To ask how I can keep an immobile 3 year old entertained in hospital?

[AngeloMysterioso]

My poor DS2 has broken his leg 😭 we’re currently in hospital with it all strapped up to this frame that looks like some sort of medieval torture device and he can’t move at all- has to lie flat on his back. We might be here for a few weeks as he’s having traction to heal it. I’ve brought some books to read to him and my laptop so he can watch cartoons but I don’t want him just staring at a screen for the next few weeks- but he can’t even sit up to play games or with toys or anything. Any advice for what else I can do to keep him occupied? He’s usually very energetic and I’m worried he’s going to be bored stiff and pissed off about it once the novelty wears off.

Yep, he’s got a pretty nasty spiral fracture 😭 there was a trainee play therapist blowing bubbles for him in A&E yesterday so I’m not too worried about that! But at the moment he has to lie down (he’s had to go back in nappies too ☹️) which limits our options a fair bit

Speedy recovery!!

If you are feeling bad about too much screen time then how about showing him something like number blocks. Yes, it's still screen time but it's brilliant and as educational as screen time for a 3 year old can be.

Once he’s happy moving again. You can get him back out of Nappies. Ask for diazepam at night as he goes off to sleep, if he’s having muscle spasms. Should wear off in a few days and within a week or so he won’t be needing any pain relief.

I was trapped in a ward with just my 2 year old who also had a leg injury and couldn't walk. We couldn't leave at all because I'd been near someone who'd had covid in a waiting room. Honestly, naps and TV. I tried books and blocks and generally entertaining him. It was exhausting and we still spent most of the time watching TV. A few days of intensive cartoons isn't going to hurt him. He'll probably remember it positively as he spent days snuggling you and watching TV.

It’s grim - same here with my ds and nappies, and a spiral fracture, I’m not going to lie it was rough but it does end eventually, sending you lots of healing thoughts and patience

I’m sure the nurses will be able to provide advice, it will hardly be the first time they’ve experienced it.

Fuzzy felts?

If he can use his arms he might like one of those scratch art sets....you just scratch away at a black piece of card with a little stick and it reveals a colourful picture.

(My youngest is 5 but I think it would be safe for a supervised 3 year old)

My son was weirdly obsessed with Transformer Rescue Bot toys around that age. I wasn't sure at first but they are non-violent nice chunky toys for small hands. They are quite light so should be fine to use whilst lying on his back. My son honestly used to spend ages just transforming them back and forth.

They are quite expensive brand new but you could probably pick up a bunch fairly cheaply on Vinted or eBay.

What about a projector for the ceiling, can get them with stars/galaxy’s that move around or the torches that have removable lenses that have shapes (usually dinos or similar) that he can shine onto the ceiling?

this happened to us as well. My 4 year old broke his femur. Traction for ten days then a hip spica cast for 8 weeks. The cast was better than the traction because he was home and I could push him about.

loads of tv- it’s an emergency. Loads of games. He learned to play games I didn’t think he was capable of. He can now play chess really quite well and people are shocked. I just shrug and say he broke his leg….

hope you are okay it’s super stressful.

@Bertielong3our play specialist left one of those bubble gun things on top of the bored trolley. I was ridiculously disappointed that it was empty. Everyone was hot and tetchy yesterday, we needed bubbles to play with. (And that was just the nurses!)