We’ve all been there. You’re a kid, feeling bad and wishing you could get back to the things you love. In the meantime, you’re bored and sick at home.
So, what things can you do when you are sick and bored at home? Hopefully we can help entertain your kid and find a few fun things to do!
As a child I remember staying home from school because I was sick. I would rest in bed while my siblings were at school or having fun. I knew the bad feeling would eventually pass but it felt like it took so long.
Sometimes I’d stare at the ceiling other times I’d drift off to sleep. If I slept too much I knew I wouldn’t sleep well at night and if I stayed awake I’d be incredibly bored!
If you’re lucky you might only be sick and bored for a day or two. This is often the case for an illness like the flue or a cold.
Other kids might be battling a more serious sickness and have stayed home for months. If this is the case for you, I hope you keep fighting until you’re healed. Stay strong!
Entertaining Things Kids Can Do At Home When They’re Sick and Bored
In this article we’ve compiled a list of things for kids to do when they are sick at home. I’ve broken the list up into categories to make it easier to choose the type of activity you’re looking for.
First, we organized a list of fun activities. Although “watching a movie” is one of the options, I would recommend avoiding television as much as possible. There are so many more productive things you can do with your time outside of TV.
Also Read: 100+ Things For Bored Teenagers To Do
Included in the fun activities are board games, origami, and opportunities for creativity (card tricks and dog training). Just because your child is sick and bored at home doesn’t mean they have to stay in bed all day.
Kids can shoot hoops from their bed to the trash can and learn how to do S.O.S. with a flashlight
In the second group we listed educational activities. Truth-be-told, many of educational activities are also fun! Memorization, practice with geography, letter writing, foreign language, and debate club can be enjoyable if they are approached in the right way (pro tip: don’t call the education activities “educational activities” or they may send the wrong impression to your child).
In the third group are therapeutic activities. These activities may aid a child in recuperation and they may help relax their mind. It’s good for children to be introspective and although being sick is a terrible situation, it provides time for a kid to set goals and motivate them to improve in other areas (education, relationships, communication).
>> Also Read: Free Kids Typing Games
It’s doubtful that all of the activities are applicable to your child’s situation. Depending on the severity of sickness, there should be a few options for them to enjoy. Look through the list and tell us what you think!
Fun
- Play a board game with a sibling or parent
- Watch a movie
- Play a video game
- Create a new joke
- Teach your dog something new (sit, stay, roll over)
- Learn to play solitaire with real playing cards
- Learn a few card tricks to show your friends
- Set up your trashcan near your bed and try to make shots
- Make a fort on your bed
- Find a flashing and learn signals like S.O.S.
- Create a game or a scavenger hunt for your siblings
- Learn how to do origami
- Invent a new toy or idea to make life easier
- Create a magic show for you and your siblings to perform
- Create 5 challenges to do when you’re healthy again
- Write a letter to your 25-year-old self and store it in your desk
- Call a friend and act like you’re someone else (prank call)
- Learn to flare your nostrils, wink, raise one eyebrow, and move your ears
- Learn to curl your tongue
- Practice impersonating your father or mother (with voice and mannerisms). Then perform it at the dinner table.
- Learn the Vulcan Salute (Star Trek)
- Teach yourself to whistle
- Practice singing
- Play a game of memory with cards
- Learn to throw playing cards with accuracy
- Look at clouds through your window and find shapes/faces/animals
- Thumb wrestle
- I spy (or 20 questions)
- Play a game of checkers
- Blow bubbles
>> Also Read: 100+ Table Topic Questions For Families
Educational
- Learn a new board game
- Make flashcards for school vocabulary
- Play “words with friends” on a phone or tablet
- Memorize the capital of every state
- Memorize your favorite bible verse
- Write a play to act out with siblings
- Review your times tables
- Learn to say “thank you” in sign language
- Work on a challenging coloring book
- Watch a free Youtube tutorial on drawing
- Read an American classic novel
- Practice your debate skills (have a family member take the other side of an opinion)
- Learn to do a crossword puzzle
- Learn how to do easy Sokoku
- Watch a documentary about a foreign country and take notes
- Watch a documentary about nature and take notes (then teach someone in your family)
- Learn to say “hello” and “thank you” in a foreign language
- Review the names of all the oceans and continents
- Teach someone about your symptoms and sickness (flu, cold, or something more serious)
- Learn who to write calligraphy and make a card
- Learn to read a map and search where your friends and extended family live
- Listen to a podcast about a subject you’re interested in
- Ask a parent or grandparent to teach you something new
- Write an action plan for how you will get better
- Memorize a favorite quote to impress your friends and family
- Learn how to do your own laundry
- Read a mystery book
- Learn to play chess
Therapeutic
- Write the steps you will take to improve your health
- Write your goals once you are better
- Write about 5 things you miss doing because you are sick
- Write ten ways you can change your habits to reduce your chance of getting sick
- Write 5 reasons being sick will help you appreciate times when you are healthy
- Write a letter to friends or family and tell them you miss them
- Draw your best memory with your friends or family
- Record an audio message for your mother, father, or siblings
- Spend time with your dog or cat (they will cheer you up)
- Stretch your muscles (don’t just lay in bed all day)
- Make herbal tea or a green smoothie
- Eat well (avoid fast food when you’re sick)
- Learn how to make chicken broth (so you can make when other family members are sick)
- If you play sports, visualize teamwork and success (game winner, home run, touchdown)
- Take a warm bath to relax
- Try yoga (if you feel good enough to move around)
- Practice breathing exercises
- Soak your feet and relax
- Give yourself a massage using your own hands (temples, neck, and legs)
- Think positive things (success, good health, good grades)
- Call a grandparent and say hello
- Clean and dust your room (not enjoyable but a good routine to learn)
Why Does A Sick Kid At Home Need Things To Do?
If you’re a parent, you’ve heard the word “I’m bored”. It’s a phrase that is used often by kids (by healthy and sick kids) and it’s uninspiring. Ideally, your child would never be bored and have the creativity to keep themselves busy and productive.
Unfortunately this isn’t the case.
This list, while not perfect, includes many options to keep kids of all ages busy. While writing it I asked myself “how are kids ever bored?”
Kids have great imaginations and are naturally inquisitive, so maybe all they need are a few options.
If you want to take it one step further, print this list and hang it in your child’s bedroom. Any time you hear the dreaded words “I’m bored” have them review the list and choose an activity that is appropriate.
The list is applicable for sick and healthy kids!
In Summary
If your kid is sick and bored at home, it doesn’t mean they have to sit in bed all day and do nothing. They can be productive and they can learn something new.
Simple activities like reading a novel and studying languages or geography are perfect for kids who are limited to bed. They can even shoot hoops from their bed to the trashcan.
Keeping the mind at rest (sleep) or active through critical thinking is important to avoid the dreaded words of “I’m bored”.
A deck of cards can offer multiple opportunities to learn and teach (solitaire, tricks, magic, building houses of cards). Likewise, a pen a pad can allow a child to write a letter to family, practice math, learn art or calligraphy.
We supplied the list, now it’s time for you to get busy!
