This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc., Abreva, Emergen-C, Lipton, Robitussin and Theraflu. All opinions are mine alone. #SickDayTips #CollectiveBias

As a teacher, it is inevitable that I come home with all kinds of germs. No matter how much hand sanitizer, handwashing, or desk disinfecting I do, lots of different germs are just part of my day which means it is also inevitable that I get a cold at least once a year (if not twice). Before I started getting the flu shot, I used to also get the flu every single March. Like clockwork.

With a toddler and infant around (can you believe William is 7 months old?!), there is very little time to truly rest when a cold does hit. Anyone with a toddler knows how busy they are and how much energy they have at any given moment. That type of energy can be really inspiring, but also completely exhausting if you are not feeling your best.

If you cannot take a full day to rest and recover (who can?), these eight activities, from busy bags to snacks, will keep your toddler entertained so you can at least have some quiet and possibly a little lay down on the couch. With a little forward planning to make these busy bags and a quick stop to a Kroger King Soopers store to pick up all your cold and flu needs, you are setting yourself for a quiet day and a quick recovery so you can get back to your energetic self in order to keep up with your energetic toddler.

I recommend that you make the busy bags when you are feeling good and store them in preparation for when you do not feel well. That way, your toddler will not be bored of them by the time you really need them. You might also want to start sipping some Lipton Daily Support Herbal Tea to help support your body’s natural defenses. The Lipton Wellness range, made with carefully selected botanicals and blended with essential oils, helps make wellbeing a part of your everyday routine.* This means you can start fortifying your immune system as we move into the cold and flu season.

Starting Feb. 20th, save $1.00 off Lipton Tea Herbal Supplement Wellness at your local Kroger banner store.

Ring Matching. For some reason, Zoey has a new affinity for rings. Instead of giving her some of my real ones to play with, these felt versions keep her very well occupied as she puts them on and off her fingers, then tries to get them on her stuffed animals. For more advanced entertainment, have her match the hand print ring colors to her hand.

Matching Shapes. Rob and I made this busy bag for Zoey for the first time on our flight to Minnesota for Thanksgiving and she loved it. We made her a second version for the Christmas flight to New York and it was the first busy bag Zoey asked for. These are super easy to make and you could put together a few variations in one sitting.

While your toddler is busy matching all the shapes, you can continue to support your immune system with some Emergen-C Immune+® Super Raspberry. It is an excellent source of Vitamin C and Vitamin D and with Zinc to help you feel good and naturally support your immune system.

Stickers and Mini Coloring Book. Something about the smaller coloring book and the autonomy over the stickers keeps Zoey busy for over half an hour (an eternity in toddler time). While your toddler might need help taking the stickers out of the book, that is an easy task to accomplish from a prone position on the couch.

Pom Poms in a Whisk. In and out. In and out. The first time we pulled this activity out for Zoey, she was silent. The only other times our very verbal lady is silent is during a bathroom break.

If you are prone to cold sores when your immune system goes down, Abreva® Pump Cold Sore and Fever Blister Treatment is easy to apply so you can get back to watching the kids while knowing Abreva is proven to heal cold sores and shorten the duration of pain, itching, burning, and tingling.

Flashlight and Magnifying Glass. The first time I noticed Zoey loving a flashlight, we were at my parents’ house for Christmas. She walked around with that thing, peeking into all the dark corners for at least half an hour. Combine a magnifying glass and you have a little detective on your hands.

Washing Toys. If it’s warm outside (hello 65 degree Denver days in the middle of February) and you want a touch of fresh air without going too far from home, our Zoey just adores washing toys. This basically means soapy water in a big bucket or bin, a toothbrush or sponge, and some watered down hand soap. Our entire summer was Zoey wanting to wash toys in the backyard. You could also set this activity up in the bathtub. Just prop up a cozy pillow on the vanity so you can rest while keeping an eye on your little one.

Sensory Bin. Zoey absolutely loves sensory bins and has been known to sit still for quite some time, taking small breaks before coming back to it. Whether dry beans, colorful rice, or dry pasta, as long as there are scoops, cups, and mini ice cube trays, she is a happily entertained camper.

Silly Snacks. While not an official name, it is just what we have dubbed this snack time activity. Putting small amounts of different types of snacks into a mini muffin tin or ice cube tray can get you lots of snack time quiet and excitement from your toddler as they pick out what they want to eat and in what order. Zoey gets positively giddy when we break out a silly snack.

While you might go to great lengths to be sure you are washing your hands, cleaning surfaces, and giving a wide berth between you and your kids, your toddler still might end up with your cold. If they do, being armed and ready with Children’s Robitussin® Honey Cough & Chest Congestion DM will make your child feel better with effective cough relief plus real honey. You will be able to relieve their chest congestion, mucus, and quiet their cough so they can get back to playing.

Remember, Theraflu Power Pods Daytime Severe Cold and Children’s Robitussin® Honey Cough & Chest Congestion DM should not be used at the same time.

A few ideas to keep your infant busy:

• Mirrors. William (and Zoey when she was tiny) absolutely adores looking at his reflection. He loudly talks to to it and tries to kiss himself. Put a few different ones in front of your infant for a few minutes of stillness.
• Cold Teething Rings. With hot gums as his teeth struggle to pop through (the drool is intense people), we can easily get a quiet and blissful 10-15 minutes out of William as he chews a cold teething ring.
• A mini sensory bin! William had a blast dumping and touching his mini sensory dry pasta bin. Be careful here as many sensory bin items are very small. Keep a close eye on your infant so they do not eat anything. Large pastas like rotini and penne are best.
• Anything noisy and crumbly. Think things like magazines, tissue paper, or bubble wrap. William loves this crinkle paper also. Keep an eye on your infant here too as these things will definitely end up in the mouth, but they will be so happy to rip and crumple these items.
• A water activity. If your toddler is washing toys, put your infant in the tub with her if he can sit up on his own. Otherwise, strip them down and lay them on a towel with a little bowl of water or an ice cube or two to play with.

I do recommend that you avoid anything that requires lots of instant clean up: painting, shaving cream activities, or splashing games. Since you want to rest as much as possible while keeping your tiny people alive, you want to be sure the activities you set out for the kids are easy to prepare, easy to keep an eye one, and easy to clean up.

If you are out of sick days from work and still have to go, or are at the tail end of your cold or flu but still need to be on your feet, the Theraflu Power Pods Daytime Severe Cold fits right into your routine. Compatible with most single-serve coffee makers, these fast-relieving pods work on even your most severe symptoms. Press. Sip. Relief. They are also available in Theraflu Power Pods Nighttime Severe Cold so you can feel rested before heading back to the office and get some powerful relief without a prescription.

For more ways to beat cold & flu season, see here.

Theraflu-(c) 2019 the GSK group of companies or its licensor. Theraflu is for use in adults 12 years and older. Use all products only as direct. Read label and follow directions. Abreva, Emergen-C, Robitussin – Use only as directed. Read label and follow directions.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, cure, or prevent disease.

Brooke Selb

I’m Brooke Selb, a Personal Trainer and Health Coach specializing in helping busy moms and moms to be to easily juggle mom life with family friendly recipes, and easy exercise routines to help you achieve your fitness goals that fit in with your already busy life with sound nutritional advice.