Puddlesuits, movie nights and daytime baths: how to survive rainy days with small kids

Wet weather dampening your plans? From screen-free stories and craft kits to waterproof gear, here’s how to keep little ones – and grownups – entertained

• The best gifts for kids by age

Before becoming a mum, I never appreciated quite how complicated getting out the front door would be with kids in tow. But in my four and a half years of parenting two small people, I can confidently say it’s nothing compared with the challenge of a day spent inside when outside is off-limits. Whether because of endless rain or illnesses you don’t want to pass on, I panic at the thought of filling the hours spent indoors.

Being outside is profoundly helpful for my mental health, and it comes with its own built-in entertainment for small children: a bus ride becomes a sensory experience, a trip to the doctor’s an opportunity to pick up role-play ideas.