Take an hour and consider painting, or create that photo album that you have always been meaning to do. It is a great way to do something creative and can be a great way to relax and decompress.

BONUS: Make a Thunder Cake

One of my favorite childhood books is Thunder Cake by Patricia Polacco. It is a story about a child who is gets frightened by the thunder while visiting their grandma’s house. To help soothe the child the grandma, says that there is a special kind of cake that can only be made during a thunderstorm. If you are trying to create it yourself, consider checking out the recipe! What did I take away from this book? That when it rains, it is a great excuse to make a cake! Whether it is the cake recipe from the book or making your favorite cake, consider using your next rainy to day to have a cake and make it too!

We may have plenty of rainy days ahead of us, as April showers bring may flowers! Looking on the positive side of things we are bound to have a plentiful blooming spring! Enjoy and make the most of your rainy days and consider trying out one of these activities during your next rainy day weekend!