June/July each year is greeted with so many mixed feelings in Ghana. For some, it represents a time when their plants will be well watered to ensure a great yield. For others, the downpouring rains will render them homeless. No matter the side on which we are, it doesn’t stop the rains from pouring down when it has to. However, when rains start, our plans tend to change. Sometimes we have plans for an activity but then it begins to rain and seems never to stop. The challenge here will be what to do while you wait for the rain to stop. There are many things we can think of in order to go through a rainy dare free of the boredom and inactivity associated with such days. Jumia Travel looks at a few alternative activities to consider on a rainy day.

Play family games indoors – Typically, mummy and daddy would be at work and the kids in school. However, this doesn’t happen on a day of heavy rains and storms especially if you live in a muddy or flood-prone area. Although unplanned, this is one very important part of family life you may never intentionally make time for. There are multiple activities that you could do as a family if you’re having a rainy day. You can look to stay indoors, or you could consider going to somewhere like your local bowling alley for some fun. Some families take bowling seriously and bring their own ball. Some of them even read reviews (like this one https://skilledbowlers.com/bowling-balls/urethane-bowling-balls/) in the hopes of winning the competition. A good bowling ball can help, but there’s some skill to it too! That’s always a fun option, however, if you are flooded in, it might be better to gather everyone around and play some family indoor games such as ludo, oware, monopoly or scrabble. You may divide yourselves into teams with the guys on one side and the girls on the other. It is fun to have a little competition at home. After a few rounds of games, you will start to realize you may have gone through the entire rainy day without even knowing.

Brainstorm – Being innovative or planning demands a certain level of concentration. Unfortunately in busy environments such as in school or at work, you may find it very difficult to think deep. On a rainy day at home, grab a pen and notebook and begin to think. Think about anything. Plan a vacation, structure a budget, make future plans and try solve a pending problem since you have a lot of time and nowhere to go.

Have tea party – How often do you drink tea? In Ghana, tea is often breakfast for many but when you are locked up at home by rain, then this is a great opportunity to have a proper tea party. You can invite your next-door neighbors over. Add some spice to it by playing some cards or video games and discuss the progress and development of your community. Throw in a football, fashion, or political argument here and there. Guess what? It’s already 5PM and the rains may have stopped. The day is over and you had an amazing time with tea.

Go online – What do you want that isn’t online these days? Just think about it. Recently, i even saw cattle being sold online. YES!!! This is how far ecommerce has come. When rain keeps you indoors, just go online. Surf and search. You can let your kids watch people like KLS on YouTube to keep them out of your hair while you’re doing house chores then when you’re done, surf the internet yourself. See new things and shop. You may even get hungry at some point or need something urgent that you can’t go out in the rain to get. There are online ventures that deliver food and other items to your doorstep. You can’t be hungry or in need of anything when you have internet access. Just click here and there. Even if you have a vacation planned, this is the time to go online to check all the rooms and facilities and make that booking in advance. It is far cheaper than waiting till the day of travel.

Do laundry – For many workers and corporate folk, dirty clothes can be piled up for weeks or months. It’s not like we don’t want to do them but because we may not have found enough time to work that pile away. A day at home locked up by the rain presents a very good opportunity to do some laundry. Get yourself some fresh clothes. Wash them and iron them ready for use next time. Get your whole life organized once more by cleaning your room and other parts of the house and fix some broken things. Life is much easier when everything around you is in order.

Experiment – Is there anything you have always wanted to try? Something that has been on your mind or an activity that has been challenging for so long? This is the time to get over it. When alone at home with nowhere to go because of the rains, just enter the kitchen and try out that recipe you saw in a book or try baking that cake your friend always talks about. If you are newlywed, give your mother-in-law a call to see what your partner likes and try making it for him/her as a surprise. He/she may just appreciate the effort. If you have kids stuck indoors with you, try and do something creative with them. One of my friends actually said that she recently purchased an embroidery machine and has started purchasing machine embroidery designs online. Once her children have chosen the designs they want, my friend embroiders them onto different pieces of clothing for the kids. They seem to love watching her do that, and it’s fun for them to chose the designs. Perhaps that’s something to look into if you have bored children in the house.

Rainy days should not limit us or make us bored at home, we can make it great and take advantage of every minute of such days. Change the ‘’disadvantage” of not being able to carry out your already planned activities into a fun-filled day of other great alternatives.

Credit : Bennet Otoo, Jumia Travel