Rain makes everything beautiful is a quote people say who don’t have small children or active toddlers to tend to. Being stuck in your house with kids that need to move can be daunting and debilitating at times. As a father of three boys, I have no problem finding that perfect spot to let the kids burn out the energy. Finding rainy day activities is necessary and beneficial to any parent’s well-being. At Kid-Friendly Triad we have done the heavy lifting for you to find the best indoor activities to make your rainy day bright.
To make things easier we have broken our Greensboro, NC rainy day activities for children into two categories. The first is your traditional ideas such as museums, bounce house craziness, and movie theaters. The second category of rainy day activities is more DIY and unconventional to help churn out energy.
Traditional Rainy Day Activities
Greensboro Children’s Museum or Greensboro Science Center
Whether you are a member or not, visiting the Greensboro Children’s Museum or Science Center are great activity for young children. As for the Children’s Museum, there is a ton of indoor space to let kids run, interact with exhibits, get hands-on with educational play (model grocery stores, doctor’s office, building blocks, etc), and interactive media to stimulate your child in a unique way. If you are a member of the museum, then you don’t have to pay for each visit and gain access to other area museums at a discount.
The Greensboro Science Center is a learning paradise for young kids. The new aquarium is sure to delight children with sharks, rays, penguins, octopi, and more. They also have outdoor animal exhibits, ropes courses, weather and science exhibits, and even hands-on experiences with animals. This spot is definitely worth a drive from any area Triad city/town.
Visit their websites for more information:
Greensboro Public Library – Central Library
The Greensboro Public Library has fantastic resources for children of all ages. The librarians can recommend books for your children and introduce you to tools for homework and research assistance. This location offers fun and exciting children’s programs that help develop literacy skills while inspiring the joys of reading. On the first floor, you will find a large and inviting space for children and our Popular Library offering fiction, audiobooks, music CDs, and DVDs.
Visit their website for more information
Go Bowling
Bowling allies are not just for parties and events anymore. With three wonderful bowling centers to checkout, everyone in your family can join in on the fun. Choose between 30+ lanes, stocked arcade, billiards, concessions, and even free WIFI for older kids who are too cool for school. Each bowling location offers a different experience. Learn more below.
5502 Hornaday Rd, Greensboro, NC 27409
910 S Holden Rd, Greensboro, NC 27407
21 Oak Branch Dr, Greensboro, NC 27407
Watch a Movie
Catch a family-friendly movie at one of Greensboro’s many movie theaters. Nothing calms a kid down like a bucket of popcorn and the stimulating sights and sounds of Hollywood! Below are some of the theaters in town to look up showtimes.
Regal Cinemas Greensboro Grande 16 & RPX
Regal Palladium Stadium 14 & IMAX
Carolina Theatre of Greensboro
Indoor Insanity
If you are brave enough to get involved in some of the action, you can always check out five of Greensboro’s indoor activity centers that offer everything from trampolines, to foam pits, and indoor bounce houses. Burn some energy and let kids run, jump, and play all under a roof for those rainy or snowy conditions. View some of the great Greensboro options below:
Go Historic
The Greensboro History Museum has many kid-friendly activities to offer. Spend time together as you search for clues in a scavenger hunt, or test your mettle as firefighters with a fire brigade bucket. Create a lifelong hunger for history in your favorite young person.
Visit their website for more information
Other Ideas
The Wright Stuff
Flight & Racing Simulation Center
They offer flight simulation on their eight networked flight stations. You can dogfight with your friends or race cars with four of your friends or family. Each station has surround sound and a head-tracking device. There is also a Virtual Reality experience where you can experience the thrill of a WWII aerial dogfight or fly along with Apollo 11.
The Wright Stuff
Unconventional Rainy Day Activities
Hit The Gym
As a parent with a gym membership, I understand that I also need to get out and move to stay mentally and physically healthy. So for a rainy day activity in Greensboro, NC, why not bring your kids along with you. My local YMCA offers free childcare, but I also can bring my kids along to the jogging track, indoor turf, and basketball courts to stretch those active legs.
Go Shopping
As a dad and man of the world, I don’t mind shopping when I have to, but to be honest, department stores are large, open, have high-ceilings and allow for your kids to be loud and active without bringing about too much unwanted attention. My kids personally love Target, Wal-Mart, and especially Costco where they can get involved in shopping and even get free samples (Yes! Free snacks!). Also, plan your grocery trip in there as well to help distract the kids and maybe even teach them some nutritional basics. Lowes Foods and Harris Teeter both offer free cookies to children and my kids want to beeline to that area first on every trip.
As for more local shopping centers, Greensboro has a great kid-friendly shopping area in Friendly Center. It hosts multiple kid-friendly eateries like a Ben & Jerry’s scoop shop, Chick-Fil-A, and McDonald’s. Friendly Center also has numerous kid-themed and friendly shops like Barnes & Noble, Toys & Co, and Chuck-E. Cheese.
Hidden Book Nook
I am an avid book-lover and try to instill that in my children as well. But lugging the kids along at bookstores can be stressful, especially with active kids who think shelf shopping is BORING and want to touch EVERYTHING. So whether you are at one of Greensboro’s local bookstores like Scuppernong Books, McKay’s, or Parts Unknown or Acme Comics or at a chain like Barnes & Noble, find the children’s section and read to your kids to improve their own comprehension and keep them happy.
Pro Tip: Barnes & Noble has a devoted Children’s book section and my kids love the plush toys, the train table, collectible toys & games, and chairs. We can spend an hour or two here easy and may even catch a reading aloud event on the Barnes & Noble stage as well.
Cook Up Some Fun
If staying at home is your scene, why not take a moment to teach your children more about food, ingredients, and how meals are prepared by having them cook with you. My kids love using a whisk or mixing spoon and making baked goods, dropping the pasta in a pot, or even learning to chop vegetables with child-safe utensils.
Get Arts & Crafty
Greensboro, NC does have painting and pottery craft stores where you and your child can create your own bowls, cups, and more. Greensboro also has different options like Mad Platter pottery, Young Rembrandt’s painting classes, and more. Our city is also home to the Center For Visual Arts where you can take your kids to an art class after school or when school is out. But if neither of these ideas fits your budget, you can always crack open some Play-Dough or crayons and make your own art at home.
Have your own ideas? Feel free to comment below!
