Sick of the rain? So are your kids. Here are 10 activities to do inside

We're all very confused here in the state of Florida. 

We need to have some words, Florida. We need to have some words. 

So this rain business.

Yes, we understand rain — in theory. Sure we do. We have hurricanes, after all, and during the summer you can pretty much schedule your day around a 15-minute thunderstorm at 3 p.m. every afternoon. 

But we've turned into a black and white movie here in the "Sunshine State" and we have no idea what we've become. It's been raining every day since May 13, and areas in Brevard County have accumulated as much as 8 to 9 inches of rain, according to the National Weather Service. Add in Martin County and we're talking 17 inches or more of rain this month. Sheesh. And thanks to a system in the Gulf, it's not supposed to let up anytime soon. 

More:Morning, afternoon showers forecast for Tuesday as clouds blow in from Caribbean

WE ARE CONFUSED. What are these days upon days of gray? We don't even know who we are anymore. What time is it? What day is it? Have we gone colorblind? Are we living in a parallel universe where the northern states are sunny and beautiful and Florida is dark and rainy? 

What kind of hex have you put on us, northerners? Is this because we make fun of you whenever it snows? 

WE ARE SO DONE, weather. DONE. Listen. We already have to deal with hurricane season coming up in June. This is just cruel. 

But do you know who is even more done? Our kids. You can only watch "Trolls" so many times, and even they are over it. 

So what do we do with our kids until Florida gets its identity crisis figured out? Here are 10 activities to try with the kids to not only keep them from getting cabin fever, but you, too. 

1. Ice skating

Fine. The north wants to take our sunshine? Then we'll take their sport. Visit a local ice skating rink and channel your inner Tonya Harding ..errr... let's go with someone else for the sake of broken bones. Michelle Kwan? The Space Coast Iceplex is pretty much the only game here in town on the Space Coast, but it's a cool facility with plenty of public skate times.There is a public skate session every day this week at 1 p.m., and a DJ skate Saturday night at 8 p.m. The cost is $10 per session. Skate rental is $3. During public skate sessions, kids under 3 are free and ages 4 and 5 get in for $5. 

2. Get creative

Now is a perfect opportunity to work on those fine motor skills with your kiddies, or let them unleash their inner creativity. Grab some art supplies and get to coloring/painting/gluing/glittering/molding/cutting/yelling/questioning why you decided to do this in the first place. Sure, you might need to also purchase a heavy-duty vacuum cleaner in the process, but it will keep everyone busy. Grab some tubs of Play-Doh and let the kids go to town making all kinds of fun stuff. Heck, even put some motivation behind it. Whoever creates the best Play-Doh pie doesn't have to do the dishes for the week. Or who am I kidding? Offer them $1 and let them go all-out at the Dollar Tree. Anything you want, sweetheart, mommy's a baller here. 

3. Visit a trampoline park

Think you're in shape? Just go to a trampoline park and see how long it takes until you feel like an 85-year-old woman who needs physical therapy. Trampoline parks are a great way to burn up all that energy your kids have stored up, and for us adults, it's a great workout. Sky Zone in Rockledge is located on Barnes Boulevard and is open Tuesday through Sunday, but hours vary by day, so check out their website before you go. The cost is $18 for an hour. Rates go up from there. Also be sure to follow all the rules and buy the special socks. The place has some pretty strict safety regulations. Have tiny ones? Sky Zone has "toddler time" on Tuesdays at 10 a.m. and Saturdays at 8:30 a.m. for $12.  Planet 3 Extreme Air Park in Palm Bay is also an option. Tickets there run $12 and up depending on age and time limit. It's open seven days a week. It also has a variety of discounted sessions for various ages. 

4. A good old fashioned movie

Surely you've watched everything on Netflix by now, and even if you haven't, it might just be time to get out of the house. "Deadpool 2," "Avengers: Infinity War," "Life of the Party" and "Book Club" are all top box-office movies being shown locally. For the kids, there is  "Show Dogs" and "Sherlock Gnomes." Check your local theater for times. 

5. Hit up an indoor playground

Here's an excuse to veer off that diet you've been slaying since January. Take the kids to a local McDonald's or Chick-fil-A and let them play in the giant, indoor cesspool. I mean, playground. Just make sure to bathe them in hand sanitizer so they don't get Ebola. There's also Chuck E. Cheese's in West Melbourne and Fun Town family entertainment center in Melbourne.

6. Family game night

Put away the cellphones for 5 minutes, and have a family game night. The little ones can play games like Chutes and Ladders, Pie Face or Candy Land. Older kids may enjoy Pictionary, Uno or Scattergories. Try out games like Taboo and test your communication skills. For adults, maybe give "Cards Against Humanity" a try. But, good lord, don't play it with your kids unless you want to have some very awkward, inappropriate discussions explaining what "Oedipus complex" means.

7. Try indoor, active games

Think Duck Duck Goose, Mother May I or Simon Says. Added perk? This one is completely free. 

8. Host a dance party

Really want to burn some of that energy? Dance it out. Find a playlist on Pandora or Spotify and blast some music with your little ones. Turn on classical and test out those ballet skills. Try Latin music to salsa or hip-hop to break dance. Turn it into a game by making it a "freeze dance" party. 

9. Cook

Since you've already burned calories at the ice skating rink, trampoline park and at your makeshift dance party (and, let's be real, playing Duck Duck Goose ain't no joke) you can totally justify some cupcakes, right? Let the kids help you make something delicious. Grab some ingredients to make cookies, cupcakes or even just dinner. Taking time to measure, stir and lick the bowl isn't only educational, it's fun. Make it a tea party or picnic on the floor as an added bonus. Have extras? Share with a neighbor and teach generosity. And by neighbor, I mean me. 

10. Who cares? Go outside. 

As long as there's no lightning out, take a nod from Peppa Pig and "jump in muddy puddles." Let the kids splash around for a little bit and view the rain as a surprise trip to the water park. Who needs a splash pad when it's coming down in buckets from the sky anyway, right? Turn trash bags into ponchos, or heck, put on some bathing suits. Follow it up with a warm shower or bath and they'll survive. It might mean a bit of a mess, but it could be an unforgettable experience the kids always remember as "the time mom or dad let us play in the rain." It's the little things. 

There you have it, 10 solid things to do with the kids until Florida decides to be Florida again. Enjoy the rainy days, everyone, at least we don't have to worry about fires anymore, right?! Now on to hurricane season... NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

About BDB:

Boiled Down Brevard is an irreverent daily column that puts a quirky spin on today's news. We "boil" it all down. To get BDB daily, download the Florida Today app and allow notifications. We'll send you an alert every evening.

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