Your child may have some favourite books that they like to read themselves, or you can read to them. Reading to them during the day can seem like a treat and can be a nurturing and bonding experience. For something new, you can read them some age-appropriate stories.
You can set your child up cosy on the couch to watch a movie. This way, they’ll still feel part of things, and you can keep an eye on them. You might want to watch the movie too – an unexpected treat for you – or you may be able to tick off some of the tasks on your to-do list. Movie time can also help your child rest during the day.
Limited time playing video or online games that aren’t too physical can be fun and break up the day. Your child may have their favourites on PlayStation or Wii, online or through mobile apps, or you can look up some new games with them.
Puzzle books can be like treasure chests – restless children can flick through from find-a-word to spot-the-difference, settling on whichever one they have the energy for. Jigsaw puzzles, if they appeal, are a mindful, quiet option and foster a sense of process and achievement. If you’re short on supply, you can find many puzzles online.
Colouring is a fun activity for your child when they’re down with a cold or flu. Colouring involves fine motor practice and colour discrimination (they are missing school, after all, but at least they're learning something), with more challenges in some than others, such as colour-by-letter or number tasks. This is more fun for the younger ones.
Depending on how your child is feeling, a bit of craft can bring creativity to a monotonous day, without being over stimulating.
In addition to these welcome distractions, Nurofen for Children is suitable to give from 3 months old and can provide effective relief for symptoms such as headaches, body aches, sore throats and reduces fever if your child is uncomfortable.
As a parent remember, if you need to work from home with a sick child, it’s okay to find it hard and to not know how to manage it. Being sick with a cold can be unpleasant for children. It is important that they rest, but if they feel up to it, enjoyable activities that break up the seemingly long hours at home may help shift their focus from feeling unwell and may dispel the boredom. A little extra screen time than usual is also okay – you can search for online educational resources to beat the boredom, or you might want to try audiobooks as a great alternative to screens.
Of course, we don’t want things to be too much fun, because as soon as they’re well enough, it’s right back to school!