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Indoor and rainy day activities with kids in Walnut Creek

Dry, warm and mostly walkable — plus at-home ideas for when nobody leaves the house.

Walnut Creek is a dependable East Bay day out: a big park, a walkable downtown, and a well-used library calendar.

Coming up near Walnut Creek

Nothing listed in Walnut Creek for this view right now. Here's what's on elsewhere in the Bay Area, plus ideas you can do today.

Within a short drive of Walnut Creek

Rainy day ideas you already have the stuff for

  • Make a Duct Tape Wallet

    Make a Duct Tape Wallet

    Design and build a unique, working wallet from colorful duct tape. This project lets you show off your creativity while making something genuinely useful that you can carry every day. It's satisfying to craft a practical item with your own hands, especially when you get to choose all the colors and design elements to make it truly yours. Start by choosing your favorite duct tape colors and planning where each will go. You'll layer strips of tape to create strong, flexible sheets, then cut and fold these sheets to form the wallet's pockets and main body. Don't be afraid to experiment with different tape patterns or add extra pockets for cards. To stretch the fun, try adding a clear ID window or a small coin pouch to your design.

    9-12 · Indoor · 45 min

    Open
  • Shaving Cream Marbled Paper Art

    Shaving Cream Marbled Paper Art

    Create beautiful, swirly marbled paper using simple shaving cream and food coloring. It's a wonderfully messy and magical sensory art project.

    4,5,6,7 · Indoor/Outdoor · 40 min · About $5–$10

    Open
  • Cardboard Box Spaceship Adventure

    Cardboard Box Spaceship Adventure

    Let's turn a big cardboard box into an interstellar spaceship! We'll decorate our control panel, plot a course for Mars, and blast off.

    4,5,6 · Indoor · 90 min · About $0–$20

    Open
  • Build a Cardboard Arcade Game

    Build a Cardboard Arcade Game

    Build your very own arcade game, like a skee-ball ramp or a claw machine, using cardboard and other craft supplies. It's incredibly satisfying to see your ideas come to life as you design, build, and decorate a game that actually works. You get to be both an engineer and an artist, creating something unique that you can then play with and share with family or friends. This project lets you show off your creativity and problem-solving skills. Start by sketching your game idea, then gather cardboard boxes, tubes, tape, glue, and scissors. Cut and shape the cardboard to form the game's structure, thinking about how balls will roll or how a 'claw' mechanism might move. Decorate your arcade game with paint, markers, or colored paper to make it look official. To stretch the fun, host an arcade night, inviting family to play your creation and maybe even award prizes.

    9-12 · Indoor · 120 min

    Open

Questions parents ask about Walnut Creek

What can you do with a toddler in Walnut Creek on a rainy day?
The downtown library runs storytimes for babies and toddlers most weekdays, and it's close enough to lunch that a rainy morning still works. The indoor list for Walnut Creek shows what's scheduled.
Are these activities free?
Library and park programs are free; the nature and arts programs downtown charge a modest per-child fee. Anything ticketed links out to the organizer so you can check the price before you go.
How often is this page updated?
Event listings refresh automatically from local sources, so past dates drop off on their own.
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