I don’t know about you, but when I have sick kids I want simple and calm. My 4 year old daughter does calm well, but my 2 year old son does not. Crafts and screen time are practically the two calm things he will do for any length of time. So, when they both were sick, we did a lot of simple crafts for kids. And guess what, they were all hits and kept them entertained for a long time.
Disclaimer: This page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. If you choose to make a purchase after clicking a link, I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!
3 Very Simple Crafts for Kids
1. Premade Craft Kits:
Normally I am all about prepping crafts myself. But, I was relieved to have a paper plate craft kit on hand when I needed an easy way to keep my sick kids entertained. You can also prep and save these similar animal paper plate crafts from Simple Everyday Mom. Then, when you need them, they will already be ready to go.
I let my kids pick which animals they wanted to make and then let them make them how they wanted. My daughter wanted to make them look just like the picture on the box. On the other hand, my son wanted to haphazardly glue pieces all over the place. As long as the pieces ended up glued to the plate instead of the table, I was happy. They both had a blast and were entertained, calm, and healing for a good while.
We also tried a sea themed hanging craft, but it was a little on the complicated side for my son. It ended up being more hands on for me than I wanted. Both kids needed my help the entire time and I could only help one at a time.
2. Painting:
Later, I wanted the kids to get some fresh air. But, without a distraction, we can’t go into our backyard without needing to play in the sand and run around like crazy children. So, I decided to have them paint outside. It kept them calm and still, but still got them outside in the fresh air. They used tempera paint and cut up paper bags. They didn’t make anything specific, just enjoyed painting.
3. Stickers:
Last, but not least, they played with stickers. This was the simplest by far. I gave them a few pieces of construction paper and a bunch of stickers. My daughter meticulously placed her stickers in rows. This took her a good chunk of time over several days to finish. My son on the other hand, put some haphazardly on his paper and then threw them up in the air until they all fell off. Being sick only quells the little boy energy for so long.
Conclusion of Our Sick Day Simple Crafts for Kids
While these simple crafts for kids weren’t the most exciting or useful crafts we have made, they were exactly what we needed. They took little to no prep from me and both kids enjoyed them. They kept them calm, but happy and the painting even got them some fresh air. So, if your kids are sick, remember the simpler the better. They won’t care and you need an easy win to get everyone back to feeling better.
Once everyone is feeling up to more complicated (but still simple) crafts, check out these favorites:
