Homeschool Sick Days: 20+ Easy Ideas When You Just Don’t Have the Energy

How should you handle sick days as a homeschool family? Check out these ideas for when they happen. And grab your free planning pages.

Runny noses. Flu season. Tummy bugs. We don’t get sick too often (anymore!). But as homeschool moms, I love that we have the flexibility to adapt our homeschool days when the inevitable happens. I don’t have to worry about obtaining a sick note from the doctor, how many days they’ve already missed, etc.

Homeschool sick days look differently depending on how severe the sickness is, what their ages are, and if mom gets bit by the same ‘bug.’ If my kids are sick but functioning, we keep to our regular schedule while being mindful that they might need a slower pace or different schoolwork. If my kids are sick enough that they are sick in bed, we count it as a buffer day.

I’m a big fan of letting sick kids be sick — rest, sleep, nourish — just as our bodies need.

{When I plan our school year, I always include 10-14 “buffer days” that we can use for unexpected field trips, sick days, etc.}.

So, what can your homeschool sick days look like?

Let Go of the ‘Should Be Doing’ List

One of the beauties of homeschooling is the flexibility. While I think that it’s easy to lean into that a little too often, this is one of those times you should.

Let them (or you!) be sick. Take it slow. Use this time to pick up a few projects around the home, encourage learning to happen beyond the curriculum, practice life skills, and take the time to heal.

If you have little ones, you know that sickness often has to run through the whole family. At least in our home, that isn’t the case so much with older kids. But when they’re little, every one of us would have to have our own turn—trying to power through it? Ha.

The beauty of homeschooling is that we can take the time we need to recover.

Planning Out Your Sick Day List

I start each school year with the assumption that we’re going to be sick. It’s been years since we’ve had more than sniffles, but still, I assume we will. Just as I plan to be “behind,” I’ve learned to plan to be sick, too.

I create a list for days when I am sick, as well as one for each kiddo. These pages live inside my homeschool planner. If you don’t have a homeschool binder, keep them in a drawer or wherever it would be easy for someone else to locate.

On each page, I list the curriculum that would be easy to do if they are sick, materials I could use for review work, educational videos they can stream, etc. While many items carry over from one year to the next, I update it each year to reflect new curriculum & interests.

On Mom’s page, I list items that don’t require much effort for me to teach. Math? Nope, no way. Grammar & spelling are totally doable. I also consider which activities would be easy for someone else to execute. I rarely am sick enough to keep me in bed or require an extended healing period, but I like to have ideas just in case.

When I fill out my kiddos’ pages, I include a mixture of mindless learning ideas & easier schoolwork. I also jot down show titles from online streaming services. While we have a homeschool profile on them, that is where shows for everyone end up. Creating a list of shows particular to each kiddo means you can quickly find something for the sick kiddo.

Also, look at your stash of old or unused curriculum. What is just a little below their current knowledge that you could use for review?

Sick Day Activities w/Your curriculum

• The first two volumes of First Language Lessons are a great way to review grammar.  The poems are easy enough that older kids will memorize (or re-remember them) easily.  It’s a perfect “cozy on the couch when you’re sick” type of book.
• Did you know that Khan Academy also has science, art history, SAT prep, history, and more? Taking the iPad and squirreling away in their room with Khan can be restful while learning new topics or in a different way.
• We’ve purchased our history, Story of the World, on audiobook.  It’s convenient for listening in the car and, if mama is sick, it’s easy enough to listen to a couple of chapters.

• If your history curriculum isn’t available on audio and you (or your kiddos) are well enough to read aloud, check your library’s Overdrive selection for picture books that you can check out on your computer or tablet.   Or look for a historical fiction audiobook that goes along with whatever time period you’re studying.
• Copywork can be a fairly mindless, easy task.  If you don’t usually use copywork, free resources are available all over the internet. Or grab a beloved picture book for inspiration.
• Handwriting practice was a constant item on our sick day lists when the kiddos were little.
• If you have a book-loving kiddo, reading is always a great choice when you’re sick. If you’re in luck, it’ll also soothe them into a nap.

Easy Resources for Review Work

Review work is an easy activity for a sick kiddo. Since it’s something they’ve already learned, they don’t have to think hard. But it still allows them something to do, so they won’t complain about being bored.

• Break out the cursive because who couldn’t use some additional careful practice?
• Typing.com and TypingMat are both excellent options for practicing typing skills.
• Grab old math books & look for incomplete pages. Khan Academy is an easy choice, too.
• The grammar section on Khan Academy is a good review for older kiddos.

Mindless Learning

• Board games
• Handiwork crafts {knitting, hand sewing, paper crafting, etc.}
• Individual quiet games like Snap Circuits and puzzles
• Lego Challenges
• Grab the art supplies. Chalk Pastel lessons are easy if you have the supplies already. We also enjoy Art Hub for Kids on YouTube.
• If you have a stylus & tablet, check out these (free) digital art lessons from Procreate.

Couch School

• Audiobooks are a staple in our home. Curling up with a blanket fresh out of the dryer & an audiobook is one of my great pleasures any time, but especially when I’m sick. Check your library for free ones through Libby/Overdrive.
• Educational videos on Netflix & Amazon Prime or the Great Courses are a favorite here.  From more passive ones like Rick Steves Europe and Wild Kratts to more active learning shows like Blue Planet and NOVA, sick day TV doesn’t have to consist of The Price is Right. (Though a little TPR is awesome.)
• Dover history & science coloring books are perfect for coloring while watching something on the TV.
• With so many quality magazines available, a variety of them can be a fantastically educational way to spend a few hours on the couch.  No subscription? Check your library’s offerings on the Libby app — magazines are a new addition to it. Kindle Unlimited members have access to free magazines, too.

When in doubt, get out.

Outside, that is.

If your family is feeling up to it, some time in the sun (or even the clouds) is a great way to pass the time.

If it’s sunny, Vitamin D is excellent for your immune system. Big muscle play after lying around is good for the little ones. A gentle hike or trip to the playground are both activities that make it easy to keep your germs to yourself. Even simple activities like reading or drawing nature offer a change of scenery and don’t require much out of you.

Playing Catch Up

Remember when you were in school & you’d come back from being sick? Did every teacher have you complete every problem on every assignment? Probably not. There’s no need for you to hold your homeschool to catch up on everything.

It may be hard to look at all the unfinished assignments. But do you know what’s even harder? Pushing kiddos to complete assignments while they’re still recovering. Or while you’re recovering. Losing your temper, apologizing when you do. Those are way harder.

Once everyone is better, pick up where you left off, and don’t apply too much pressure. It is absolutely fine if you don’t complete 100% of your curriculum each year.

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