It’s a common story during the winter months. One or more or all of the kiddies are sick, and movie after movie is making even the most enthusiastic TV lover restless.
On days like these, I like to rotate some quiet activities into the mix. With a box of tissues nearby and some soft music playing, they’re a nice way to keep my toddler and preschooler occupied and happy.
- Put some puzzles together. I keep a rack of age-appropriate ones handy, and let my two girls swap them out with each other. Or I’ll grab a bigger jigsaw puzzle, spread the pieces out on the floor, and we’ll sit and work on it quietly together.
- Grab a stack of books, a blanket, and snuggle up for some reading time. Better yet, have someone make a run to the library to get some books they haven’t read yet. Keeping it fresh for the kiddies. 😉
- Set them up in their beds with pillows and blankets, hand them Magna Doodles or a similar toy, and let them color in bed. “OH MY GOSH MOM WE’RE COLORING IN BED!” The novelty will keep them busy for, oh, at least ten minutes? Maybe? 🙂
- Get messy with paint. I know. It’s messy. But it can also be magical and there are ways to minimize the mess. I bought a huge roll of brown kraft paper at a home improvement store. It’s thick, heavy, and doesn’t bleed. Unroll a few feet of that onto your kitchen floor and tape it down. I pour paint onto paper plates (two or three colors will suffice) and lay out some paint brushes, sponges, even toy cars. They roll the cars through the paint and make track marks or patterns with the sponges. And once they’re done, swoop them up and…
- Take a loooong, warm bath. Warm water is so soothing when little ones aren’t feeling well. Make sure the bathroom is nice and warm (nothing worse than shivering when you’re already sick), and pop a few toys in the tub. I make sure to check the water periodically to make sure it isn’t getting too cold.
And when the day is done, go ahead and pass out on your living room couch. Taking care of sniffly kids is exhausting. 🙂