Making the Most of a Dreich Day

Some mornings in Scotland, you open the curtains to grey skies and rain coming down sideways, and you know the park, the garden and the walk to the shops are all off the cards. With young children, that can feel like a very long day ahead. The good news is that little ones do not need much to be happy — they need your attention, a bit of novelty and permission to make a mess. A few simple activities, prepared in advance, can turn a washout into a day they talk about for weeks.

Here are some tried-and-tested ideas that work in a normal-sized Scottish home, using things you probably already have in the cupboard.

Build a Den They Will Actually Stay In

Den building is the single most reliable rainy day activity for children aged two to seven. The trick is to make it comfortable enough that they want to stay inside it, rather than simply enjoying the construction and wandering off.

• Drape a big sheet or duvet cover over a dining table, two chairs back to back, or a clothes horse. Secure it with pegs or bulldog clips so it does not collapse every few minutes.
• Put a rug or a folded blanket on the floor underneath — cold floors end den time quickly.
• Add cushions, a torch or a string of battery fairy lights, and a small basket of books.
• Keep it away from radiators and fires, and never cover anything that gets hot.

If you have a baby or toddler who still puts things in their mouth, choose larger clips and check the sheet cannot wrap around them. Once the den is up, a flask of hot chocolate and a few oatcakes carried inside on a tray turns it into a proper wee hideaway.

Homemade Playdough in Ten Minutes

Shop-bought playdough dries out fast, but the cooked version keeps for weeks in an airtight tub and costs pennies. You will need:

• 2 cups plain flour
• 1 cup table salt
• 2 tablespoons cream of tartar
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 cups water
• A few drops of food colouring, and a teaspoon of vanilla or peppermint essence if you like

Tip everything into a pan and stir over a low heat for three or four minutes, until the mixture pulls away from the sides and forms a soft ball. Turn it out, let it cool, then knead it for a minute. Store it in a sealed tub or a zip bag in a cool cupboard.

To keep children busy for longer, give the playdough a purpose. A wee bakery works brilliantly: supply a rolling pin, a blunt butter knife, paper cases and a few dried pasta shapes. Let them make shortbread, pies and birthday cakes, then take orders from you as the customer. For a Scottish twist, set out oats, a little cocoa powder and a toy till, and let them run a morning roll shop.

A Living Room Picnic

When you cannot go outside, bring the outside in. Spread a blanket on the living room floor, add cushions and a basket, and serve lunch or tea picnic-style. It breaks the usual routine and gives the day a shape.

• Keep food simple and easy to eat: small sandwiches cut into triangles, cheese cubes, grapes, cherry tomatoes, oatcakes and a few squares of shortbread.
• Use a flask for hot chocolate or warm milk, and plastic cups for everyone.
• Add a game — I spy, a singalong, or a picnic quiz with silly questions such as "would you rather be a seal or a puffin?"

Put a large towel or an old shower curtain under the blanket if you have toddlers, and finish by getting them to help carry everything back to the kitchen. Tidy-up is part of the fun if you make it a race.

Quiet Activities for the Afternoon Slump

By three o'clock, energy dips — both yours and theirs. This is the moment for something calm and contained.

• Sensory bin: a washing-up bowl of dried rice, lentils or pasta, with scoops, cups and small toys hidden inside. Put a towel underneath.
• Torch stories: back to the den, lights off, torch on, and tell a story together, taking turns to add a line.
• Sticky note treasure hunt: hide ten notes around one room with simple pictures or letters, and let them find and collect them.
• An audiobook or story CD while they colour, build with blocks or sort a box of buttons.

Little Things That Make the Day Easier

Keep a rainy day box in a cupboard with the playdough ingredients, pegs, a torch, balloons and a couple of craft bits, so you are not searching when the rain starts. Have a towel by the door for wet jackets, and expect a certain amount of mess — a splash mat or an old sheet under the table saves a lot of scrubbing.

Rotate activities rather than offering everything at once, and remember that young children often last longer with one thing than with five. If the day ends with playdough in the carpet and a child in good spirits, that counts as a success.