After weeks of planning the last thing you need is for it to rain on the day of your School Summer Fair. But you needn’t worry. As long as you have a back-up plan, there are plenty of activities that can take place indoors, and your event can still be a triumph. Check out our list of rainy day activities for summer fairs!
Food
Holding your Summer Fair indoors can be a distinct advantage when it comes to food. With the school canteen accessible it’s so much easier to serve hot and cold snacks such as tea, coffee, cakes, biscuits and even pre-prepared one-pot wonders or delicious salads.
Hot dogs are always a hit; they’re easy to make and their delicious aroma attracts the crowds. If your school canteen has a microwave you could try microwavable popcorn as it’s also easy to make. Additionally, by serving it in brightly coloured cones you can help to create a carnival atmosphere.
Attractions
For entertainment, think in terms of small scale attractions that can work just as easily indoors or out. That way you won’t have to make any major changes to your plans. Some examples are a tombola stall, lucky dip, hook a duck, face painter or hair braiding.
If you don’t have a skilled face painter, why not turn it into a ‘Dress as a Clown’ attraction? Clown faces are easy for anyone to paint and you could have oversized adult clothing available for the children to dress up and have their photographs taken. Don’t forget the coloured wigs, braces and red plastic noses!
Games
Guessing games are always popular, such as, guess the bear or doll’s name to win him or her, or guess how many sweets are in the jar. Mystery boxes are easy to make. Just decorate a few boxes in bright colours and leave a gap in one side big enough for someone to put their hand inside.
The other side should enable you to insert an item then shut the box so the item is hidden from view. Participants win prizes for correctly guessing the items in the boxes by feeling them.
Displays
If your school grounds are large enough you could set up displays in different areas of the school. These could include the children dancing, singing or performing gymnastics, for example. The gymnasium is usually big enough to house a bouncy castle.
It would be advantageous to have this type of attraction in a separate area as it would make it easier to organise turns. Make sure you have clear and attractive signposts to guide your visitors around the school so they don’t miss out on any fun rainy day activities!
Pre-Loved Goods
Because you’re hosting the fair indoors you won’t have to worry about water damage to any goods that you have for sale. You could therefore include a whole host of items, for instance, second-hand books, used toys, jigsaws and games, and a used school uniform stall.
If you have any talented knitters or crocheters amongst your parents, you may want to consider a stall selling small hand-made items such as baby clothes.
Communication Tips
Keep an eye on the weather forecast and have a plan B ready to communicate specific instructions to all the organisers, volunteers and visitors.
Ensuring that you’re prepared for all eventualities with your rainy day activities, your Summer Fair needn’t be a washout. In fact, everyone will be having so much fun indoors that they’ll probably forget all about the weather.
Let us know what rainy day activities you come up with - but fingers crossed for the weather!
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