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Tips and Activities for Kids When Mom Needs to Rest

April 13, 2015 by Ellen Russell

This post contains affiliate links. You can read my disclosure policy here.

I’m having surgery in about a week. It’s not serious surgery, just something little but necessary. I found out about it a few weeks ago, and was told to take it easy until the surgery (hah!) and then for 2-4 weeks after the surgery (hahaha…).

Posts may be a little less frequent and of smaller scale, for obvious reasons, but I do have a couple fun things in the works.
Here are things some things I’ve been doing with my boys while resting. Whether you’re on bedrest and have a crazy toddler running around, or you’re like me and are under doctors orders to “take it easy,” here are some simple things you can do to keep your little one entertained.
Tips and tricks for when you need to rest and are a stay-at-home mom www.createinthechaos.com

Books

This may be an obvious one, but it’s golden. Reading can be a great way to get some snuggle time with your kiddos while you relax. Or read to them while they’re playing. If you start getting tired of reading the books you own over and over (I know the feeling!), have a friend pick up some at the library for you. I’ve talked about Overdrive before, and it’s a great way to check out library eBooks right from home.

There are also tons of free Kindle books. And you don’t even have to have a Kindle to use them. You can download the free Amazon Kindle reading app for your computer, phone, or nearly any tablet. I have the app on my phone which is great for when I’m out and about and have a moment to read while I’m waiting. I’ve gathered a lot of free kids Kindle ebooks that we enjoy reading.

 Great ideas for when mom is sick or needs to take it easy www.createinthechaos.com

Audiobooks

Audio books are another great tool. Again, Overdrive is a great place to check out audiobooks right from home for free.
Another option is Audible.com. You can sign up for the 30 day free trial for Audible and get 2 free Audio books. We have several books from Audible – when I did my free trial a while back, I grabbed an awesome recording of my favorite Star Wars book Heir to the Empire. We also have some of the Magic Treehouse books from Audible, which are great for kids. Audio books give the benefit of “reading aloud” while giving your voice a rest.
Make sure you go sign up for a free trial and snag your free audio books. It was really easy to cancel when we decided to take a break from their service.
There are several other sites you can find free children’s audio book and stories:
  • Story Nory is a fun little site with free children’s audio stories. We’ve listened to several stories from here and really enjoyed them.
  • Adventures in Odyssey is another great resource. Only several of the most recent episodes are free, but you can become a member of their club and listen to all episodes.

Movies
When you really need to take it easy, don’t feel bad about using some movies or TV shows. It can be a great way to snuggle up and enjoy some time with your kiddos while you’re resting. It’s a great time to pull out some crayons or colored pencils and let your little ones color while you watch.

Limit the Toys
We do this normally. But when I need to rest and take it easy, it’s vital to help the house stay manageable.
We keep the majority of our kids toys packed up in the closet. Up until we lived in this house, we did it mostly out of necessity – we just didn’t have the room to have a lot out. But it’s something we’ve kept up even since we’ve had a little more space. Cleanup is easy, the kids are much happier, and I’m much happier. This is how we do it:

  • We choose a few things to keep out. Legos always stay out but everything else rotates.
  • Every few months, I pull the box of extra toys out and let the kids pick what they want to “trade in” to pull new stuff out for. It’s like Christmas morning when I pull that box down.
If I ever notice the boys start fighting more over toys or that there are more meltdowns over cleanup, I just pick a couple more things to put away. It’s amazing how much it helps. And they really don’t miss it. Every once in a while, they will ask for a particular toy that’s put away. I have them pick something they want to put away and then I’ll get it out for them.
Activities for kids when mom needs to rest www.createinthechaos.com

Easy Printable Crafts
Note the easy. When I need to rest, I’m a big fan of simple print and go crafts. I’ve got a lot of simple printable crafts here.

Made By Joel is another great source of free printable crafts and toys. I love printing his stuff and giving my kiddos something to keep them entertained. It’s amazing how something as simple as some robots printed on cardstock can keep them engaged for an hour or more.

Pinterest is a great place to find printable crafts. I started a board for compiling printable crafts that you can check out here. I have a one of those $1 accordion folders from Target that I’ve been gathering crafts in for my boys to do after my surgery.

Ask For Help
I put this here as a reminder to myself as much as it’s a tip for you. I don’t always do this well. I get in “self-sufficient, I-can-do-this” mode, which isn’t always the best. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, and actually rest when you get it.

Have you had to take it easy or been on bedrest before? What did you do to help yourself get the rest you needed?

Filed Under: Activities Tagged With: Kid activities

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Geek, crafter, and papercraft maker - I love helping you craft more with your kids or students. Read more here!

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