20 Fun Rainy Day Games to Play When the Weather Sucks

When the weather forecast is looking dreary day after day and you’ve exhausted all your binge-watching plans, or your to-be-read pile is looking awfully skimpy, it’s time to pull out the big guns — the rainy day games.

Whether you have children at home, roommates, or just yourself to entertain, having a repertoire of rainy day games at the ready can brighten up even the worst of drizzly days. From timeless go-to activities like puzzles to iconic board games to out-of-the-box ideas that will stretch your creativity in the kitchen, here are 20 rainy day games that can make a stuck-at-home rainy day feel a little less gloomy.

1. Puzzles

Doing a puzzle is a classic way to spend a rainy day. It’s the bad-weather go-to activity for good reason — it’s slow, mindful, and so satisfying. Try a 500-piece puzzle to challenge yourself.

2. Iron Chef

When it’s really pouring outside, the last thing you want to do is venture out for groceries. So challenge yourself to a Chopped day. Pick random ingredients from the pantry and the fridge and see what kind of unique concoctions you can improvise. If you’re at home with a crowd, everyone can try their own hand at a dish.

3. Monopoly

Monopoly is one of those board games that never gets old. It’s nostalgic, yet you also have more appreciation for it in adulthood when the ruthlessness of the real estate market starts to hit a little too close to home.

4. Charades

It’s time to pull out this old-school game when you have nothing else to do on a rainy day. Pick a category, then take turns acting out your favorite movies, books, animals, and characters.

5. Build a Blanket Fort

Whether or not you have kids in the house, building a blanket fort can make you feel like a child again. Pull out a few chairs, drape some blankets, and create a cozy place to sit and read for an afternoon.

6. Cards Against Humanity

This game of ridiculous answers and prompts that will make you blush continues to be a favorite game over a decade after it was first released. Cards Against Humanity is the kind of game that can get people laughing — especially when that rainy day boredom kicks in.

7. Chess

If there was ever a time to sit down and commit to learning chess, it’s a slow, rainy day with nothing else to do. Pull up a few YouTube tutorials and see if you can master this 1,500-year-old game.

8. Jenga

Remember Jenga? It’s the kind of game that you either love, or get stressed by. But it’s a great game to pull out when you have a house full of people with pent-up rainy day energy.

9. Trivia

Use your rainy day to expand your knowledge — or test it. Take turns coming up with your own questions (choose your own categories — the more obscure the better!) or download trivia sheets for a favorite category off Etsy.

10. Pictionary

Put your drawing skills to the test with this classic game of sketching and guessing. The ability to draw realistically doesn’t matter: Pictionary is all about speed and knowing what people need to figure out what you’re trying to say.

11. Battle of the Karaoke

If you have a karaoke machine, great. If you don’t, who cares? Put on your favorite karaoke songs and have an impromptu battle of the bands — except all you have is your voice and the track behind you.

12. UNO

UNO is one of those games you probably remember from being a kid because it’s so easy that the whole family can play. To refresh your memory, you’re in a race to get rid of your cards by matching colors and numbers, all in the hopes of yelling “UNO!”

13. Movie Night Bingo

Combine two rainy day essentials into one with movie night Bingo. These cards work for any movie, so just queue up the next movie on your must-watch list, then see who can get Bingo first.

14. Taboo

Taboo has been billing itself as the game of unspeakable fun for generations, and isn’t that exactly what you want on a slow, rainy day? This fast-paced guessing game requires four players, so it’s perfect for roommates or families.

15. Chili Cook-Off

This might push the limits of what’s considered a game, but a chili cook-off is the ideal way to spend a rainy day. Recruit a few friends, make sure you’ve got plenty of slow cookers, and let the spicy games begin. Who will make one featuring chocolate? Who’s going to turn up the heat? The chili options are endless, but only one person can become the chili champion.

16. Scrabble

Scrabble can bring out a competitive streak you didn’t even know you had. Stringing words together from tiles is surprisingly heated, and this is a rainy day game that can keep you entertained for hours.

17. Dominoes

If you’ve never really learned how to play dominoes, there’s no time to learn like the present! Especially if you have a long rainy weekend day in front of you.

18. Cupcake Wars

Break out the KitchenAid because it’s time to get creative with sugar, flour, and frosting. Whether you want to bake from a mix or dream up a recipe from scratch, a rainy day is a good excuse to have everyone bake their own batch of cupcakes to compete for the crown.

19. Make a Time Capsule

Not exactly a game, but a rainy day is a good excuse to gather up items from around the house and make a time capsule to hide in your home for the next owner to find someday.

20. Card Games

There are countless games you can play with a deck of cards — enough to keep you busy all rainy day long. Try Solitaire or War if you only have yourself or one other player. If you have a bigger group, you could try Crazy Eights or Hearts.