By Dr. Jamie Hurst DeLuna, author of the Avant Garde Parenting blog

Rain is in the forecast this week…again. Did you know that May is usually the soggiest month in North Texas? So much for the old ‘April showers’ adage. But rain doesn’t have to be a boring, stay inside kind of day- far from it. Rain provides great opportunities for science, art, and even performance! Here are some fun ways to make the most out of the rain this week:

• Make a rain gauge – See if your measurements add up with the weatherman’s by measuring the rain yourself! Use something as simple as a kitchen cup or a Tupperware to leave outside and collect the rainfall. Once the rain stops, help your child use a ruler (or pre-mark your container) and see how much rain you’ve collected!
• Before and after photos – Things look different after it rains! Strap your child up with a camera before the rain hits and take pictures of things like flowers, trees, the sidewalk- whatever you can think of. Then, after the rain, take photos of the same things. Help your child discover how rain makes items in the photos look different. Talk about why.
• Make a mystery mud bucket – Who doesn’t love mud? Before it rains, fill a bucket with dirt or sand. Bury a few toys that won’t be hurt by a good mud bath (toy soldiers, legos, and anything plastic are all good candidates). Let the rain do its magic, then let your kiddo ‘hunt’ for the toys in the mystery mud bucket.
• Tap dance – If there’s no lightning or hail, get out your rain boots and put on a performance! Give points for biggest splash and most rain style!
• Build a dam – Let your little engineer experiment with different sized rocks on your driveway or sidewalk, trying to block/change the course of the water flow.

Fortunately, rain doesn’t always mean being stuck indoors. When lightning and hail aren’t issues, it’s fun to go out and experience everything nature has to offer- you might even find yourself singing in the rain!