Key Takeaways

• Rainy day summer activities don't have to mean expensive electronics or elaborate plans.

• Activity books, coloring books, and puzzles keep kids busy without much setup.

• A craft table and a stocked snack drawer can turn a stuck-inside afternoon into a mini event.

• Since Ollie's inventory changes often, it helps to grab rainy day supplies before the forecast turns.

Summer weather doesn't always cooperate, and a surprise storm can quickly call for summer activities suited to a rainy day instead. Lucky for you, Ollie's is stocked with affordable indoor summer activities, activity books, board games, puzzles, crafts, and snacks that make staying in feel like a treat instead of a letdown. Here are a few reliable summer boredom busters that don't take a big shopping trip or price tag.

Keep Activity Books and Coloring Books Ready

When the weather doesn't cooperate, activity books are one of the easiest rainy day activities to keep on hand, since they work for a wide range of ages and take only a minute to set up.

Look for:

• Coloring and sticker books for younger kids

• Word-search or logic puzzle books for older kids

• Workbooks for a quiet, low-key skill review

Ollie's Coloring & Activity Books section is a good first stop, since new titles show up all the time.

Break Out the Board Games and Puzzles

Board games and puzzles are some of the best screen-free activities for a stretch of bad weather, and a reliable way to line up summer activities for a rainy day without much prep.

Look for:

• A deck of cards or a family board game

• A large jigsaw puzzle to work on in short bursts

• Simple group games that don't need a long rulebook

New options show up often in Ollie's Games & Puzzles section, so it's worth a look every time you visit. Once the rain clears, that same competitive streak can move right outside with Ollie's roundup of the best outdoor lawn games for the whole family.

Set Up a Simple Craft Table

A simple craft table takes just a few minutes to set up, making it a flexible pick among indoor summer activities for kids who'd rather make something than watch something. It's also easy to reuse on the next rainy day, since supplies can last a long time.

Look for:

• Paper, markers, and paint for open-ended projects

• Stickers and beads for younger kids

• Fabric scraps and other embellishments for older kids

Crafts for kids and rainy day crafts work best with everything sorted into a bin. Ollie's Art & Craft Supplies and Arts & Crafts sections keep a changing selection of paint, paper, and embellishments in stock, so it's worth checking both.

Make Reading Part of the Rainy-Day Routine

Reading is an easy way to slow the pace on a rainy day, and it's one of the simplest summer activities to pull off without needing extra supplies.

Look for:

• Picture books for younger readers

• Graphic novels and chapter books for older kids

• Kids books and YA titles for teens

Both the Books & Stationery and Kids & Young Adult sections at Ollie's are worth browsing for something nobody's tried yet. Easy indoor activities like this pair well with a snack and a cozy couch.

Turn the Living Room Into Movie-Night Central

When the rest of the day calls for lower energy, turning the living room into a mini movie theater is one of the simplest summer activities on this list.

Look for:

• Blankets and pillows for a cozy setup

• Popcorn, pretzels, and other easy snacks

• A favorite family movie or show

Ollie's Snacks section is a good place to grab name-brand popcorn and candy for less.

Build a Backup Shelf Before the Weather Turns

Since Ollie's works with closeouts and rotating inventory, the best finds for a rainy day don't always stick around, so it pays to stock up on summer activities before the forecast turns. For more on why that ever-changing selection is part of the fun, see why treasure hunt shopping saves you more.

Stock a small backup shelf with:

• A book or activity book

• A game or puzzle

• A craft kit

• A snack or two

Indoor games for kids and other quick-grab items are worth watching for all summer. Check the current flyer or use the store locator to see the latest finds among indoor summer activities at a nearby store.