These 10 Sick Day Activities For Kids are for when kids are sick enough to stay home from school but not so sick as to sleep all day. Entertaining a sick kid can easily be solved with TV, Movies, and video games (we’ve all done it). But a few screen-fee entertainment options for sick kids can be a good way to divide up the day. Here’s to screen-free, sick day, boredom busters!
10 Sick Day Activities For Kids
- Mini office. This one is GREAT if you have to work-from-home while caring for your sick child. Set up a mini-office beside your work area. Fill it “work supplies” like paper, envelopes, pencils, stamps and washable ink (stamps and washable ink can be an activity in itself), play phone, play computer. Kids can “work” beside you as you work.
- Spa day. Have your sick one relax in a warm tub. You could up the “silly factor” by having them put on their bathing suit. Then, follow the bath with a gentle back, leg, and arm massage with lotion. This activity not only entertains them…a warm bath can soothe coughs and colds…and it you don’t have to do bath time at night when sick kids feel most tired.
- Photos. Take out their baby books and show them the pictures of their childhood.
- Art. Colouring, connect the dots, paint with water, drawing. These are all mess-free, screen-free boredom busters to entertain sick kids. You could also have them practice writing: abcs or writing letters to friends & family.
- Read a book. Probably the most classic of sick day activities for kids. It’s comforting. It’s together time. It’s entertaining. Sometimes the best medicine is reading a bunch of books and resting.
- Memory games. Put out a 5-10 everyday objects (pencil, teddy bear, sock, action figure, doll, car). Have the kids look at them for the count of 10. Then, they have to turn around and close their eyes. Take away one item and hide it. Then, have them turn back and guess which item is missing. This is a game you can do in laying in bed, sitting on a couch, or standing at the kitchen table. And you can take turns so they can hide things on you.
- Blanket fort. All you need is a few blankets, chairs or couches…and you can make a blanket fort. Great for reading in (see #5) or napping.
- Board games and card games. Go fish, crazy 8s, connect 4, monopoly…all fairy “quiet” games which will keep sick kids entertained.
- Eye spy with my little eye. Not only a game for all ages…it’s completely portable. So you can play on your way to the doctor’s office or while you wait in the waiting room.
- TV show. When your child is feeling a bit better…pretend you are doing a TV show. Have them look directly at a mirror (or out into space) and have them monologue, interview, or entertain the “viewers”.
And if you need EVEN MORE activities you should check out my list of 65 indoor activity ideas for kids
These are great ideas! With the flu going around everywhere, I am sure I will be needing some of these ideas at some point soon!
yep — we were just the house-of-flu here
Call me old fashion but I am all about those blanket forts. Those were the best when I was younger and I like to think they still are today!
blanket forts rule
This is a great list. Most of the time my kids are never the ones to stay in bed and watch TV. They want to do stuff even when they are sick and I keep them out of school just to not spread the germs. So these are great activities for them.
I try to break up screen time (otherwise they don’t sleep at night)
YES!! The blanket fort was one of my favorites as a child! Also I love the idea of the mini office! They are all great ideas for things kids can do when home sick!
My son calls it a “flort” 🙂
LOL you don’t even what to know what I called it when I was really young. I honestly thought it was called a fart!
a flort isn’t that far off lol
These are all great activities that my kids would love (and a lot that they do already)
They are pretty decent anytime activities
These are all wonderful ideas. I think they can really help out when kids are sick too. Sometimes they need a little fun when they’re feeling down.
Mine are usually too sick to go to sick but not quite sick enough to stay in bed all day
Such great ideas!! We had a kiddo home sick for a week – these are genius!!
I had one home for two days! Hence the idea list inspiration.
These are some great ideas for when a child is feeling sick, it can be quite a horrid time for anyone but even more so when you are young.
It can be so tough to have a sick kid home
Awesome list! I especially love the spa day and fort building. Something to keep them busy for a few hours.
These are all great activities to do when the kids have a sick day. My Daughter and I like to have a mini Spa day depending on how she is feeling.
These are fantastic sick day activities for when your little ones are home and sick. We like to just snuggle and watch movies and relax.
These are terrific ideas, thanks very much for sharing them!