Lesson Plans for Toddlers and Preschoolers When Mom Has Cold or Flu

With winter we also get cold and flu season and so many other "bugs" that you may pick up. Have you ever had that day - or even week when you were sick, home with the kids, feeling quite close to death warmed over? If you are lucky you have a grandparent or friend to help out with entertaining the children, but if not it's all on you and your children expect it. After all they don't know that you are sick.

In a Rubbermaid (or similar type container) keep play dough and play dough accessories, for helpful play dough ideas read, Play Dough and Straw Creations. You also need blank paper, coloring books, washable markers, crayons and Crayola Color Wonders markers or paints; stickers, bubbles of all types (they don't harm the house of the hardwood floors and keep the kids entertained for a long period of time.

In another container keep a change of clothes for the kids and some diapers and wipes. This way you have them handy after messy lunches or snacks because you are too sick or sleepy or woozy from your cold medicine to feed them yourself so they end up with food and goo all over them. It also saves trips up and down the steps during the day, and with energy being low you need to save every step.

Pull out a box of books and puzzles. If you have a sore throat get every book in the house that you have that includes push buttons and sounds. One of our family's favorite is the V Tech Rhyme and Discover, but we also have an Elmo Potty Time and Dora Goes to Outer space. Some other excellent options include books with the piano keys on them, you don't really have to read, so you can save your throat, but you and the children can have a good time pounding out the tunes and creating your own.

Puzzles are also a great option for these sick days. If they kids can't put them together or become bored with them then just dump them back in the container for later, you don't even really have to take the time to put them together again yourself - do it later or when you feel better.

Blocks are great fun. I alternate by bringing out wooden shape blocks, or Lego blocks or mega blocks. I can sit in the floor with the children, playing and building and it takes very little effort on my part and it's easy to clean up.

Musical instruments or CD's are another low effort way to keep the children happy and occupied. Bring out the instruments and all of you sit in the floor and create your own band. My two year old grabs a play microphone and is the lead singer. Put in one of their favorite CD's and let them dance around on their own.

DVD's, Nick Jr. and DVR are life savers. I don't normally like to use the TV, but when it gets so bad that my headache feels like a construction crew with jackhammers in my head and my throat feels like it's been sliced with razors, it's ok to bring out the "plug in drug." It won't hurt the kids to watch a little television until you feel better. In our house, Shrek 3 always yields quiet children and a few minutes of quiet time for mom.

A few other tips: don't try to clean the house, run errands, do the laundry, and help with homework and all other things that you usually try to accomplish during the day. Pace yourself, you know that your child will need help with homework, so rest and do one of these easy activities before your school ager gets home and then put in a DVD so you can help them with homework. Do go to the doctor if you have had your symptoms for 48 hours - it's not just to make you feel better but to make sure you don't pass it around the household. Get your rest and feed the family easy meals -even if it means ordering pizza.

The key to surviving your cold, flu, infection, whatever, is to not have too high of expectations for yourself or others, take time for yourself, and remember to keep the children happy and occupied all you need to do is alternate these favorite activities and relax with your children until you are healthy again. And this is a good time to allow the children to explore fine motor skills and independent play activities that sometimes our busy schedules do not allow.

For more information on the V-Tech Rhyme and Discover Book or Crayola products (Tadoodles or Color Wonders Paint) please visit my AC homepage