Rainy Day Activities for Kids: Printable Colouring Pages, Card Games and a Dice Game
The rain has been drumming on the window since breakfast, the park is out of the question and the children are already asking what to do. A few printed pages, a box of crayons and the kitchen table can turn a grey day into a good one. Here are calm rainy day activities for kids aged 3–6 that you can print at home in a few minutes: alphabet and number colouring pages, picture-card games, and one dice game for children aged 7 and up.
Rainy day activities for kids: the plan for one afternoon
- Colour a letter. Start with the first letter of your child's name.
- Count and colour. Pick a number page and count the pictures together.
- Cut out picture cards. Colour a sheet of cards and cut them out with an adult.
- Play a card game. Pairs, “What's missing?” or a made-up story.
- Roll the dice. Older brothers and sisters plant a garden with two dice.
1. Alphabet colouring pages: one letter at a time
My First Alphabet is a printable colouring book with one A4 page for every letter. On each page children colour a big outlined capital and lower-case letter, colour the picture next to it and trace the letter on the dotted line. The book follows the alphabet of the language you choose: 26 letters in English, French and Italian, 27 in Spanish, 30 in German and Bulgarian and 32 in Polish. Want to see a few pages first? Download the free sample.
A tip for rainy days: don't print the whole book at once. Let your child choose three letters – their own initial, a sibling's and one for a favourite animal. That is enough for half an hour, and there is something new for the next rainy day.
The free sample is a 5-page A4 PDF: the cover with a “This book belongs to” line and 3 letter pages. Enter your email on the product page and the download links appear right away – no checkout and no payment. The full book (€2.90) has a page for every letter of your alphabet.
Download the free sample See the full book
2. Count and colour: numbers from 1 to 20
My First Numbers 1–20 has one A4 page for each number from 1 to 20. Every page shows a big outlined numeral, the number word and the right number of pictures – apples, balloons, fish, stars, butterflies, snowflakes and more. Children count the pictures, colour them and trace the number.
An example: Mia is 4 and her brother Ben is 6. While the rain keeps falling, Mia colours the page for 3 and counts the pictures out loud. Ben takes the page for 12, counts twice to be sure and then checks his sister's page.
The free sample is a 5-page A4 PDF with the cover and the pages for 1, 2 and 3. The full book (€2.90) has 21 pages: the cover and one page for every number up to 20.
Download the free sample See the full book
3. Picture cards: colour, cut out and play
Picture & Word Cards is a set of 72 cards with pictures and words in 6 themes: Farm, Fruit and vegetables, Forest, Vehicles, Home and toys, and Sea. There are 12 cards on each A4 sheet, with dotted cutting lines and pictures ready to colour. In French, Italian, Spanish and German every word comes with its article.
Card games for a rainy afternoon:
- Pairs: print a sheet twice, lay all the cards face down and look for two matching cards.
- First letter: pick a card and say which letter the word starts with.
- What's missing? Lay out five cards and hide one while the child closes their eyes – which card is missing?
- Story time: pick three cards and make up a story with all three.
The free sample is a 4-page A4 PDF with the Farm sheet (12 cards) and a page of game ideas. The full set (€2.90) has all 72 cards in 6 themes.
Download the free sample See all 72 cards
4. For kids aged 7 and up: a dice game for the whole table
Grandma's Garden & Jars is a printable roll & write game for 1–6 players aged 7 and up, and a game takes about 20 minutes. Someone rolls 2 dice for everyone: one die is the row, the other is the vegetable. Everyone draws that vegetable on their own garden sheet at the same time, so nobody waits. After every season comes the harvest and Grandma's shelf fills with jars; in winter, the player with the most points wins. It also works on your own, so an older child can play while the little ones colour. Before you start, read how to play Grandma's Garden & Jars.
The free edition has the garden sheet and an 8-page rulebook; you need 2 ordinary dice and a pencil for every player. The full edition (€3.90) adds 6 of Grandma's helpers with special powers, the Master shelf with 3 recipes, Grandma's solo ladder and fold-up dice.
Download the free edition See the full edition
Tips for a calm rainy day at home
- Print in the morning. If the forecast says rain, print a few pages before breakfast – then they are ready the moment someone asks “What can we do?”
- Keep a rainy day folder. Put the printed pages and cards in one folder or box, together with crayons and safety scissors.
- Mix quiet and active play. After colouring, hide picture cards around the room and let the children find them.
- Play again. Put a game sheet in a clear plastic sleeve and use a whiteboard marker.
More rainy day ideas without a printer
- Blanket fort. Chairs, a sheet and a few cushions make a den for reading and colouring.
- Treasure hunt. Hide a small toy and guide your child with “warmer” and “colder”.
- Dance and freeze. Play music – when it stops, everyone stands still like a statue.
- Bake together. Simple biscuits: children measure, stir and decorate, and an adult looks after the oven.
- Puddle walk. If the rain is gentle and there is no thunder, put on wellies and raincoats and go puddle-jumping together.
What you need to print
A printer, A4 or US Letter paper and crayons or coloured pencils. Choose “Fit to page” when you print. For the picture cards, thicker paper makes them easier to hold, and a pair of scissors – used with an adult – does the rest. For the dice game you need 2 ordinary dice and a pencil for every player. All the books and the game are available in 7 languages, and every free download works the same way: enter your email on the product page and the links appear right away.
So when the next grey morning comes, you already know what to do: put the crayons on the table and let the rain fall.
The photo scenes are AI-generated. The files are for personal use (and for your own class or group if you are a teacher). Printed cut-out cards and small printed parts are not suitable for children under 3.