Rainy Day Ideas When Traveling with Kids

One of the biggest quandaries for family travelers is what to do if it rains. Your plans of exploring the Colosseum and Forum, playing on the beach, climbing a mountain, or whooshing down the rollercoaster at a theme park need to be scuttled. So, what do you do to keep the children amused and salvage some of your hard-earned vacation? Try these ideas:

Children’s Museums
For younger children and even preteens, children’s museums are a good solution for rainy day fun. Filled with hands-on activities and interactive exhibits, these are designed to engage various ages (even parents) and teach kids about science, technology, nature, environment and world cultures.

Science Museums
Also filled with exhibits and hands-on features for families, science museums appeal to a wider age range, with programs and activities especially geared to teens and high school students. From anatomy to zoology, exhibits explore the past, present and future; they often have IMAX theaters or planetarium shows, live animal shows and other demonstrations.

Aquariums
The water in these is contained instead of falling on your head, so why not watch colorful tropical fish, even sharks, swim in it? Many aquariums include theater shows or rainforest exhibits with tropical land animals, as well as a chance to watch penguins, seals or sea otters cavort in the water.

Art Museums
You might not think of these as places to take children, but many art museums have special family programs or activities to engage young visitors. Outstanding examples are Worcester Art Museum in Massachusetts and both Walters Art Museum and Baltimore Museum of Art, both in Baltimore. Printed and electronic museum guides feature exhibits with special kid appeal and include games and treasure hunts that can make exploring art fun for the whole family. BAM offers a kids’ program on artist Henri Matisse, whose colorful work are especially appealing to kids.

Nature Centers
If you’re camping at a state or national park, check to see if they have a nature center with rainy day activities or ranger programs. These might even include a rainy day hike or beach-combing, so be sure everyone has rain gear if you plan an outdoor vacation.