[Carey]

Ok so it's rained ALL day here on Friday, forecast is for same over whole weekend, so am wondering what there is to do on similar days in NZ? Here, in rural Suffolk, with 3 kids, we could;
1. Go roller-skating for an hour (crowded, noisy, expensive), 5 miles away
2. Go for a swim at Leisure Pool, (crowded, noisy, very expensive),5 miles away.
3. Go to the cinema, (a rare treat for us), 15 miles away
4. Walk round the edge of a muddy arable field (cheap, knee high in mud), OK in summer not in winter

None of these really appeal. Yes,we see freinds but again when you're stuck inside because of grot weather, somehow feel soething is missing.
What do families do in NZ grot weather?

[JoanneG]

Carey - you forgot about the plant sale at the teeny tiny leaky village hall, or the pub with the local village drunken hyenas. :(

[gil]

Ok so it's rained ALL day here on Friday, forecast is for same over whole weekend, so am wondering what there is to do on similar days in NZ? Here, in rural Suffolk, with 3 kids, we could;
1. Go roller-skating for an hour (crowded, noisy, expensive), 5 miles away
2. Go for a swim at Leisure Pool, (crowded, noisy, very expensive),5 miles away.
3. Go to the cinema, (a rare treat for us), 15 miles away
4. Walk round the edge of a muddy arable field (cheap, knee high in mud), OK in summer not in winter

None of these really appeal. Yes,we see freinds but again when you're stuck inside because of grot weather, somehow feel soething is missing.
What do families do in NZ grot weather?

Pretty simliar sorts of things actually: hire dvds from Video Ezy, play board games, very occasionally cinema, walk on the beach, go for a coffee. go to the local leisure pool (FREE and about 3 km away :D), but I think the main difference is that the weather changes so much here, we don't seem to have endless grey, miserable days like we did in Cardiff, so it might be miz in the morning and bright sunshine in the afternoon, when we can do all of the above and more (kayak, picnics, meet friends).
I might still be in the honeymoon period, but we have not yet felt like we could on those endless wet, cold, grey days in Wales.

Just editing to say that the kiwi lifestyle seems to proceed regardless of the weather: our youngest was at a cross-country compettion with her school a few Sundays back. When we woke up, it was TIPPING down, grey, cold...in our experience of school organised events in UK, there would have been frantic phone calls/texts and a reserve date. Not here! They all ran in the pouring rain and had a ball! I've always been of the disposition that "it's only weather" and that seems to be the attitude here too. Here in Bucklands Beach, when the wwind gets up and the sensible folk get out of the sea, that's when the kite boarders go in, and an amazing sight it is too (as we walk the dog in the rain :D)

Gil

[DMcG]

...we don't seem to have endless grey, miserable days like we did in Cardiff
I would have said the same in comparison to the weather in Edinburgh. We get some heavy rain in Auckland, but it never seems to last long. We certainly don't get days of grey dreich weather that hang around like we had in Edinburgh. It's quite usual to have a combination of rain, wind and glorious sunshine all in one day.

Dougie

[Chiba]

"There's no such thing as bad weather, only bad equipment." - Billy Connolly.

"You won't melt." - my Mum.

[IanW99]

Carey - you forgot visiting the shopping centres / malls a great winter past-time in the UK :yes

As others have said, if you want to do something outdoors in NZ then you can do it pretty much any day, you just might have to wait a few minutes for the weather that you are looking for.

The added bonus is that nothing ever seems to be crowded here, you are pretty much free to do what you want at the time that you want to do it.

For me, the few times it is too wet to get out and about, I get the chance to sort out the house (everything that I put off doing because I have been too busy outside).

Ian

[Sam B]

Definitely one of the best things about NZ is bad weather doesn't last that long. That's why there are so many rainbows. And if you live in the middle, you can head East or West, depending on which one has got the sun. It's MILES less depressing than Cornwall.

[Tia Maria]

It depends what age your children are but sport and children's parties seem to take up a lot of our weekends, like Gil said, regardless of weather!

Bowling, cinema, pottery painting, swimming and climbing are popular rainy days alternatives near us:

Some local examples near to me which should have prices:

www.climb.co.nz/Commercial/Birkenhead/Birkenhead-Indooor-Climbing-Wall.htm

www.painttheearth.co.nz

www.tenpin.co.nz

www.berkeleycinemas.co.nz/default.asp?SectionID=17

www.northshorecity.govt.nz/Northshoreleisure/takapuna/default.asp

The library is free and ice creams at the mall are always popular!

Cheers

Tia

[JoanneG]

I think that the problem here is not so much what we can do when the weather is miserable but more that we know that we're going to be stuck like this pretty much for the next 6 months. If we're lucky there might be the odd bright cold day and a bit of pretty frost or half a day of snow to cheer us up but we know from experience, where we live, that 'wet and muddy' is the forecast for the rest of the winter.

We generally go ahead with planned activities here too but the problem is that it is so damp and cold for so long that everyone ends up sick and with a big family it feels like we're sick all through the winter. :(

It is very encouraging to see that the common comment in all of your answers is that the bad weather doesn't last long - I can cope with that - that is the reason at the top of my 'pros list' for coming!

Hope you're feeling better Carey - I think we both had a case of weather blues yesterday.

I'm off the get my little boys photo's taken for their visa applications - another box ticked might cheer me up before I have to spend tomorrow afternoon in one small room with 4 lively kids and my 90 year old Great Granny-in-law.

Have a good weekend y'all.

[Familyofmonkeys]

We still go out on our chosen activities for the day. Our kids are only very small, so we all get wet and have 'car picnics'.....needless to say, the car needs a good clean, but we still have fun!

[Milliemoo]

I would have said the same in comparison to the weather in Edinburgh. We get some heavy rain in Auckland, but it never seems to last long. We certainly don't get days of grey dreich weather that hang around like we had in Edinburgh. It's quite usual to have a combination of rain, wind and glorious sunshine all in one day.

Dougie

I'll second that :nice1

Milliemoo

[jubjub]

Well if this keeps up I can see Kellys and the Museum being very busy tomorrow!

Generally I have something planned for every day in term time, and most of them are not weather dependent, swimming etc (swimming is free in Manukau anyway, but busy in school hols at the council pools) .

We get a bit stuck in school hols, as all activities stop, so we have to entertain ourselves more, thats where a day at home with playhouse disney comes in if its really horrible (only good for one day though!), or a trip to a big mall for a coffee/muffin and a runabout. We do a bit more visiting than normal, so spend time at other peoples houses playing with buddies.

I guess i am lucky as I dont have an older child that sits there and goes Im booooooredd mum, he is happy with all his toys and easel for a few hours until naptime anyway!

[gonzo]

Ever the optimists. I note that the majority of posts praising NZ weather emanate from those living in Auckland and good luck to them. Here in Wellington we do get runs of bad weather. When the good days come they are fantastic but my own belief is that they are often the exceptions to the rule. For instance this morning very strong southerly driving rain with a maximum temperature 11*. However adjusted wind-chill 2*- welcome to spring!! Yesterday persistent rain, hail, thunder and lightning, day before overcast and chilly.

Anyway on the original point of the post- Bowling, cinema, Te Papa, theatre wander around Moore-Wilsons, walk the dog on the wildest beaches that I have ever been on (and try not to get blown over-seriously!). Go for a cup of the best coffee in the world (probably). Make some homemade soup and go to the Turkish bakery for some great bread to accompany it. Visit one of the many galleries. Eat at a cheap and excellent ethnic restaurant Have a day in Petone. Or as a final resort- go shopping to Queensgate or Porirua

[Moorf]

When the good days come they are fantastic but my own belief is that they are often the exceptions to the rule.

You poor Wellingtonians!! And I thought it was nice there most of the time....

The weather where we are is most definitely fab most of the time, to the point where we don't mind the odd few days of crap...