A Fun Rainy Day
Turn raindrops, puddles, and little frogs into a picture, then follow your child’s ideas until the drawing becomes a rainy-day story.
- 2½ years
- Quick prep
- At home
- About 15 minutes
Developmental benefits
- Language：Listening with curiosity and asking about the marks on the page encourages your child to explain what their drawing represents and what is happening.
- Cognitive：Following your child’s answers and wondering what might happen next helps them connect separate drawing ideas into a simple story.
Preparation
What You’ll Need
- 1
A picture book about rain, white paper, and markers
Step 1
Read and Talk
On a rainy day indoors, read a picture book about rain together. Afterward, ask, “What else is fun on a rainy day?” Follow each answer with interest. When your child has several ideas, invite them to draw one.
What to notice
- Picks up a marker and begins drawing without a prompt
Initiative and Curiosity - Tells you about something they have seen on a rainy day
Communicating and Speaking
Tips
- Ask about a detail your child mentions so they know you are listening: “Where is the little frog?” or “How many frogs are there?”
- Reading first offers images and events your child can connect with. Those ideas can make it easier to begin drawing.
Step 2
I Drew…
When the drawing is ready, ask your child what they made. Be a curious listener: pay close attention, then ask one or two questions that follow their words. Feeling that the picture matters to you may invite them to share more.
What to notice
- Tells you what they drew
Emergent Literacy - Asks you for help when unsure how to draw part of the picture
Relationships with Adults
Tips
- If your child wants to draw a frog but does not know where to start, name one or two features: “First, two round eyes. Then a big belly. Want to try?”
- The picture does not need to look realistic. The important discovery is that a line, color, or shape can stand for an idea.
- If sharing is unfamiliar, model one observation: “I see a bird. What else did you draw?”
- Demonstrate one small part only if your child still cannot begin after receiving a clue.
Step 3
Turn the Drawing into a Story
After listening, ask one concrete question about the picture: “What could happen in this puddle?” Let your child imagine a new event, then help add it to the page. Continue until the rainy-day drawing becomes a little story.
What to notice
- Imagines an event based on something in the picture
Creativity - Adds a new idea to the drawing Emergent Literacy
Tips
- If your child is out of ideas, add a visual clue, such as a pair of rain boots on a character.
- Welcome an idea that seems unrelated to rain, such as a superhero, and connect it to the picture: “Where is the superhero? Should they splash in the puddle too?”
Better Parenting Content Team · Updated September 11, 2026