It’s bad enough when you’re stuck inside on a rainy day—imagine how frustrating and disappointing it is for a child held prisoner by the weather. You can make the day a lot more fun for everyone with a little ingenuity and only a few simple props. Try some of these games the next time you find yourself hosting a bored and restless child (or two). And after they’re all worn out, remind them that rainy days were made for curling up with a good book.

1. Build something small. Construct a tiny hut, fence, or other simple structure using glue and toothpicks.

2. Play with their ears. Have a game of “Seek the Sound.” While children are out of the room, hide a clock, kitchen timer, portable radio, or any object that makes a steady and fairly loud noise. When they return, give them a certain amount of time to locate the sound.

3. Bake or cook something. Choose something easy to make and fun to eat. Simple cookies and candies are rewarding because you can let all but the very youngest children make a contribution to the cooking. “Spider candy” is lots of fun and easy to make: Melt a 12-ounce bag of semisweet chocolate chips in the microwave, stir in 6 to 8 ounces of crispy chop suey noodles, and drop by the spoonful onto wax paper. They are ready to eat when cool and firm. Yum!

4. Dress up. Get out old clothes, hats, scarves, and jewelry and help kids create costumes. Don’t limit yourself to regular “dress up”—try making a superhero cape using a scarf and two safety pins or a pirate hat from newspaper.

5. Make faces. Let children use old makeup to change their faces. They can become anything from models to monsters with the right application of rouge, eye pencils, lipstick, etc.

6. Play simple games. Play good old rainy day pencil and paper games: hangman, tic tac toe, or even an impromptu game of “pictionary.”

7. Practice the arts. Help them create art and jewelry with pasta. Mix a few drops of food coloring with a little water and a splash of rubbing alcohol. Stir in dried pasta and spread on newspapers to dry (the alcohol will help them dry within a few minutes). String pasta for chains or necklaces or paste different shapes and colors on paper to create mosaics.

8. Get wet. Let kids climb in the tub in bathing suits or washable old clothing and give them free reign with a set of watercolor paints. They can paint the tub, the tile walls, their bodies—whatever they like. When they’ve had enough, turn on the shower to wash it all down the drain.

9. Put them through training. Give them an “Outward Bound” experience by having them navigate an indoor obstacle course. The adventures should vary according to the children’s age and skill level, but can include a crawl through a large cardboard box, a climb over a mound of throw pillows, a step-up-step-down challenge with a stool or large book, and a ball-toss (into a hat, basket, box, etc.).

10. Have a parade. Get out pots, pans, plastic bowls, and wooden utensils and be a marching band.