10 Rainy Day Activities You Can Do in April

April is when Vermonters shed our winter layers and begin to enjoy warmer weather activities. April’s infamous showers, however, can put a damper on time outside. To help you stay active when the spring weather isn’t cooperating, we offer these 10 suggestions for healthy rainy-day activities.

• Visit a museum or gallery. Vermont has more than two dozen museums and galleries where you can walk around and learn about topics as diverse as birds and animals, maple sugaring, art, state history, skiing, and fly fishing. Find a museum or gallery.
• Go on a factory tour. Watch Vermonters hard at work making products like ice cream, chocolates, wood toys, cheese, and teddy bears. Before venturing out, be sure to call ahead to verify that tours are still being given (Rock of Ages in Barre recently discontinued its granite quarry tours). Locate a factory tour.
• Climb a wall. When it’s wet outside, challenge yourself by safely climbing walls inside. Several Vermont businesses and recreation centers offer indoor climbing areas with a range of difficulty levels. If you’re not an experienced climber, instruction is available. Vermont climbing gyms list.
• Roll a ball. Bowling is an indoor sport that provides multiple health benefits, including building muscle strength, improving flexibility and balance, and relieving stress. Bowling also helps improve eye-hand coordination. If you are new to bowling, don’t worry about keeping score, as most bowling centers now offer automatic scoring systems. The entire family can enjoy bowling together. Vermont bowling centers list.
• Take a dip. Vermont has several indoor swimming facilities open year-round. Swimming is an excellent form of exercise, providing a full-body workout that uses nearly all your muscles. Swimming burns a lot of calories and strengthens the cardiovascular system. Search for indoor swimming sites.
• Check out your local library. You probably won’t get much exercise at your local library, but visiting on a rainy day can be great for your mental health. Libraries are safe and inclusive spaces that provide quiet areas where you can relax and reduce stress. Many libraries also offer events and activities that promote social connections. Vermont public libraries list.
• Volunteer your time. Vermont not-for-profit organizations offer many volunteer opportunities, everything from working at food banks to assisting in animal shelters. Helping others is good for your own health, as it can reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and lessen risk of heart disease. Places to volunteer in Vermont.
• Clean the house. A rainy April day is the perfect time to do some spring cleaning. Vacuuming, scrubbing, dusting, and other cleaning tasks are low-impact exercise. As part of your cleaning, eliminate odor sources and make your home fragrant by using the tips in our blog article on natural ways to make your home smell good.
• Make healthy meals. If you have difficulty preparing healthy meals because of a hectic schedule, make several meals on a rainy day so they’ll be ready to eat when you don’t have time to cook. You can also prepare ingredients ahead of time so they’re ready to combine into a quick Power bowl.
• Start a journal. Writing your thoughts, feelings, ideas, and goals in a journal can help you process emotions and improve your organization. Journaling has many health benefits, including lower blood pressure and better sleep. A rainy day is an excellent time to get started, using the tips in our journaling blog article.

We hope you get outside often this spring and spend plenty of time on your favorite pursuits. If those pesky April showers drive you indoors, the healthy activities in this article will ensure that a rainy day isn’t all wet.