This cold and flu season has been miserable for our family. In the past month it’s been passed around… back and forth. ICK! We are ready to be well. But I will admit we certainly enjoyed those snuggle filled, quiet sick days.
Children’s Mucinex is running a three part series helping parents prevent illness and then keep their kids smiling even on sick days! This is part two of the series… check out Hand Washing Fun (and learning) if you missed it. At the end of the last post I asked readers what they do to keep their little ones smiling on sick days. I used those answers to help shape this post! Thanks for the great ideas!
5 ways to make sick days special
1. Keep a stash of new coloring books, crayons and colored pencils especially for sick days. It will give your little one something to look forward to and will be fun to look through as they get older.
2. Make a birds nest with blankets and pillows. Enjoy some baby bird pampering and resting. Doesn’t that sound especially cuddly? What a perfect place to recoup.
3. Try out a simple science experiment that takes very little prep and very little energy. We did this science experiment on Big M’s last sick day. Use three cups of water put blue food coloring in one, yellow in the other and leave the center cup clear. Connect the cups with paper towels. All that’s left is to wait. Since this project takes so long it’s perfect for the poor sickie to peek at when they get up to go to the bathroom or feel like stretching their legs a bit. I’m not going to tell you what happens… but it’s cool! Tips: 1. Use A LOT of food coloring. The brighter the colors the better the final product. 2. We left ours up for over 24 hours and there was change all the way through.
4. Make it a screen day. Since sick days are the kind of days that make it hard to get off the couch it’s a great time to extend screen time a bit. Watch a few shows together or introduce your little one to a movie you loved as a kid.
5. Bring out some books they haven’t seen in a while. We have special holiday books that are put up for most of the year. Sick days are perfect days to bring out these books and enjoy some of our family favorites. Plus it’s fun to think about holidays any time of year!
What activity makes your child smile when they are under the weather?
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My kids like to color together or work on word searches or mazes when they are not feeling well.
My daughter loves doing puzzles!
mami2jcn at gmail dot com
My son likes watching his favorite cartoons
We love snuggling on the couch watching a fun kids movie! The science experiment looks awesome!
Similar to your “nest” idea, I create a “sick bed” for my daughter on the sofa. I lay a blanket or comforter over the seat and back of the sofa, then fold the blanket over her creating a cocoon of sorts. I make a big deal out of it and it comforts her having a sick bed. I also let her drink a lot of juice to keep fluids in her. She normally gets to drink very little juice, so this is special to her.
I hit the library for sick days – NEW Books are always a welcome as we cuddle on the sofa.
Lots of snuggles! 🙂
These are our favorites:
Button box: sort and play in various ways
Stick and peel dioramas [like Melissa and Doug scenes]
Magic painting books: painting with water so color appears
Playdoh
my son loves to play angry birds so we draw, color and play some more on sick days and always keep a few leappad games to keep him busy and occupied
Usually my kids like to lay on the couch with a bunch of pillows and a special cuddle blanket and they like to watch special movies that they pick out.
watching cartoons all day
thismomwins@gmail.com
When we spend time reading together, or doing any other craft projects at home, and television, they always feel better.
jslbrown_03 at yahoo dot com
My older son really enjoys playing with Moon Sand and Play Doh especially when unwell.
frozen yogurt – I always get them their favorite flavor at the yogurt store and they love it! (and perfect for those sore throats)
tvollowitz at aol dot com
My son likes watching Doc McStuffins!!!
Eating frozen yogurt and enjoying a move is always a hit.
Reading books together
kport207 at gmail dot com
my daughter loves reading a good pop up book or a book that talks:)
Lots and lots of snuggling, holding and hugging.
puzzles
Doing puzzles and making crafts helps.
We make vitamin C boost smoothies together, snuggle and watch cartoons/read together
They love coloring or watching cartoons.
tcarolinep at gmail dot com
He likes playing Super Nintendo games when he is sick.
My kids just like to stay in bed and watch their favorite cartoons or play on the ipad.
mom22girlz at ymail dot com
Making tea with lots of honey. Celestial Seasonings has one called Sleepytime Sinus Soother that we call “nose tea.”
my kids like to watch movies or tv in my bed when they are sick
when my kids are sick they like to lay in bed and watch tv or movies
They love watching movies.
painting or paper crafting
nannypanpan@gmail.com
he’s only 3 months but he loves to fly “airplane”!
we love movies, reading or the ipad when we are sick 🙂
Banana popscles
When under the weather there’s nothing my kids like more than to lie around and watch their favorite videos.
my children love watching home movies when they are sick
Oh Carter always loves when I read books to him when he is not feeling well! Always his favorite!
landfjacobson @ charter.net
playing video game with daddy
Reading books with me (or listening to me read)! Thanks for a chance to win and have a great day!
kmassmanATgmailDOTcom
watching cartoons with me
drawing on their easel
twitted this today, 18/03
My son loves playing with his LEGOs. 🙂
My son loves playing with his LEGOs and dinosaurs. 🙂
Watching funny movies and chicken noodle soup.
My daughter loves to watch The Parent Trap in her room over and over again when she feels crummy. She knows the words by heart.
eating frozen yogurt!
tvollowitz at aol dot com
Reading a book keeps her happy.
I have no kids but I enjoyed puzzle books when i felt down
My daughter likes it when I pull out the “rainy day” craft bucket on sick days.
My son loves to cuddle with me and his favorite blanket while watching his favorite movies when he is feeling under the weather.
Thanks for the chance to win!
wildorchid985 @ gmail dot com
A game of Scrabble usually made them smile.
we watch TV
When kids are sick, it’s hard to get smiles. When they really feel bad we bring out the fuzzy blanket and read their old fave books. If they are up to it, we play a board game but usually watching tv and falling asleep gets them the rest they need.
we color!
Us playing puzzles together.
When really sick, my kids were happy to snuggle in the fuzzy blanket and we’d read their old fave books. Older kids were still soothed by listening to those beloved toddler bedtime stories. When we were in the getting over it phase, they liked coloring and board games.
The kids love watching movies on Netflix when they’re not feeling the best.
Thank you.
My kids like to watch cartoons.
If staying home from school weren’t enough to make them smile, then being taken care of, made comfortable and getting to watch their favorite shows on tv always does 🙂
My son enjoys watching a Dora marathon.
When My 2 year old grandson is sick , I go to his house and he snuggles up to me for a day of watching Dumbo and Sesame Street.
Snuggles, watching Caillou & popsicles.
our kids like to watch tv and eat soup when they’re under the weather.
When my kids are sick I can always make them smile by cuddling with them on the couch and watching Americas funniest child videos!
playing on the ipad
Thanks! Janna JOhnson jannajanna@hotmail.com janna@feedyourpig on gfc
A funny movie while snuggled together always brings a smile. Laughter always seems to make her feel better
laying on the couch watching movies
i tweeted here:
https://twitter.com/bellows22/status/315672984910180354
Pampering and resting makes my children smile when they are under the weather.
We usually put in movies since they normally don’t get to watch them. Leaving TV and movies for special times only makes it so they really enjoy watching it when the opportunity comes along.
changing the bed sheets with them in the bed is always a hit.
good thing that CNA training means something, huh?
ky2here at msn dot com
The game Uno Attack.
dolniaks at consolidated dot net
They like it when I read books to them!
We just stay in and read books, play games etc.
sweokgrl@gmail.com
Disney movies and snuggling help lift the kiddos spirits when they are down.
Painting makes my kids smile whenever they are under the weather. I’m not a good painter myself though. So, they must have got their artistic genes from daddy! LOL
amy [at] utry [dot] it
They like to have someone read to then while drinking hot chocolate and then to play games like puzzles.
Cuddles from mom and some ginger ale. She never gets pop so it’s a big deal.
playing with her dog
My little cousin likes to make storybooks, we also keep a stash of coloring pens and paper. She also likes to watch tv when she’s feeling sick, I like the extra cuddle 😀
songyueyu at gmail
When my granddaughter is under the weather, she likes to snuggle on the couch with her blankets and pillow and watch a movie.
My sons love to snuggle with Dr. Seuss books
Card games or puzzles!
Watching movies and playing with dads tablet. Keeps them happy and resting
I don’t have kids but can remember when I was sick myself as a kid my dad would bring me home a new Barbie doll or He-Man figurine and it was always the highlight of being sick! LOL
When my daughter is under the weather we pull out the sketch pad and colored pencils and draw together while watching her favorite movies.
Thanks!
Samantha
Jamesmadison1974@gmail.com
When my daughter is under the weather we pull out the sketch pad and colored pencils and draw together.
Thanks!
Samantha
Jamesmadison1974@gmail.com
video games, books and movies!
when my little one is underthe weather he loves hearing his favorite stories
teechbiz at gmail dot com
Snuggles and sherbet ice cream always does the trick.
seanm 1999 at hotmail dot com
There is no activity that makes her smile when she is sick except watching Wizard of Oz. Luckily, she doesn’t get sick very often. When she does she just lays on the couch.
They like to help me make homemade chicken soup because it makes the whole house smell good.
my nephew love to bake when he is sick
https://twitter.com/purplelover04/status/318026806953402370
Movies!!!
doing puzzles
playing the game i spy with objects in the room made my kids feel better
I like to shop at the dollar store for small things that make kids happy. Surprises make life fun.
Thanks for the contest.
I’m I going to miss out on another giveaway/sweepstakes, I hope snot!
But if I’m feeling snotie, Mucinex is my 1st choice!
Thank you…Single Dad Danny
motoxmanager@hotmail.com
My kids like to snuggle up and watch movies when they are sick.
GETTING POP AND ICE CREAM (IF THAT COUNTS… IT’S PRETTY BIG AROUND HERE)
Popcorn crafts & anything that he can paint.
We play board games together.
She likes to color when she is sick
A warm bath & Hot Chicken Noodle Soup.
Books, games, and extra time together!
Katharina angelsandmusic[at]gmail[dot]com
My daughter loves it if I let her watch a TV show when she’s sick.
coloring books/sticker books & watching TV in bed!
wendywynsma@gmail.com
jiffy pop popcorn popper
For my son, he just wants to cuddle with me on the couch while watching his favorite cartoon!
I would have to say coloring and watching movies!
My daughter likes to read and watch her favorite movies.
Watching movies and eating popsicles
Favorite treats, toys and movies.
Rediscovering toys not played with in months, drawing or watching pokemon!
we like to color together
Cuddling, watching movies and having ice cream 🙂
watching tv or arts and craft
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
watching movies and peanut butter and marshmallows sandwiches.
pokergrl8 at gmail.com
my kids love to watch videos when they are under the weather! Thanks for a super giveaway!
I agree with your suggestion to bring out books they haven’t seen lately. I think the old faves are reassuring; they snuggle up and listen to Dr Seuss tales they haven’t heard in 2 years and it really does make them smile
ice cream and disney movies
rounder9834 @yahoo.com
They love to snuggle and listen to me make up stories about them and their stuffed animals