Play to help your immobilized child when activities are limited (1997)

When Activities Are Limited

(The Immobilized Child)

Your child’s movement and activities might need to be limited for a time. These ideas help keep your child growing and developing during this time. Be sure to talk to your child’s doctor and Physical Therapist about activities to avoid and what to encourage.

Why is play important during this time?

Play can:

• Relieve stress from not being able to be active.
• Help your child continue to grow and develop, physically, mentally and emotionally.
• Help facilitate conversation with your child about their feelings.
• Give your child choices to help them feel in control.
• Help your child refocus their mind on something more positive.
• Help to lessen physical side effects due to decreased activity.

How can I help my child share and deal with feelings?

• Share medical experiences.  Help your child play doctor or nurse.  Have your child create drawings, paintings or a scrapbook about their hospital stay. 
• Share feelings. Help your child express their feelings in a safe way. This could include through pretend play, art, or activities to get their frustration out such.  Try hard scribbling, pounding clay, shaking up a glitter jar, or squeezing a stress ball. 
• Communicate.  Being away from school and friends is hard. Make time each day for phone calls to family and friends.  Ask their teacher if it’s possible to use video chat or Zoom in the classroom.  Ask friends and family to write letters to your child or draw pictures to hang up around their room.  Children love to get mail!
• Explore their body image. Provide child with crayons, watercolor paint or chalk and art paper so they can draw a self-portrait.  Help your child write a story about their hospital stay.
• Encourage independence. Put your child where they can reach toys and activities on their own.

What activities will help my child grow?

Physical Growth
• Toss a ball
• Use a punching bag
• Play “Simon Says”
• Play with building blocks, model planes or cars
• Stitching projects
• Jewelry making

Social Growth
(Playing with friends)
• Board games
• Legos® or Duplos®
• Computer games
• Phone calls to family and friends
• Study groups
• Writing letters to friends

Brain Growth
(Imaginative Play)
• Read books / letters
• Journal or Story writing
• Listen to stories or music
• Jigsaw puzzles
• Globes and maps
• Word puzzles
• Painting and Art
• Dolls and plastic animals

Tips for playtime

• Before you start, tell your child the rules for playtime.
• If your child is in a cast, avoid games with small pieces that might get into it.
• Play that lets your child express feelings, such as arts and crafts or play dough is great!
• If allowed, active, physical movement is helpful.  Toss a ball with your child or let your child play with a punching bag. 
• Put toys away when play time is over.  Let your child play with different toys.
• Have a sturdy work surface, like lap trays, bedside tables or an easel for homework or drawing.
• Use a bed table for your child to write on or a cookie sheet for magnet play.  Give your child a soft bottom-writing surface for homework or drawing. 
• Keep supplies close by. Make a container with a cover to keep coloring and craft supplies. 
• Have brothers or sisters join in play. 

Tips for the rest of the day

• Have interesting things around to look at.  Have toys with textures, posters, or mirrors.
• Make up activities each day to expand your child’s world.  Read about far-away places or watch movies about different cultures.Move your child to a different room every day.  This will help
• expand their view and have a change of scenery.
• Create a schedule and stick to it!  Include time for play, school, exercise, family, meals and rest.
• Have your child help with household chores if possible.  Your child can sort socks and laundry, or even clip and sort coupons.  This will help your child feel like an important part of the family.

For other health and wellness information, check out this resource: https://kidshealth.org/ChildrensWi/en/parents