How to Entertain a Young Child in a Spica Cast

Being in a restricting, itchy body cast, or spica cast, is difficult at best for older children. Imagine being a young child basically immobilized from the waist down. The first week is spent lying in bed or a recliner. As the pain from the injury or surgery subsides, the child can learn to move herself around, but is cumbersome and unsteady. Rather than sit her in front of a television, use some of these tips to entertain a young child in a spica cast.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Breakfast tray
• Matching game
• Card games
• Cardboard threading kit
• Crayons and paper
• Magnetic sketcher board
• Books
• Finger puppets
• Multiple colors of permanent markers

1. As you can’t spend every waking moment with your child, it is important she has access to toys and stimulating activities while she is laid up. Give her a breakfast tray that fits over her cast, and keep a large bin or basket where she can reach the contents. Fill it daily with new activities, but keep her favorite few in there too.
2. When someone does have time to sit with her, engage her in mindful and active exercises. Play a matching game with her or teach her other card games. Use a cardboard threading kit to introduce sewing skills and increase fine motor skills.
3. Take turns drawing pictures for each other, or have visitors draw pictures with her to hang in the room. Have a magnetic sketcher board for guests to leave messages if she is resting when they arrive. You can share them with her when she wakes.
4. Books seem like an obvious entertainment, but this is good time to read some that deal with the emotions and realities she’s experiencing. As a young child she may not fully understand why she’s in the spica cast, and that it is not permanent. She may miss her friends, and become a little depressed. Good books can help her feel more confident about her situation and the feelings she’s having.
5. You can also use finger puppets to help her understand the role of the spica cast. They can also be a great source of laughter, which is the best medicine. Both of you can put shows on for each other.
6. Child in spica cast Last, but not least, mark up her cast. Have every visitor sign it, draw silly faces on it, and decorate it with rainbows or sailboats. Encourage them to go overboard with the illustrations. She will love the attention and the drawings, and the reactions from her care providers will keep her in good spirits too.