Sick Day Activities

A Little Fun for Toddlers When They're Not Feeling So Well

By Amy Henry

With the aid of a breakfast tray or other flat work surface, you and your child can assemble a "When I'm Well" book, filled with wishes for sunnier times. Just thinking about a trip to the playground or a day at the beach – letting your child detail the food, the friends, the fun – puts roses back in little cheeks.

"Resting" days are also a good time to stretch the rules a bit. Offer your child an extra half hour of TV or allow chocolate ice cream for lunch. "Cater to comfort things," Douglas says.

What about outdoor play? "Fresh air and distraction can be good morale boosters when a child is sick," Dr. Blier says. Being pushed on a swing, going for a short walk or a ride on a trike, drawing on the sidewalk with chalk – all are activities a mildly ill child can enjoy when dressed appropriately for the weather. Once a child is no longer contagious, an hour in the sandbox with a friend is safe – and a source of happiness.

"If a toddler wants to do something and seems to be tolerating the activity well, it's probably OK to let him or her do it," Dr. Blier says. "Kids are usually pretty good at limiting themselves when they don't feel well."