20 Indoor Activities for Seniors on Rainy Days

Rain pattering on the windows. A gray sky. Another day stuck inside.

For seniors—especially those with limited mobility or dementia—rainy days can feel long and monotonous. And for caregivers, finding ways to fill those hours meaningfully is a real challenge.

But rainy days don't have to be boring days. With the right activities, they can become opportunities for connection, engagement, and even fun.

Here are 20 indoor activities that turn dreary weather into quality time.

Cozy Up the Environment First

Before diving into activities, set the mood:

1. Lighting: Turn on lamps to combat the gray. Bright, warm light lifts spirits.
2. Comfort: Soft blankets, comfortable seating, cozy socks.
3. Sounds: Rain sounds can be soothing—don't block them entirely. Or add soft background music.
4. Warmth: A cup of tea, hot cocoa, or warm soup adds comfort.
5. Acknowledge it: "It's a perfect day to stay in and [activity]" frames the day positively.

20 Indoor Activities for Rainy Days

1. Bingo Marathon

Bingo is endlessly replayable and provides structure, anticipation, and the thrill of winning.

How to make it special:

1. Play multiple rounds with short breaks
2. Have small prizes (candy, hand lotion, bookmarks)
3. Try different themed versions (animals, foods, holidays)
4. Keep score across rounds for a "grand champion"

CarePrints offers: Bingo sets ($17.99) with large-print cards and multiple themed variations. Our Care Prints Collection includes additional bingo themes for variety.

2. Coloring Session

Set up a coloring station and spend an hour creating together.

Make it cozy:

1. Good lighting
2. Comfortable seating
3. Quality colored pencils
4. Hot beverages
5. Soft music in the background

CarePrints offers: Over 1,700 coloring pages designed for seniors, including nature scenes, nostalgic images, seasonal themes, and calming patterns.

3. Rainy Day Puzzle Time

Jigsaw puzzles are perfect for rainy days—they can be worked on for hours or picked up and put down.

Tips:

1. Choose puzzles with 50-300 pieces depending on ability
2. Large pieces are easier to handle
3. High-contrast images work better
4. Work side by side, chatting as you go

4. Word Game Tournament

Create a mini tournament of word games.

Options:

1. Word searches (timed or untimed)
2. Crossword puzzles
3. Word scrambles
4. Hangman
5. Categories (name things that start with a letter)

CarePrints offers: Hundreds of word searches and crosswords in varying difficulty levels—enough for an entire rainy day tournament.

5. Baking Together

Simple baking projects fill the house with wonderful smells and produce a delicious reward.

Senior-friendly options:

1. Slice-and-bake cookies
2. No-bake treats
3. Banana bread or muffins
4. Pudding or jello
5. Decorating pre-made cupcakes

Tasks seniors can help with:

1. Stirring ingredients
2. Measuring
3. Decorating
4. Quality control (tasting!)

6. Movie Marathon

Pick a theme and watch 2-3 films together.

Theme ideas:

1. Musicals (Singin' in the Rain, Sound of Music, My Fair Lady)
2. Classic romance (Casablanca, An Affair to Remember)
3. Comedy classics (Some Like It Hot, The Philadelphia Story)
4. Their favorite actor or actress

Enhance the experience:

1. Popcorn in a real bowl
2. Cozy blankets
3. Dimmed lights
4. Discussion between films

7. Indoor Gardening

Bring nature inside even when you can't go out.

Options:

1. Repotting houseplants
2. Planting herb seeds in windowsill containers
3. Arranging cut flowers (or silk flowers)
4. Looking through seed catalogs and planning spring gardens
5. Watering and caring for existing plants

8. Letter Writing or Card Making

A dying art that creates meaningful connections.

Ideas:

1. Write letters to grandchildren or distant family
2. Create greeting cards for upcoming occasions
3. Write thank-you notes
4. Pen-pal correspondence
5. Writing memories to save

CarePrints offers: Templates and designs that can be used to create personalized cards, plus our Stories2Connect service ($34.99) can create custom stories featuring family members as gifts.

9. Reminiscence Hour

Use the cozy atmosphere to dive into memories.

Prompts to try:

1. "Tell me about your first home"
2. "What was your favorite thing about your job?"
3. "What was courting like when you were young?"
4. "What's the best vacation you ever took?"
5. "Tell me about your childhood best friend"

CarePrints offers: Reminiscence prompt cards in our Premium Activities collection that guide meaningful conversations.

10. Virtual Travel

Can't go outside? Travel the world from your living room.

How to do it:

1. Watch travel documentaries
2. Google Earth virtual tours
3. Look through travel books or magazines
4. Discuss places they've been or dreamed of visiting
5. "Visit" countries through activities

CarePrints offers: Our Countries Adventure Pack features content from 9 different countries—activities, coloring pages, and information that let you explore the world from home.

11. Spa Day at Home

Pamper yourselves with simple spa treatments.

Activities:

1. Hand massage with scented lotion
2. Nail painting (fingers or toes)
3. Face mask (simple moisturizing type)
4. Foot soak in warm water
5. Hair brushing and styling
6. Relaxing music

12. Trivia Challenge

Test knowledge and spark memories with trivia.

Topic ideas:

1. Decades they lived through (50s, 60s, etc.)
2. Geography
3. Sports
4. Music and entertainment
5. Food and cooking
6. Historical events

CarePrints offers: Trivia cards in our Premium Activities collection featuring questions from various decades and topics.

13. Sorting and Organizing

Sometimes productive activity feels satisfying.

Ideas:

1. Sorting old photos into albums
2. Organizing a jewelry box
3. Arranging books by color or topic
4. Sorting buttons, craft supplies, or sewing items
5. Going through greeting cards and keepsakes

14. Simple Crafts

Create something tangible to show for the day.

Rainy day crafts:

1. Paper crafts
2. Card making
3. Collage from magazines
4. Simple decorations for upcoming holidays
5. Decorating picture frames

CarePrints offers: 3D Creative Crafts ($4.99) with templates that fold into dimensional art—a perfect rainy day project.

15. Reading Aloud

Take turns reading to each other, or simply read to them.

What to read:

1. Short stories
2. Poetry collections
3. Magazine articles
4. Picture books with beautiful illustrations
5. Their favorite book from years past

CarePrints offers: E-Tales—short stories written specifically for seniors with appropriate content and pacing.

16. Music Appreciation

Make music the focus, not just background.

Activities:

1. Play "name that tune"
2. Listen to a full album from their youth
3. Sing along to favorites
4. Watch concert footage or musical performances
5. Discuss memories triggered by songs

17. Window Watching

Rain can be beautiful to observe.

Make it an activity:

1. Set up comfortable chairs facing the window
2. Watch rain patterns and birds seeking shelter
3. Count cars that drive by
4. Notice how the yard/street looks different in rain
5. Discuss rainy day memories from their past

18. Board Games

Classic games that work well:

Two-player options:

1. Checkers
2. Backgammon
3. Yahtzee
4. Dominoes
5. Simple card games (War, Go Fish, Rummy)

Tips:

1. Adapt rules if needed to reduce frustration
2. Focus on fun, not winning
3. Take breaks between games

19. Creating a Memory Book

Use a rainy day to start a legacy project.

Steps:

1. Gather photos, mementos, and written memories
2. Organize by era or theme
3. Write captions together
4. Discuss each item as you work

CarePrints offers: Our memoir services ($499) can take these gathered memories and transform them into a professionally written life story book.

20. Simply Being Together

Sometimes the best rainy day activity is simply sharing space.

Peaceful togetherness:

1. Reading separately in the same room
2. Watching the rain
3. Sitting together with tea
4. Comfortable silence

Not every moment needs an activity. Presence itself is valuable.

Building a Rainy Day Kit

Be prepared for the next rainy day by creating a kit:

Include:

1. Printed activities (word searches, crosswords, coloring pages)
2. Bingo set
3. Deck of cards
4. Simple craft supplies
5. Photo albums
6. List of movie options
7. Trivia questions
8. Puzzle

CarePrints makes this easy: Our subscription lets you download and print activities anytime. Print extras during sunny days so you're ready when rain comes.

Rainy Days Don't Have to Be Boring

With a little preparation and the right attitude, rainy days become opportunities—for connection, creativity, and cozy quality time.

The next time gray skies appear, you'll be ready.

Your Rainy Day Resource

CarePrints provides thousands of printable activities perfect for indoor days. Build your rainy day kit today.

Our library includes:

1. 18 types of activities in the Care Prints Collection
2. 1,700+ coloring pages
3. Hundreds of word searches and crosswords
4. Bingo sets with multiple themes
5. Trivia and brain games
6. Countries Adventure Pack for armchair travel
7. E-Tales stories for reading aloud

[Build Your Rainy Day Kit →] https://www.geriatriccaresolution.com/care-prints

Questions? Contact us at 1.888.896.8275 or careprints@gcaresolution.com