Has your little one been in bed with the flu or a bout of diarrhea? Illness can make cheerful toddlers cranky and 
irritable or lethargic and dull. Here’s how to brighten up an unwell toddler’s day with 5 fun indoor and outdoor activities for sick days.
1. Banish the Blues with Books and Music
Favorite books, much-loved stories and some soothing music is perfect for a relaxing day in bed for a child. Read to your little one or let him lie in bed with some soft music in the background. I’ve found this CD from Zen Baby to be a gift for soothing cranky toddlers and preschoolers. If your toddler wants to read with you, choose something that is familiar and fun, so that he can easily identify and point out objects or characters.
2. Bring out Photos to Cheer Up an Unwell Toddler
The photo album is a treasure trove for a toddler. He’ll enjoy looking at photos of people he knows and loves. You can point out special photos, such as a holiday at the beach or a birthday. A fun game is finding a particular person in the photos. Say, “ Let’s look for Gramma or Uncle Joe” and let your toddler identify them in separate photos.
3. Make Sick Days Fun with Simple Play
Simple indoor play activities are best for unwell preschoolers. Games and activities that require skill and effort are not a good idea. Instead, depending upon how energetic your child feels, play simple games such as hide-and-seek, an easy treasure hunt, Simon Says and so on.
4. A Walk in the Park is Great for a Sick Child
If the weather outside is not to chilly or windy, bundle up your little patient and head out to the park or garden. Time in the fresh air and sunlight can be a blessing for blocked sinuses and cranky moods. I’ve found my toddler tends to cough and snivel less when she’s out in the open rather than when she’s inside. So, depending upon the weather and her symptoms, we try and make time outdoors a regular part of sick days.
5. Sick Days’ Surprise Gifts
Kids love presents and a sick child would love them even more. Bring out a doll, plush toy or car from that pile of “extra” birthday or holiday gifts you’d kept aside, wrap it up, and give it to him. Watch his face light up and the crankiness disappear as he plays with his “gift”.
Sick days don’t have to be all about taking medicines, time in bed and television. You can make them fun and entertaining with these simple indoor and outdoor activities. If you’re looking for more fun activities for toddlers and preschoolers, do check out outdoor activities for kids, summer-time toddler activities and green and eco-friendly activities, right here on Untrained Housewife.
Also, stay tuned for our eBook on Fun and Free Toddler Activities!
Photo Credit: Abigail Batchelder
