50+ Rainy Day Activities for Cleveland Families

Indoor playgrounds, creative studios, museums, and even at-home hacks with a CLE twist.

Rainy days in Cleveland hit hard. One minute you’re at Edgewater with snacks packed, the next you’re trapped indoors with feral children bouncing off the walls like caffeinated squirrels. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

Here are 50+ rainy day ideas, split between CLE outings and at-home hacks, so you can keep the kids happy (& yourself sane).

QUICK LINKS:

Indoor Markets & Food
Bowling, Arcade & Gaming
CREATIVE & HANDS-ON
INDOOR PLAY
CLE AT-HOME
MUSEUMS, LIBRARIES & LEARNING

🛍️ Indoor Markets & Foodie Fun

CentroVilla25 (Clark-Fulton)

Van Aken District (Shaker Heights)

Market 42 (Brunswick)

West Side Market (Ohio City)

🎨 Creative & Hands-On Fun

Artist for a Day (North Olmsted)

Cleveland Candle Co. (Ohio City)

Color Me Mine (Westlake & Orange)

Maggie & Ellie’s Pottery & Art Studio (Strongsville)

Painted Penguin (Strongsville)

🎳 Bowling, Arcade & Gaming

16-Bit Bar + Arcade (Ohio City)

Corner Alley (Downtown)

Dave & Buster’s (Westlake)

Mahall’s 20 Lanes (Lakewood)

Pins Mechanical Co. (Ohio City)

Pinstripes (Orange)

RollHouse (North Olmsted, Parma, Mentor, Solon)

Scene75 Entertainment Center (Brunswick)

Superelectric Pinball Parlor (Gordon Square)

Tabletop Board Game Café (Ohio City)

🧗 Indoor Playgrounds & Active Fun

Activate Games (Strongsville)

Adrenaline Monkey Adventure Park (Warrensville Heights)

Adventure Factory (Avon Lake)

Arena 51 Laser Tag (Middleburg Heights)

Cleveland Rocks Climbing Gym (Ohio City)

D&R Playland (Brooklyn & Sheffield)

Get Air (Middleburg Heights)

Ity Bity’s Playhouse (Avon)

Kids Empire (North Olmsted, Solon & Strongsville)

Little Diggers (Fairview Park)

Main Street Play & Café (Broadview Heights)

Main Event (Avon)

Play Haven Cafe (Strongsville)

Playville (Brunswick)

Sky Zone (Boston Heights, Highland Heights, Westlake)

Swings-N-Things Fun Park (Olmsted Falls)

We Rock the Spectrum (Mayfield)

WhirlyBall Cleveland (Bedford Heights)

🐠 Museums, Libraries & Learning

Check out our full listings of museums in Greater Cleveland for even more ideas.

Children’s Museum of Cleveland (Midtown)

Cleveland Museum of Natural History (University Circle)

Community Arts Center (Clark-Fulton)

Great Lakes Science Center (Downtown)

Greater Cleveland Aquarium (The Flats)

Local Libraries:

Nature Centers:

🏠 15 CLE Inspired At-Home Rainy Day Hacks

Because sometimes you just can’t face the car seats and diaper bags.

  1. CLE Sports Spirit Day: Dress in Guardians, Cavs, or Browns gear, re-watch highlights, and make ballpark snacks (hot dogs + popcorn).

  2. Make Your Own West Side Market: Let the kids set up booths with play food (or pantry staples). They can “shop” for pierogies, pastries, and produce.

  3. Build a Playhouse “in the Flats”: Fort-building with blankets, pillows, and couch cushions = your own mini-Warehouse District.

  4. Rock Hall Dance Party: Queue up Cleveland legends (The O’Jays, Kid Cudi, Nine Inch Nails) and let the kids dance like they’re at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

  5. Rainy Day Reading: Cozy up in a blanket fort with books about Ohio (bonus if you grab one from the library).

  6. CLE Bakery Bake-Off: Recreate favorites from Kelsey Elizabeth, Wild Flour Bakery, or Luna Bakery. (Yes, sprinkles required.)

  7. DIY Cedar Point: Make cardboard “roller coasters” for stuffed animals or race toy cars down ramps. Add a popcorn stand for full amusement park vibes.

  8. Great Lakes Science Experiments: Try at-home science projects (volcano with vinegar + baking soda) and call it your “mini Science Center.”

  9. Lake Erie Aquarium: Fill up the bathtub, toss in toy fish, boats, and scoops. Instant pretend-aquarium.

  10. CLE Coloring Day: Print out Cleveland skyline or Guardians mascot coloring pages.

  11. Pretend Trip to Little Italy: Pasta-making or pizza-building lunch, complete with Italian music in the background.

  12. Rainy Day Ballpark: Clear space for balloon baseball or rolled-sock basketball. Pretend you’re at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse or Progressive Field.

  13. Cleveland Zoo Safari (Inside Edition): Have kids gather stuffed animals, label them with homemade “habitat” signs, and create a pretend zoo tour.

  14. Playhouse Square at Home: Kids put on their own talent show or puppet theater. Bonus points for paper tickets and “usher” jobs.

  15. CLE Spa Day: Oatmeal facials, cucumber water, and relaxation music - pretend you’re at Sacred Hour or your favorite local wellness spot.

Rainy days don’t have to be a washout. Whether you pack up for the Children’s Museum or just toss a blanket over the couch for a living room Rock Hall dance party, the goal’s the same: burn energy, make memories, and survive until bedtime.

Have a favorite rainy day activity not listed? Submit it here!