Activities and Crafts for Sick Children
Homemade Ideas to Keep Kids Amused During Flu Season
Oct 22, 2009
The flu season is here and this is a time when boredom and restlessness can set in as children begin to feel better, but aren't quite well enough to resume playtime and school. What's a parent to do? Think crafts and homemade activities to keep kids amused during the flu season that can be easily done at home. Here are a few to try.
A Bottle of Treasures
This homemade toy may look like nothing more than a bottle of rice, but when it is rolled or turned a host of hidden objects will appear.
- Remove the label from a clean, clear plastic water bottle.
- Gather a bunch of trinkets (lightweight and small enough to fit into the bottle top) such as beads, buttons, charms, plastic bugs, and such.
- Place them inside the bottle.
- Fill the bottle 2/3 full with uncooked rice.
- Line the cap with a bead of glue and screw on tightly.
Now children can twist and turn this toy to see how many treasures they can spot inside.
Marble Board Game
Take a box lid, one that is sturdy such as a shoe box and make this fun game.
- Carefully poke a few holes inside the box lid smaller than the marble you will be using.
- Invite the children to draw pictures around these holes with crayons or markers, such as flowers, lollipops, balloons, or a nose of an animal.
To play this game, drop the marble in the lid and tilt the box to roll the marble. Try to land the marble in the holes surrounding the pictures.
Block Village
- Help children escape to another place with the creation of a block village.
- Using paper lunch bags, markers and crayons, invite children to draw and color a variety of buildings and houses (one per sack).
- Next, stuff a second bag with newspaper and slip the bag with the artwork over the stuffed bag.
These homemade buildings can stand on the bed or table. Add a few toy cars or dolls and voila, an entire city is born!
Flannel Board Stories
A miniature flannel board is a great background for storytelling.
- Glue a piece of flannel to the inside of a shoe box lid. This is the storytelling board.
- To make characters, use felt pieces or cut out magazine pictures.
- Glue the cut out pictures onto cardboard and then glue a sandpaper strip on the back. Sandpaper helps the characters stick to the flannel.
- Rolled up masking tape can also be used.
- Use the shoe box to store all the pieces.
Encourage children to make up stories as they present them on the flannel board. This activity enhances their creativity.
Clothespin Word, Color, and Shape Games
Clothespins provide an opportunity for children to learn while having fun. Materials needed for this bed game include spring-type clothespins, markers, and a wire hanger.
- For school-age children, depending upon their word skills, the parent or child should print an alphabet letter on each clothespin. To play, snap clothespins on the hanger to make different words.
- Shapes and colors can be an appropriate game for preschool children. Make two clothespins each of matching shapes or colors. The parent can place one clothespin on the hanger and ask the child to match it.
Today children have many toys, however, a homemade game is new and entertaining. It might be just what the doctor orders to keep children amused at home and happy during the recuperation period this flu season.
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