We were hit this past week with a dreadful round of sickness. First our little man got it and then was kind enough to share it with mom and dad. And between him being sick and grouchy, and then the overlap of no one feeling good, plus a few days where he felt fine but I felt yuck, I’ve been looking for easy and low key things to do to keep us busy around the house. Here are my top 10 to give you some inspiration if you’re in the trenches now or to bookmark for later on during “sick season.” My little one is almost 18 months so I think these activities would be helpful for kiddos from about 12 months to 2 years.
1. Indoor Water Time
A middle of the day bubble bath or getting to play in the shower can work wonders! First the steam from the shower can be good for congestion (for baby or you). It’s also typically a calming activity, and requires no prep work on your part. My toddler took a morning bath/shower everyday for a whole week and loved it!
2. Books
Books are an easy one because you can read them while lying on the couch resting, or curled up in a cozy rocking chair or even from bed. You can get a big stack to have next to you to keep anyone from having to get up and down a bunch. And if your little one is like mine then they’ll be happy to read the same books over and over and over.
3. Neighborhood Walks
So as long as mama is feeling up to it, a walk in the stroller can be a great way to not feel so cooped up in the house. It gives everyone some much needed fresh air and vitamin D and can definitely kill some time during some of those tough hours. I also found on a few days where napping was hard to come by due to congestion that a stroller nap was possible because he was propped up- so if you’re looking for a sleep hack this might do the trick!
4. Grab a New Toy
Sometimes the biggest issue we have when there’s a sick kiddo at home is that being cooped up means they get bored of doing the same things day after day until they’re better. So sometimes you gotta hop on Amazon and grab something new! It doesn’t have to be a big thing to peak their interest- just the fact that it’s new will be enough! You could try getting some of these puffy stickers that they can stick and re-stick over and over or this set of cars for a little one who loves everything on wheels or try some water wow for no mess fun!
5. Screen Time
You didn’t think I was making this list without it did you? I know this can be a hot topic among parents and in our house we do try to limit screen time for our guy since he’s so young. But when he (or I, or both) are sick, sometimes we have to change the rules a bit. Find some less stimulating shows to put on or curl up with a snack and movie. It’s a way to rest for both of you and is often a welcome activity for any sick little. This was also a must for me to get anything done during those extra clingy days, like making dinner.
I hope this list gives you some encouragement for those long days of snuggling a sick toddler. It can be tough, but you can do it! Do you have any other great sick day activities for little ones? Drop them in the comments for other mamas to snag!