Home sick? 5 ideas for quiet bonding while nurturing young minds

Staying home with an under-the-weather child? In most cases, a sick day means some serious downtime and extra sleep. Still, boredom can rear its restless head, so use the time to bond and nurture their imaginations with one of these activities.   

1. Watch a science documentary: Live-shot stories can bring quiet captivation into your living room without the overstimulation of cartoons. And it will give you two something to talk about.

Need ideas? Microcosmos is an up-close look at the world of insects that’s truly mesmerizing and serves up a mellow vibe for its lack of narration. NOVA is a gem of a science series that covers a plethora of topics, including brain science, space exploration and ancient worlds. Just find a topic that speaks to your child’s current interests. Otherwise, your streaming service should have plenty of titles to choose from.

2. Walk down memory lane: There’s no better time to break out the baby album and have a conversation about the day your child entered the world! With older kids, ship over some copies of family photos or memories of the past year and piece together a highlights reel.

3. Write a story: Fold and cut stacks of paper into mini-books and break out the markers, stickers and stamps. Then, let their imaginations create a vivid story told in color and words.  

4. Embark on flights of fancy: Cozy up and start daydreaming and brainstorming. It can be about something silly, like adventures on the back of their favorite animal. If you’re really feeling it, create a playlist to go along with your imaginary adventure. 

5. Read out loud: This is a great kind of day to settle in and read from a chapter book. Mine your bookshelves for a read-aloud classic, or download a digital loaner from your local library. Reading out loud forces your child to picture the action in their minds instead of having it passively delivered to them on a fast-changing screen.

Downtime is also the right time to look ahead. Check the schedule for the next Bricks 4 Kidz lineup of workshops and summer camps and discover the next adventure.