‘90s FAMILY : 52 Ways to Keep Boredom at Bay on a Rainy Day

San Francisco author Lynn Gordon grew up in a family of six kids in Brussels, Belgium, where it rained so much her clever mother had to use all her resources to invent things to do to forestall whining.

Thus was born the idea for “52 Rainy Day Activities,” one of a series of six playing card-sized decks packed with bright ideas and lively illustrations to inspire fun on a wet afternoon.

Other decks in the series produced by Chronicle Books suggest “52 Adventures in New York City” and “52 Fun Things to Do in the Car.”

“I’m a compulsive information pack rat and I keep track of all sorts of information,” says Gordon, a product development expert and author of children’s books.

“I decided to put my Rolodex on cards.”

Her rainy day activity suggestions include using odds and ends found in the kitchen junk drawer to create a collage (which also gets an oft-forgotten drawer tidied up) and making a small volcano at home using vinegar and baking soda.

Her little decks of ideas are destined to turn up near the cash registers in many bookstores marketed as what’s called an “impulse item.”

They cost $5.95 each.

“Do I resent being a total novelty gift inventor?” says Gordon, who is working on other ideas for adults and kids--such as 52 things to do in Washington and 52 ways to mend a broken heart.

“Well, I do have a serious academic background as well as a terribly deep whimsical streak. But do I wish I was writing serious fiction and this was NPR? The answer is yes.”