Being sick sucks! You know it, I know it – your kid knows it. Often kids lie on the couch wanting to do nothing, in which case a movie will work – but other times they’re well enough to do stuff, but not well enough to go to a playground and run around. So here are some easy and simple things to help both you and your child survive this tough time:
1. DVD’s
Don’t criticize yourself for popping a DVD on. I remember being sick all the time as a kid and all I wanted to do was lie on the couch and watch TV. Watching DVD’s / TV for a few days won’t hurt them. Try finding a DVD that BOTH of you enjoy watching. When my daughter was sick we watched Ever After, Charlie & the Chocolate Factory (new one) and Superman.
2. Go for a walk
If it isn’t too windy and cold, you can go out for a short walk. Breathing fresh, brisk air can do wonders for a cough, and the change of scenery will do you both a world of good.
3. Have a picnic
Grab your picnic basket (or box) and put together a few items and have a picnic indoors. Put a blanket down on the floor and get the plastic cups out. If your child hasn’t been eating much, this might be a great way to get them interested again.
4. Baking
Good ol’ baking. Bake something simple (like my Cheese Biscuits) and get your child to help. If they’re not interested in helping, they may like just playing with the dough. Baking is great for them AND you.
5. Pillow fun
Bring all the pillows out into the lounge and make a giant bed on the ground. Great for lying on, or rolling around on. If you have younger children (which I do) this is also great for them.
6. Have a tea party
Get out the tea set (check out my Cup of Tea activity post) and have a tea party. Great to get liquid into your child too!
7. Play Dough
If you have play dough at home and haven’t used it for a while, now’s the time to break it out. If you don’t have it and can’t go out to buy any – HAVE NO FEAR! I have a super easy No-Cook Play Dough recipe.
8. YouTube or Netflix
Seriously. This is no joke. Have you seen the cool things to watch on YouTube for kids?? Try searching for “Surprise Eggs”, “Pocoyo”, or “Tutitu”. Also Netflix has saved my life so many times – not just with my kids, but with myself.
9. Old toys
Get the old toys out. You know, the ones that they haven’t seen in AGES. It’s amazing how they will act as if they’ve never seen them before.
10. Back to basics
Read a book, play with Lego (or Duplo), cuddle together on the couch, stay in your pyjamas all day and just relax.
Of course you can do ANYTHING you want with your child when they are sick, but I found the normal activities were just too much for her brain to cope with. For other activity ideas, check out my Activity page.
What do you find works best to keep you and your child happy when they’re sick?
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