Sick days are long. Kids feel rotten, they cannot go out and screens only fill so many hours. Coloring is a gentle, low-energy activity that works in bed, on the couch or at the kitchen table, and it can make a long day feel a little shorter.
Always follow your doctor’s advice about rest. These ideas are for kids who feel well enough to do something quiet.
Why coloring is good on sick days
- Low energy. No running, no noise.
- Quiet. Lets the rest of the house rest too.
- Flexible. Five minutes or an hour, whatever they feel like.
- Comforting. Familiar characters and a favorite activity feel cozy.
- Screen break. A pause from TV and tablets.
The sick day coloring kit
Keep a small kit ready for the next sick day:
- A clipboard or lap tray (for coloring in bed)
- Crayons and colored pencils (less mess than markers)
- A new coloring book, saved for sick days only
- Stickers
- A small zip bag for crayons
A brand-new book that only appears on sick days feels special. Choose a favorite subject: dinosaur fans will love Trace Then Color: Cartoon Dinosaurs, and little ones might like the gentle robots of Trace Then Color: Baby Robots.
Bed-friendly coloring tips
- Use a clipboard. A firm surface makes coloring in bed easy.
- Skip markers. Marker on sheets is hard to wash out.
- Crayon cup. Keep crayons in a cup so they do not roll away.
- Prop them up. Pillows behind the back help kids sit comfortably.
- Good light. A lamp nearby prevents eye strain.
Gentle sick day activities
- Get-well cards for themselves. Kids find it funny to make a card for their own teddy bear.
- Color a doctor or nurse. Talk about how doctors help us get better.
- Color a "feel better" monster. A friendly monster that eats germs.
- Color with a stuffed animal. Pretend the toy is coloring too.
- Window watching. Color what they see outside the window.
Keep expectations low
Sick kids have short attention spans and low energy. Do not expect them to finish pages. A few minutes of coloring, then a nap, then a few more minutes is perfect.
Hygiene tips
- Wipe crayons and clipboards after the illness.
- Keep the sick day kit separate from shared supplies.
- Wash hands before and after coloring if others will use the supplies.
Questions parents ask
Is it OK to color when my child has a fever?
If they feel like it and their doctor has not advised otherwise, quiet coloring is fine. Let them rest when they want to.
My child only wants screens when sick. Should I limit them?
On sick days, many families relax screen rules. Offering coloring as an option gives variety without a battle.
What other quiet activities work with coloring?
Audiobooks, stickers, simple puzzles and picture books pair well with coloring on sick days.
About Kevin Coulston
Kevin Coulston is a cartoonist and member of the National Cartoonists Society who has written and illustrated more than 100 drawing, tracing and coloring books for kids, including the Trace Then Color series. Meet Kevin or browse all his books on FirstArtBooks.com.
