Cabin Fever Crafts: The Remix

The last month has been like the Sick that Keeps on Sicking over here. Just when I finally got around to scheduling Lilly’s follow-up appointment for the double ear infection/nebulizer debacle, she came down with a horrendous stomach virus. She was so sick last Thursday we ended up in the ER all night, and that was just the beginning. By Saturday, JiT and I were sick too (though not nearly as bad) and we were on all house-arrest the entire weekend.

Since I’ve heard these nasty buggies are making their rounds, I figured I’d share a few more of the creative game ideas we’ve been doing around here to keep busy (when not working our way through the entire Disney Pixar collection….”Just keep swimming! Just keep swimming!”). If you’re dealing with a sick kiddo at your house, good luck trying a few of these games and don’t forget to stay hydrated!

Eggs In a Muffin Tin
Place plastic eggs in muffin tin. Dump eggs on floor. Repeat. I’m amazed at how long this can go on. Instead of plastic eggs, try golf balls, cotton balls…you get the idea.

Colorful Pasta
The pasta was actually a gift from a friend of mine who died them bright rainbow colors for a birthday craft. Aren’t they pretty. I haven’t done the dying myself but you can find simple instructions just by googling. Or just by some veggie pasta in different colors at the store and be done with it.

We spread ours on a big blanket to keep it contained, place all the pasta in a big bowl with a few measuring cups and there you have it. Bonus points for including a few pipe cleaners for stringing. Lilly LOVES this one and it keeps her busy for quite a while.

Matchy-Matchy Mail
I don’t have a pic of her in action, the idea is simple. Using a set of small cardboard flashcards (like the game Memory) and “mail” and have your child name each picture, then drop the card into her “mailbox” (an empty wipes container). Repeat until all cards have been mailed.

Tent with Eggs (or balls)
I found a cheap pop-up play tent in the clearance section at Target for $9. I meant to order a set of ball pit balls but haven’t gotten around to it, so instead we’ve been using a $5 set of plastic Easter eggs I had lying around. We toss all the eggs into the tent, then toss them back out. Roll around in them. Repeat. Lots of fun and a decent way to get moving on a cold winter day. And the tent folds down for storage so I like this better than one of those serious indoor play center/gyms that you really have to commit to.

Anyway, those are just a few more ideas we’ve been tossing around here to keep ourselves busy while waiting out the illnesses.