Toddler off nursery unwell- what can we do except YouTube?

[wefly]

2 year old off with ear infection. Grizzly and fever which I'm keeping control of with calpol.

She's not up to any outings really. Would rather she mainly chills out but equally I don't like the idea of a full day of TV (which is what we did pretty much all day yesterday)

Any ideas of what I can do for quiet entertainment rather than 8 hours of YouTube?

When I say "off", I mean off nursery xx

Toys? Books? A walk?

Just do TV if that's what she can tolerate! She's ill. Read her stories, have a bath with her, but if TV is still she wants while she's ill, it'll help her rest, which will help her recover.

I'd look for some better screen content than YouTube.

And then....read, draw, stickers, playdoh, play with toys?

A bit of fresh air (in pram) might do her good. Apart from that, stories, songs, jigsaws?

Make playdough and play with it.
Painting
Baking (and eating)
Read books
Build towers with duplo/blocks
A walk to find some puddlss to jump in.

If she’s ill is she up for anything? Stickers, building (blocks, Magnatiles), puzzles, books.

Water painting - literally as it sounds; paper, water and paintbrush

Stickers

Throwing things into a bucket/ball - screwed up balls of paper, small soft toys, ball pit balls, whatever

Make them a fort and put their soft toys into it

"Washing up" give them a bowl with some water and bubbles, and plastic cutlery/cups and a sponge to wash up (this depends how brave you are with water inside lol)

Dry pasta and any kitchen utensils you have, for scooping/pouring

If she’s upset and has a fever just be led by her. If I had earache, fever, was generally upset, not sure I’d be up for going on walks and splashing in puddles. I’d like books and a film, nothing that would make me frustrated! I think CBeebies and being read too is absolutely fine in the circumstances.

She's ill, cbeebies would be better than YouTube

Toys, books

If she's poorly then TV won't hurt while she rests, I'm sure she'll be feeling better soon and can get back to going out and about. Lots of youtube stuff can be quite bright and loud though (if that makes sense haha)- how about cbeebies or something? If she feels up to it a walk in the pram for some fresh air might be nice.

I would definitely at some point in the day take her out for a walk in the pushchair. Fresh air etc..

And if you can swing by a shop make sure dinner is easy and quick tonight as teatime/bedtime can be tricky when they’re ill.

When my kids had ear infections it was excruciatingly painful. They were on calpol or ibuprofen every two hours and it barely scratched the surface for them. I’d really let her do whatever she likes to take her mind off it even if that is a full day of YouTube. It will do her no harm whatsoever.

Anything else would be the equivalent of your husband making you read Proust in labour to distract yourself rather than watch end to end Grays Anatomy because you need to be improving yourself!

Mine just wanted to be cuddled sitting on the sofa for the day. We watched some lovely films together.

8 hours of YouTube is considerably worse than 8 hours of TV, it’s not good for little children to be constinabtly looking at close screens.

(For their eyes)

Dependa what shall tolerate. Watching YouTube for 8 hours much just give her a headache! I feel better with some fresh air, so if she'll sit in the buggy take her for for long walk. Is there a playground where she can sit in a swing for a bit? Do you have a garden with any toys? My eldest was prone to eat infections and used to like sitting in the garden and playing with playdough or painting.

Stickers can be great fun. Or any kind of really easy mark making, like paint pens or even just felt told - what do you have in the house?

If suggest less active TV. YouTube is very stimulating, perhaps something something little gentler and relaxing would be better e.g. Bing?

Definitely reading. Great opportunity to snuggle up. Old favourites are fast when ill.

Kids Tv shows or kids movies rather than YouTube. She needs to rest. Maybe a walk in the pushchair and some drawing if she’s up to it.

You’ve got some great ideas on here OP. The craft ideas, a game you can do together, jigsaws, baking plus some good old fresh air.

I'd say kids movies or cbeebies over you tube. I agree a day of you tube isn't good for anyone and it might help to develop some other screen interests.

When you're really ill and not well enough for work presumably you don't go on outings and trips so I agree with you its a home day. If she's unwell and off nursery then often they may need a day of snuggling and movies, or lots of sleep or if a bit better then playing with toys or things at home as you normally would?

What would you normally do when you're home in the day? Do that??

You do realise YouTube can be viewed on a TV?

This, exactly! I can't express how angry I'd be if I was really ill in bed and someone dragged me out to jump in a puddle or nagged me to do a puzzle!

When you're ill, TV is fine. It's fine when you're not ill for that matter.

My daughter loved the masked singer at that age. I know it's still TV but it drove me less mad and it wasn't super engaging for a 2 year old so she did sometimes leave it to play if feeling up to it.
I know my daughter is properly ill when she only wants TV. She was ill not so long ago and watched frozen and toy story 4 times over 2 days. I caught it afterwards and yep I was the same I could only manage staring at the TV and it had to be stuff I had seen before as I couldn't focus.
Anything that is colourful and musical was good in our house so I think we watched Shrek and the Flintstones another time she was ill. She obviously didn't follow the storyline but it was sensorially engaging

Another vote for movies rather than YouTube- it's really not well curated and there's a lot of shorts which is bad for attention span.

You could do a trial of Disney plus or similar and then just cancel it