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Like all other parents, our children go to infant/day-care and are not spared from contracting viruses and flu. We understand how tiring and frustrating it can be when our children come home with a runny nose or a throaty cough every 2-3 weeks!
While the child may not be severely ill from a slight bout of flu, it may be unavoidable that your child will be staying at home for a few days to recover. Why not slot in some simple, fuss-free educational activities revolving around hygiene, falling sick and medicine?
Activity #1 - Where Do Germs Hide?
Steps:
- Ask your child to take a pinch of baby powder. Imagine the powder as germs.
- Let wait 10 to 20s for your child spread the powder on a surface.
- Point out how easily and quickly the powder (germs) spread, and how the ‘germs’ hide in between fingers and skin.
Explain further:
Although you cannot see them, germs are everywhere. Germs spread especially easily through your hands. Remember, don’t touch your eyes, nose or mouth until you have cleaned your hands.
What we like about this activity?
Baby powder is fairly easy to clean up and even if you accidentally make a mess, it doesn’t attract ants or other pests.
Activity #2 - Pretend Play: The Doctor Is In!
Role play can help prepare your child for the dreaded wait at a doctor’s visit and help them make sense of the experience post-visit, thus encouraging memory and cognitive development.
Before/during the visit, talk your child through the process or act it out! Explain that the doctor will check their temperature with a thermometer (via their ear), check their nose or mouth with a torchlight, listen to their chest with a stethoscope, take their weight, and so on.
After visiting the doctor, reenact the experience at the clinic with their favourite stuffed toy or with you!
What we like about this activity?
Adding some positivity to a dreaded activity.
Activity #3 - All About Measurement
If your child receives a bottle of medicine or two, turn that into an opportunity to learn some math!
Start by explaining the concept about measurement. To measure is to quantify something, such as how tall or short, how much or how little.
Observe the bottle of medicine. For younger children, we can compare the sizes of the bottle with other bottles.
For older children, explain that medicine is a liquid, like water and is measured in mililiters (ml). Spot this on the label and show them other containers such as the milk carton, yakult, or packet drinks, and ask them how many ml of liquid there is based on the number on the label, e.g. 250ml.
What we like about this activity?
No additional props required! Just the required bottle(s) of medicine.
Activity #4 - Build a model of a germ
Show your child a picture of an actual magnified germ. Look around the house and explore items that can be used to recreate this structure!
How about play dough with cotton buds also known as Q-tips, or pipe cleaners on the sides? Or maybe even colour pencils sticking out of blocks? The possibilities are endless!
What we like about it?
This helps put an image to the term “germ” and the completed physical model acts as a reminder for them to wash their hands often.
Bonus Activity - Let objects come alive and speak Mandarin!
What about activities that can help occupy your children for short periods of time (10 - 20 mins) while you focus on some chores?
Try BrookieKids' complimentary voice interactive activities! Unlike Youtube videos or gaming apps that focus on one-way information flow from source to your child, BrookieKids gets your child thinking and moving around, all while speaking Mandarin.
Get one of our Free Home Starter Packs here and stick the QR codes around the house! Scan them to let the objects come alive and converse with your preschooler. Practise over 30 Chinese vocabulary words.
What we like about it?
It is free and encourages our preschoolers to enjoy speaking Mandarin in a fun and confident way!
No more anxiety with a sick toddler at home! Try these simple, fuss-free educational activities, and get your child excited about hygiene, doctor visits and medicines!