April showers bring May flowers, it must be true or people would stop sing-songing it, already.

In many parts of the world, April is mushy, damp, and grey. The silver lining, of course, is the plethora of shooting buds, pink cherry blossom promise hiding in furled buds on previously naked trees. Only a few weeks until May, and sunny skies and tank tops, frisbees and little bare legs running on the grass.

In the meantime, we have some rain to get through. And rain means a lot of staying indoors, which can royally suck when you have a child or children, especially if they're under the age of 5. Here are a few rainy day activities, mastered in the pelting, perpetual rain of the Pacific Northwest.

1. Find your city's best sandwich place. By googling "best sandwich in (your city), you can find a plethora of adventure and goodness. My son and I have been venturing out to find the best vegetarian sandwich in our city. It's an inexpensive and delicious way to spend a Saturday afternoon.
2. Visit the bug museum. Most cities have museums, but few art exhibits catch the attention of little ones. But what kid doesn't love bugs? Or at least love to squeal at them. This database offers the details for insect exhibits around the country.
3. Organize those boxes of photos. Who doesn't have an old, yellowing box of pre-digital photos, waiting to be scanned or stored in glossy albums? Little ones can help with this, because part of the process is spreading things everywhere and organizing in excruciating detail. With cheerful music playing in the background and rain streaming down the windows outside, photo-sorting can make for some fantastic bonding time.
4. Try a new vegetarian dish. Since removing meat from my diet, I've found a whole new Universe of cooking, sometimes involving beans and often involving savoury vegetable stews. You can find great Sunday afternoon veggie recipes here, and little ones can help "chop" vegetables (I give my son a butter knife and some mushrooms and he is gleeful with his shredded efforts.) Even making a veggie tray with salsa dip can create a mellow afternoon in the kitchen, with minimal fuss.
5. Go to a farmer's market. Farmer's markets aren't just for summer: in early spring they start to fill with new and delicate produce. Beyond the produce, many markets have homemade fudge and handmade art and jewelry, and most have coverings so you can keep out of the rain. A handy list of farmer's markets by state can be found here.