Author Topic: Going stir crazy stuck home with sick LO  (Read 7260 times)

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Offline *Ali*

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Going stir crazy stuck home with sick LO
« on: July 15, 2013, 10:35:07 am »
Cadan who is 3.5yo has tonsillitis and is pretty feverish and immobile. Yesterday we watched movies and ate ice cream all day and then sat in the paddling pool to cool off for 10 minutes. Oh and we played I Spy for 5 minutes before he got bored.

Today he still isn't well enough to be up and about much but we are all (Colby 23mo is here too) going stir crazy stuck home in a heat wave.

I hope to get a board game out later while Colby naps but does anyone have any other ideas for things to do together indoors in hot weather that don't really involve moving around or TV?

Thanks.
Cadan Dec 2009 and Colby Aug 2011


Offline koe2moe

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Re: Going stir crazy stuck home with sick LO
« Reply #1 on: July 15, 2013, 11:13:30 am »
Do they like playdoh?  Painting with water on whatever outside, like fence, wall, terrass tiles?  Painting?  Cut up a carrot or potato to make stamps?  (i hate mess, so i can only think of stuff not messy at all :P)



Offline michaeljacknnugg

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Re: Going stir crazy stuck home with sick LO
« Reply #2 on: July 15, 2013, 11:22:35 am »
I was going to say craft stuff too. Sticker books?
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Offline *Ali*

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Re: Going stir crazy stuck home with sick LO
« Reply #3 on: July 15, 2013, 12:00:35 pm »
Thanks. We did get the water table out on the deck but he couldn't stand up for long and came in for a rest.
I actually think all your ideas would end up very messy indeed Koe! ;) yeah he does like play doh but it always ends up everywhere so I have put it away. I will get it out again this afternoon. Good idea.
Funny he isn't actually into sticker books. He just wants to stick the stickers all over himself and then throw them in the bin after 5 mins ::)
I find it so hard to do crafts with the two of them as one is always getting glue or paint everywhere while I'm dealing with the other.
Cadan Dec 2009 and Colby Aug 2011


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Re: Going stir crazy stuck home with sick LO
« Reply #4 on: July 15, 2013, 12:47:31 pm »
Is he feeling too poorly for imaginative play? I'm thinking sitting down but playing with little cars and characters, making up conversations and stuff?  DS likes it when I put on different accents - although I find it pretty hard work to keep going as long as he'd like.

Chalk board and chalks?  Not quite as messy as paints, I let DS use a chalk board even on our rug as any dust vacs up easily, he doesn't draw much though so here its a 2 min activity.

A big tub and jumbo pack of pasta, few measuring jugs and cups - like a water table but indoors if it's too hot out, and he can sit on the floor at a tray rather than having to stand at the water table?  He might like to sort different shapes of pasta if he's into sorting?    Or move them around with diggers and tip trucks if he likes those.  Or send Colby to the other side of the room for each piece of pasta and bring it back to Cadan for Cadan to sort into 2 or 3 different tubs/bowls (or post them through a hole in a box if he is too poorly to want to do sorting) that way Colby gets exercise and Cadan can sit still and do the brain work?

Dot to dot?  DS just got into these on and off, he needs help to draw the line as he doesn't have good control of his pen but he likes to look for the numbers and see the picture.  You can draw some out yourself if you don't have a dot to dot book. Or I bet you could print some off in a flash (and Colby can draw rather than dot to dot)

Wax crayons and colouring pages are not too messy.


Offline *Ali*

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Re: Going stir crazy stuck home with sick LO
« Reply #5 on: July 15, 2013, 13:06:39 pm »
Oh yes we have an easel with a blackboard on one side. I'm sure I could position a chair in front.
Gtg Colby up now...
Thanks.
Cadan Dec 2009 and Colby Aug 2011


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Re: Going stir crazy stuck home with sick LO
« Reply #6 on: July 15, 2013, 13:42:06 pm »
Maybe some rhyming games?  Might only be 5 mins like I spy but it's still 5 mins of distraction and no one has to move.


Offline C&B&E

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Re: Going stir crazy stuck home with sick LO
« Reply #7 on: July 15, 2013, 14:00:50 pm »
Ice play? I did it with mine today and they loved it. A few plastic containers, fill them with water and a bit of food colouring if you want. Thenadd a few little plastic toys to each one - see creatures work well. Then pop them in the freezer overnight.  Put them all in a big plastic box and give them some stuff to either break up or melt the ice to free the animals (toy hammer, pippettes and warm water etc).  i also did it with some magnetic letters today.
Claire x



Offline *Becky*

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Re: Going stir crazy stuck home with sick LO
« Reply #8 on: July 15, 2013, 14:04:43 pm »
I feel your pain Ali...H has c pox and is housebound!
We have had movie day and I bought him a new roald dahl book so plenty of that...new lego sticker book helping a bit but not madly into stickers. Lots of time in the sand pit in the shade. x




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Offline koe2moe

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Re: Going stir crazy stuck home with sick LO
« Reply #9 on: July 15, 2013, 15:26:20 pm »
Thanks. We did get the water table out on the deck but he couldn't stand up for long and came in for a rest.
I actually think all your ideas would end up very messy indeed Koe! ;) yeah he does like play doh but it always ends up everywhere so I have put it away. I will get it out again this afternoon. Good idea.
Funny he isn't actually into sticker books. He just wants to stick the stickers all over himself and then throw them in the bin after 5 mins ::)
I find it so hard to do crafts with the two of them as one is always getting glue or paint everywhere while I'm dealing with the other.
Do you have my kid there x 2??  DS never plays with stickers!  When yours is so ill, outside play just wont work.  With playdoh, at least he can be nudging and kneading a piece in his hand while laying down :P 

Lots of get well vibes!!



Offline *Becky*

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Re: Going stir crazy stuck home with sick LO
« Reply #10 on: July 15, 2013, 16:50:30 pm »
I find it so hard to do crafts with the two of them as one is always getting glue or paint everywhere while I'm dealing with the other.
i feel the same...




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Offline koe2moe

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Re: Going stir crazy stuck home with sick LO
« Reply #11 on: July 15, 2013, 17:00:01 pm »
I can't even get one to do craft!! Ds just wants to squirt glue everywhere!! 



Offline michaeljacknnugg

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Re: Going stir crazy stuck home with sick LO
« Reply #12 on: July 15, 2013, 19:12:34 pm »
I know it's a bit late but have you tried making rubbings with crayons and a textured surface? No mess and can be done with two!
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Offline koe2moe

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Re: Going stir crazy stuck home with sick LO
« Reply #13 on: July 15, 2013, 20:39:55 pm »
I know it's a bit late but have you tried making rubbings with crayons and a textured surface? No mess and can be done with two!
I'm going to try that but there will be mess!!  :P 

Ali, hope you all had a better day! 



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Re: Going stir crazy stuck home with sick LO
« Reply #14 on: July 15, 2013, 21:22:58 pm »
Does Cadan like maps?
DS is so into maps just now, we have a map of a nature reserve place which he wants to look at every day and just talk about the route we took walking around etc. He also has a picture of a pirate map he loves to look at and wonder where the treasure is hidden.  Then the other day I drew a map of our road for him with landmarks and he totally loved that and chatted and pointed for ages.  The next day we began making our own map. Just 4 pieces of white A4 paper taped together at the back and brainstorming favourite places in our town, like the beach, park, Nana's house, it's a bit more 'free' this one and things do not need to be in the right place or to scale, he just scribbles colours and tells me 'that's the play park, that's the slide' etc and I write it on so I can remember what it all is when we look back at it. We just used felt pens as DS doesn't make mess with them - it's hard to get him interested in drawing long enough.  For DS it gave purpose to drawing which motivated him because otherwise he doesn't really draw much.
Or maybe you could get some photo books out and talk about pics of days out and holidays?


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Re: Going stir crazy stuck home with sick LO
« Reply #15 on: July 16, 2013, 03:41:15 am »
Poor wee man. We had similar with Z for a few weeks! (HFM then flu) and it's so frustrating for the, isn't it.

We did... (I know Z is younger but may help ;) )
Movies
Play doh
Colouring, stickers and stamps
Sidewalk chalk
Marbles, and marble run when T asleep (or T tries to eat marbles ::) )
Puzzles
Picnic lunch at home
Playing duplo and trains
Bug hunting outside the house if warm enough and Z up to it.
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DS1 - Our sensitive soul. Silent reflux.

DS2 Our cheeky chipmunk. Reflux, MSPI.

Offline *Ali*

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Re: Going stir crazy stuck home with sick LO
« Reply #16 on: July 16, 2013, 07:43:05 am »
Thanks girls.

Not too late at all, now Colby is sick with tonsillitis as I expected ::)

My mum bought the Hungry Hippos game for them and we did a whole hour of play doh (surprising as they had to share a single pot as the rest was hard) and then 10 mins of chalking.

I love the toys in ice idea but we really do have the smallest freezer known to man and it's jam packed with ice cubes, ice poles, ice cream and veg.

Cadan does like maps. we have a map ball and he loves pointing out which countries we have been to and where friends and family are from. We actually made pirate treasure maps the other day. I tore a big piece off a roll of lining paper for walls (99p from b&q) and tore the edges then drew a map on it with crayon and then stained it to look old with some instant coffee. We based it on our house and had forest where our garden is, a waterfall for the kitchen sink, shelter for the sofas, a tunnel for the catflap, camp fire for the radiators, food for the fridge etc and then did a big x and hid some treasure there for us to find. Your Lo might like that creations :)

Going to get/make some more play doh today and see what other ideas you have mentioned he will be interested in. Thanks again lovely ladies.  :-*
Cadan Dec 2009 and Colby Aug 2011


Offline ZacsMumme

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Re: Going stir crazy stuck home with sick LO
« Reply #17 on: July 16, 2013, 08:09:14 am »
Oh Zac loved making roads and a town over a huge piece of cardboard on the floor with colouring pens etc.  DH did it with him one arvo, and then they whizzed the cars all over it ;)

The other thing I thought of was just something that I had to do and Z seemed to enjoy it (finding new toys) and that is sort the toys out - or do a clean up YK? Found all sorts n the big toy box ::)

Bay blades? (Sp.?) but Z played this at an older friends house and loved it

Hugs to your poor boys x
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DS2 Our cheeky chipmunk. Reflux, MSPI.

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Re: Going stir crazy stuck home with sick LO
« Reply #18 on: July 16, 2013, 08:19:12 am »
L likes making a car or a train or an aeroplane out of cushions, baskets boxes etc on our living room floor.  She packs the 'boot' and takes her dolls to their granny's house (although often she doesn't get to the driving stage, spends the whole time getting things ready and packed). Not sure if that's too energetic but maybe they could sit on cushions and 'drive'?
DD1 - 8 years old
DD2 - 5 years old

Offline CCCmom27

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Re: Going stir crazy stuck home with sick LO
« Reply #19 on: July 16, 2013, 13:15:48 pm »
Joining in looking for ideas for after C has toe surgery tomorrow.  Not sure how much he'll want to move the first few days so I've got DH picking up some playdough, a new cheap movie, and a new video game.  Already have a new watercolor Nemo book that hopefully he'll want to do.  I like water colors best since they make less mess  ;) C likes making maps so maybe we can do some new ones.  Loves the ice idea but not sure what I'd give them to pick at the ice  ???





Offline koe2moe

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Re: Going stir crazy stuck home with sick LO
« Reply #20 on: July 16, 2013, 13:30:59 pm »
Ali, i would love to see your pirate treasure map!!  DS would really love it but i honestly have no energy to make it myself. 

I tried the crayon ovef texture, i ended up having to do it all, though DS had a great time guessing what it was.  It lasted a total of 5 mins, most of which was spent on me finding things with texture ::). DS spent 2 mins on drawing, which was usually a single line with a whole story in it.  Might be the next big art thing :P

Sara, just some reassuring facts for you, in case T does swallow a marble, it will come out very easily.  Round heavy things, that are not too big to block airway, are easier (within 24 hrs) flat things, like coin, not so but still comes out whole (48hrs), tried and tested by friends and supported by their GP!!




Offline *Ali*

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Re: Going stir crazy stuck home with sick LO
« Reply #21 on: July 16, 2013, 14:28:48 pm »
Both boys asleep right now...

I'd be more worried about them choking on the marble!

I'm sure you could just give a metal teaspoon to pick the ice. Wondering now if I could freeze it at my mum's.

I have tried to attch the photo of the maps, I hope you can see it. I mostly did the one Cadan is holding and Cadan did one Colby is holding. Not artistic at all!
Cadan Dec 2009 and Colby Aug 2011


Offline *Becky*

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Re: Going stir crazy stuck home with sick LO
« Reply #22 on: July 16, 2013, 14:32:24 pm »
awww, lovely Ali. xx




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Re: Going stir crazy stuck home with sick LO
« Reply #23 on: July 16, 2013, 18:33:37 pm »
awwwww how very cool!!  DS would love it... as long as I do it all!!  might still be fun :P 



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Re: Going stir crazy stuck home with sick LO
« Reply #24 on: July 16, 2013, 18:40:15 pm »
DS did lots of pirate maps at nursery and was so into them...




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Re: Going stir crazy stuck home with sick LO
« Reply #25 on: July 16, 2013, 18:42:45 pm »
DS did lots of pirate maps at nursery and was so into them...
Did H do them himself?  I guess I can make it simple to start with, just the living room.  Couch as water, shelves as the mountains, underneath the tv as a cave for treasures? 



Offline *Ali*

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Re: Going stir crazy stuck home with sick LO
« Reply #26 on: July 16, 2013, 20:20:30 pm »
You can always just pretend Koe, you don't have to make anything correspond, it is still fun.

We popped to the shop and bought an ice cream parlour play doh set and a floor puzzle so those have kept is busy today.

Colby is very sick with a bacterial chest infection and viral tonsillitis now so we may have several more days to use the other ideas.
Cadan Dec 2009 and Colby Aug 2011


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Re: Going stir crazy stuck home with sick LO
« Reply #27 on: July 16, 2013, 21:36:59 pm »
Sorry to hear Colby is poorly now too :(

The maps are great!  Your description is beyond DS and he doesn't draw anything recognisable at all (I think he might be a bit behind in this area and focused on other things) but I love the idea of a map of the house though. We'll do that!  He has (in the past) enjoyed drawing nursery rhymes but hasn't done any for a while.

We had a fun time with this yesterday
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/9059722.htm
I put it up myself in around 10 mins, with DS jumping around getting all exited and taking little pieces of card to the bin to tidy up.  The we coloured some and he took some toy friends inside for a picnic and he enjoyed just going in and out of it and loved having a new den. As an added bonus it provides lavatory privacy when there are guests :)  Biggest problem though, you'd have to enlist DH to go out to buy it as you're all housebound :(


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Re: Going stir crazy stuck home with sick LO
« Reply #28 on: July 17, 2013, 07:55:36 am »
Do you have any masking tape? Sometimes we stick this on the floor to draw out roads for L to push her cars along and make a little town. The good thing is it can be completely different every time and as big as you like.
DD1 - 8 years old
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Re: Going stir crazy stuck home with sick LO
« Reply #29 on: July 20, 2013, 15:25:34 pm »
Thanks ladies.

Boys are recovering now and both attended their swimming lessons today.

Funnily enough creations I remembered you mentioning that house on another bread a while ago and saw it on sale and offered to buy it but Cadan wasn't keen and wanted to build his own. He isn't really into colouring. I don't think it is typical for LOs to draw recognisable pics until 3-4yo so I'm sure your DS isn't behind in that. Cadan can just about draw a face and a stick man and maybe a wave for water. Otherwise it is mostly circles. he can do squares and triangles at a push actually. We probably don't do enough drawing.

We managed to fill the days with reading, colour by numbers (5minutes), playing cards (snap, pairs, go fish and bingo) and lots of p,aping with the new play doh.

Great idea for another time Cath.


Cadan Dec 2009 and Colby Aug 2011


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Re: Going stir crazy stuck home with sick LO
« Reply #30 on: July 21, 2013, 07:01:40 am »
He isn't really into colouring.
No, DS isn't either, he did to a tiny bit (all scribbly circles) in various colours on one of the butterflies then went mad with the black pen and went all around the house with it just doing the odd scribble and line all over.  He had fun though which is the main thing.  The main thing though is he likes it as a play house.
I've seen quite a few IRL kids at group at around 2 - 2.5 drawing all sorts of lines, circles etc faces (identifiable with circle head, eyes, ears not always in the right place, smile etc) and even beginning to write their name even though they don't read the alphabet or know their all the letter sounds. Should compare, I know, but I think we all do to an extent to make sure our own are OK.  But yes, I think those kids are likely ahead in this area having focused on that skill whilst DS has focused on another.

Great to hear they are on the mend :)


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Re: Going stir crazy stuck home with sick LO
« Reply #31 on: July 21, 2013, 18:15:48 pm »
L is also rubbish at drawing at 2yrs 10 months. Just scribbles and doesn't seem interested in trying to draw any actual things yet :P

Sure she'll get into it when it interests her!

Pleased to hear the boys are on the mend Ali x
DD1 - 8 years old
DD2 - 5 years old

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Re: Going stir crazy stuck home with sick LO
« Reply #32 on: July 22, 2013, 08:17:26 am »
Oh yeah, Cadan could write his name from 3yo but he couldn't draw a recognisable house or write the whole alphabet. I've certainly never seen a 2 yo do anything but scribble IME so I'm sure your DS is fine. When I looked up stages of drawing development it said 3-4yo is when they start drawing recognisable figure typically. And it definitely depends on what they are interested in.

Much better today and we are venturing out to play group. It is very hot here (32c) so hopefully there will be lots if running around burning off energy. I'll keep this thread for future though as it was very helpful :)
Cadan Dec 2009 and Colby Aug 2011