Everyone feels the difference when the clocks move forward. Winter layers are peeled away, sunglasses and spring flowers appear everywhere, and the sun is still out at 5pm, fuelling small talk for months. But with the joy of the warmer seasons comes the ever more bitter disappointment of April showers and summer storms. That’s why I’ve come up with a list of just a few of my favourite rainy-day craft activities to fight the weather-induced cabin fever. Some of them you can make with things found around the house, while others might need a little more prep. Either way there is something for everyone, whether you are a long-time craft guru or simply in need of a cure for boredom.  

1. Bracelet making  

The opportunities for bracelet making are endless – from bead kits (available in all good craft stores: check out Hobbycraft’s jewellery making supplies, for example) to intricate friendship bracelet tutorials on Pinterest, there is a plethora of different styles to try. I’m a big fan of this choice because of its flexibility – it can be rows of threads carefully taped to the table to be intricately rearranged, or mindless bead picking in front of your favourite comfort binge. And if all else fails, why not take a trip down memory lane and whip out your old box of loom bands from the 2015 chokehold? You know you have one.  

2. Pebble Painting  

Affordable, simple, and a childhood classic, pebble painting is a great way to knock a few hours off a rainy Sunday afternoon. You can buy painting rocks for a pretty cheap price online or dig out a few of your own; there’s room for complicated designs or just some aesthetic-looking doodles. This is another fun activity to do in front of your favourite show.  

3. DIY stickers  

This one has come to my rescue for several last-minute birthday gifts. All you need is tape, scissors, baking paper, and your own design – it’s the cheapest on the list, and another that blows people’s minds.  

Once you have drawn and cut out your design, stick a layer of tape onto some baking paper, which will serve as your sticker’s backing. Place the design on top, making sure that you can still see tape around it on all sides. Stick it all together by placing another layer of tape on top of that. Cut it out, leaving enough room around the edges for the tape layers to stick together, and voila! Your very own sticker, ready for whenever you want it. 

Or, if none of that makes any sense, follow this tutorial. 

4. Baking  

A little bit pricier but it’s so easy to see why it’s worth it! There will never be a shortage of spring and summer baking recipes of all kinds. It requires perhaps a bit more pre-planning then some of the others on this list (especially for those who aren’t in an ingredients household), so if you are able to put in just that little bit extra you can produce something that will boost your popularity points for a good long while – and your house will smell delicious. Why not have a go at these triple chocolate brownies from Jane’s Patisserie? They won’t disappoint! 

5. Origami 

If you’re looking for something quick, cheap and simple (at least to start with), origami is a good choice. For beginners you need nothing more than a piece of A4 paper (which can easily be ripped to make a square shape if necessary) and an internet connection, or that dusty origami book your sibling got for Christmas six years ago. This is a great one to do with or for friends as a quick boredom fix, and, if you feel so inclined, you can spice things up a bit with some colouring pens or paints. Alternatively, you can dig a bit deeper for some of the more intricate origami tutorials out there and become one of the rare papercraft experts the rest of us can only watch in envy.  

If you need a starting point, then check out this origami butterfly.  

6. Pin Badges  

This is a little fiddlier but never fails to impress people – if you don’t have one of those badge making machines then you can D.I.Y it, thanks again to the wonderful world of Pinterest. There are loads of different ways of doing it, but my preferred method involves a bottle top, a pull tab, a safety pin, pliers, and clear nail polish (you can find it here). It’s quite a long-winded process, involving waiting for many layers of paint to dry, but the reward of your very own design is worth it. These keep me going for absolutely ages; it’s a lot of fun playing around with the different ways of making them and, as I said, it’s a certified crowd pleaser! 

7. Scrapbooking  

Let’s see if this sounds familiar: you go through a phase of collecting random wrappers, tickets, receipts, doodles, all with the honest intention of putting them in a scrapbook, but inevitably ending up with a pile of stuff shoved in a notebook and hidden in a draw. I’m sure this isn’t just a me thing: So why not take the opportunity to dig that notebook back out and finally put it all together?  

Maybe you don’t have this problem. Luckily for you, there are loads of other ways to scrapbook, from washi tape swatches to journaling to photos. The opportunities are endless! As always, Pinterest is a good place to get inspiration from, but be warned: it houses the scrapbook experts, so it can be easy to get a little intimidated. Don’t let them put you off! This is for you and whoever you choose to share it with, so if it’s nothing more than a row of train tickets or all the stickers you have ever owned on one page, that’s totally okay!