Parent tip
Start before you overthink it. No-prep activities work best when you begin while the moment is still recoverable.
Rainy Day Window Art
A rainy-day craft — draw on windows with washable markers while watching the rain outside.
Activity details
Instructions
- Choose a window at toddler height — glass doors work brilliantly
- Check your markers are genuinely washable (test a small area first)
- Let your toddler draw freely on the glass
- Draw raindrops, clouds, or umbrellas together
- Watch the real rain and talk about it: 'The drops are racing down! Which one will win?'
- Try tracing the rain paths with their finger on the inside
- When done, clean together with a spray bottle and cloth — this is fun too
- The cleaning is part of the activity, not a chore
What success looks like
Messy hands and a child who doesn’t want to stop. The artwork doesn’t need to look like anything — the process is the point.
When it's pouring outside, set your toddler up at a window with washable markers and let them draw directly on the glass. The rain streaming down outside creates a magical backdrop, and the vertical drawing surface works different muscles than drawing on a table. The cosy contrast of being warm inside while watching weather outside makes this a genuinely atmospheric, special activity.
Why it helps
The EYFS framework identifies art and design activities as developing fine motor skills while encouraging children to explore materials and express their ideas creatively. Drawing on a vertical surface strengthens the shoulder, arm, and wrist muscles needed for later writing — muscles that don't develop from table-top drawing alone. The contrast between the chaotic, uncontrollable rain outside and the calm, creative space inside provides a natural emotional regulation lesson. Watching raindrops builds visual tracking skills, and the sensory atmosphere of rain sounds creates a deeply calming environment.
Variations
- Use window crayons for a different drawing experience.
- Draw a sun on the window and pretend to 'make the rain stop.'
- For older toddlers, play 'draw what you see outside' — a house, a car, a tree.
Safety tips
- Test markers on a small area first to ensure they wash off your specific glass.
- Avoid letting toddlers lean heavily against windows — stay close.
- Keep marker lids out of reach as they can be choking hazards.
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