How to Entertain a Sick Kid

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We are FINALLY on the other side of BabyCakes' most intense illness to-date in her five years of life. Fever, vomiting, cough, oh my! Towards the end of her time home getting better she started to go a little stir crazy. She wasn't well enough to go to school, but she had spent 4 days in bed and was ready for some entertainment.

5 Ways to Entertain a Sick Kid

TV

There is no time better for vegging out in front of the TV than when you want to keep a kiddo in one place (in case of more vomiting) but also want them to be entertained. Just because they're watching TV doesn't mean it has to be something mindless. A few of our educational yet entertaining TV favorites that will keep the attention of kids and adults:  

StoryBots (Netflix)
Motown Magic (Netflix)

Vampirina (Disney+)

Tablet

Again, even if you limit screen time usually, when the kiddo is sick some time spent playing on their tablet can take their minds off of being sick and the usual activities that they're missing. We have a Fire Kids Tablet so we can confidently let BabyCakes browse alone without worrying about her getting into any adult content. With all of us fawning over her asking how she felt every 10 minutes some solo tablet time was needed for her sanity.

Puzzles

Puzzles are a great activity for the family to do together while a child is sick because they child can still sit and relax, while working their brain and spending time with their parents. It allows them to concentrate on something other than being sick, and feel they have accomplished something, which is important after days of feeling helpless. 

Coloring, painting, and sticker books

Coloring books, sticker books, and self-contained painting books are great to let the kid’s creativity come out. You can hang up their creations so they feel accomplished, or pretend they’ve created an art gallery and let them explain each picture to you. Sticker books were my favorite when I was sick as a kid and BabyCakes loves them too. 

Books

If you can, go to the library and grab some new books for your child when they’re sick, so they have something new to sink their imagination into. During this last battle with a nasty virus I could tell BabyCakes was getting really frustrated by not feeling better so I grabbed some books about being sick. This one was a hit: llama home with mama by Anna Dewdney

Llama was just as sad and frustrated with being sick as BabyCakes was. As we read it she kept smiling and saying "That's just like me!"

Another good book about being sick is How Do Dinosaurs Get Well Soon? by Jane Yollen & Mark Teague. 

This next book isn't about being sick, but it is about how parents always want to be there for their kids. I chose this one because I could feel BabyCakes feeling frustrated by us checking on her, taking her temperature, making her take medicine, etc. That's Me Loving You by Amy Krouse Rosenthal



Wishing you all strong immune systems this cold and flu season!

How do you entertain your sick kiddos?