Staying Active When Kids Are Off Sick: A Simple Plan

The call comes at 8.40am. Temperature, or a tummy bug, or “they’ve been sick on the carpet”. Your plans for the day vanish, including the workout you had pencilled in. Then it happens again on Tuesday with the other child. Staying active when kids are off sick is one of those parenting skills nobody teaches you, but it matters, because in the winter months it can feel like someone is off every other week.

This post is about what you can realistically do on those days: gentle home movement that fits around a poorly child, without wearing you out or making it more likely you catch whatever they have got.

First, adjust what “a good day” looks like

When a child is ill, you are on duty all day and probably all night as well. Broken sleep, worry and constant small jobs are tiring in their own right. So the goal is not a hard workout. The goal is to:

• stop stiffness from all the sitting, cuddling and carrying,
• keep your habit ticking over so restarting is easy,
• give yourself a small mental reset.

Ten or fifteen minutes of movement on a sick day is a win. Zero is fine too if you are exhausted. One missed day never undoes your fitness.

The sick-day menu: pick what fits

Instead of one routine, I give parents a menu. Choose based on how the day is going.

When they are asleep or resting on the sofa (10 to 15 minutes)

Quiet, no jumping, can stop at any moment. Do 2 or 3 rounds:

• 10 slow squats to a chair
• 8 incline push-ups on the worktop
• 10 glute bridges on the floor
• 8 reverse lunges each leg, holding the wall
• 20 to 30 second side plank each side (knees down is fine)

Keep effort around 5 or 6 out of 10. You should feel like you have done something, not like you need a lie down.

When they are clingy and need you close (5 minute bursts)

Sit on the floor next to them and do mobility work while you watch a film together:

• Seated twists, 5 each side
• Hip flexor stretch in half kneeling, 30 seconds each side
• Cat-cow on hands and knees, 10 slow reps
• 90/90 hip switches, 8 each side
• Neck and shoulder rolls

Lots of parents carry tension in the neck and upper back after a night of comforting a sick child. This sequence helps.

When they are perking up but still off (playful movement)

A recovering child often has more energy than they should, but is not ready for school. Gentle games can keep you both moving without overdoing it: balloon keepy-ups, slow-motion races across the room, or “copy me” stretching. My list of indoor games to keep kids active has more ideas. Keep it calm. A child with a high temperature needs rest, not exercise.

Doorstep fresh air

If you have a garden, balcony or front step, even 5 minutes of fresh air and stretching can lift your mood. If another adult is at home, a brisk 20-minute walk round the block while they take over is one of the best things you can do for your head.

Staying active when kids are off sick without getting run down

Moving is good, but not at the cost of getting run down yourself. A few rules I follow and share with clients:

• Wash your hands before and after exercising if you have been handling tissues, sick bowls or nappies. Wipe down any mat or weights you share.
• Keep the effort moderate. Very hard sessions on top of little sleep can leave you more drained. This is not the day to test yourself.
• Eat and drink properly. It is easy to live on toast crusts and cold tea when looking after a sick child. Keep water handy, especially if there is a tummy bug in the house.
• Sleep when you can. If you had a terrible night, a 20-minute nap may do you more good than a workout.

If you catch it too

It happens. If you come down with what the kids had, look after yourself first. The NHS pages on colds and flu explain what to do and when to get medical help. As a rough guide I use with clients:

• Mild head cold only: gentle walking or light mobility may be fine if you feel up to it.
• Fever, chest symptoms, aches, sickness or diarrhoea: rest. Do not exercise until you are well again.
• Coming back: start with shorter, easier sessions and build up over a week or two.

If you have a long-term health condition, or symptoms that are severe or not improving, speak to your GP or call NHS 111. I go into this in more detail in should you exercise with a cold? and getting back to exercise after illness.

Getting back to normal

Once the kids are back at school or nursery, the trick is to restart quickly, before a few missed days turn into a few missed weeks. Book your next session for the first day they are back. Do not try to “make up” for missed workouts with an extra-hard week. Just pick up where you left off.

That is one reason I keep my classes simple at £15 a class: you book a class when life allows, and after a sick week you can book back in as soon as things settle. After a stressful week of night feeds, sick bowls and Calpol, my SYP Release stress relief class, with pads and slam balls, is a very satisfying way to let it all out.

FAQs

Should I exercise if my child is ill and I feel fine?

Yes, gentle to moderate exercise is usually fine if you feel well. Keep it moderate, wash your hands, and stop if you start to feel unwell.

How can I exercise when I cannot leave the house?

Use short home routines during naps or quiet time, and mobility work next to your child on the sofa. Even 10 minutes helps.

Is it better to rest or exercise when I am exhausted from a night up with a sick child?

If you are wiped out, rest or do gentle stretching. Sleep matters more than training on those days.

Can I go to a fitness class if my child has been ill?

If you feel well and have no symptoms yourself, usually yes. If you are getting ill or have a tummy bug in the house, stay home and wait until you are clear, both for your sake and the rest of the group.

Book your first class

When everyone is well again, come and train. SYP Bootcamp runs 45-minute small-group classes in a weatherproof church hall in Archway N19, maximum 10 people, every exercise with an easier and harder option, £15 a class, with the timetable sent when you book. Book my £15 class, or call or WhatsApp me on 07301 512215. If you would rather understand how my 1-1 coaching works first, read how it works.

About the author

Artem Olekhnovych is a personal trainer in Archway and the founder of SYP Fitness and SYP Bootcamp. He has coached clients in Archway, Highgate and across North London for over 10 years, and runs small-group bootcamp classes for busy mums and dads. Read reviews from his 1-1 clients.