Sick Day Kits: Be Prepared Before it Hits (Plus Free Printables)

On Monday, I talked about building our immune systems so we can stay healthy all year. But what do we do when the inevitable happens and sickness hits the home? I decided I needed to get prepared NOW so when someone gets sick, I’ll already have everything I need to take care of them and keep the germs from the rest of the family.

The Kits

First, I grabbed four baskets. (Dollar Tree is the best for these! Lots of options and only $1 a piece.) Then I divided my items into four main categories and filled my baskets up. Now they’re in the hallway linen closet, all ready to go if someone comes down with a fever.

Here are the four categories I used and the items I put inside:

Sick Day Kit

When someone is sick, the top priority is to help keep them as comfortable as possible, then make sure the rest of the family doesn’t go down too. Some ideas for your Sick Day Kit:

• Cough syrup
• Cough drops
• Children’s Motrin or Tylenol (and the baby versions, if you need them)
• DoTerra Breathe stick
• Breathe roller bottle
• Lavender roller bottle to help with sleep
• Tissues
• Thermometer
• Disposable cups
• New toothbrushes
• Wash cloth to wet and place on their forehead to keep them cool
• Chicken noodle soup (my kids prefer Chicken Stars!)
• Hard candies (like Jolly Ranchers)
• Colloidal silver. I take this when I have a sore throat and it’s usually gone within a couple hours!
• Activated charcoal pills. Take these at the first sign of feeling a stomach bug coming on. The charcoal will absorb the germ without your body absorbing the charcoal. But be warned: if it doesn’t work, you’ll be throwing up black charcoal! Also, I’ve never given charcoal to my kids…only myself. Please do your research on safety before giving it to your littles!
• Grape juice and apple cider vinegar. This is another preventative measure for the stomach flu. Have everyone else in the house start drinking a glass of grape juice with 1-2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar a couple times a day for a week or so after a family member gets sick. It’s best to take it on an empty stomach.
• OnGuard+ pills or the oil to diffuse/rub on, etc.
• Immunity boosters like elderberry, vitamin C, Emergen-C, Airborne, etc.

Stomach Bug Kit

In the unfortunate event that my kid brings home a stomach bug (and I sincerely hope he doesn’t!), I added the following Stomach Bug Kit to our sick kits:

• Bucket/bowl (this is where I store the rest of the stomach bug items)
• Grocery bags to line the bowl with
• Some sort of tummy ease medicine (I use Emetrol for kids)
• Digestzen and/or peppermint oil
• Gatorade and/or Pedialyte
• Saltines
• Old towel to place under sick kid/sick bowl
• Applesauce packets

Sick Cleaning Kit

To keep the germs from spreading through the whole house, I made a Sick Cleaning Kit:

• Clorox wipes
• Paper towels
• Hand sanitizer
• Disposable gloves
• If the stomach bug hit your house, Clorox Hydrogen Peroxide Disinfecting Cleaner is the only pre-made cleaner (that I’ve found) that will kill both Norovirus and Rotavirus (the two main strains of the stomach bug). Make sure the cleaner stays wet on the infected surface for at least 30 seconds before drying. And remember to check the expiration dates on your cleaners!

Sick Kid Comfort Kit

As hard as it is to be sick myself (while simultaneously trying to keep my kids alive), it’s even harder to watch my kids go through sickness. While I love the extra cuddles, it’s so hard to see them so miserable and tired and just not themselves. I hate hearing them ask why it has to hurt so bad or to not understand why they don’t feel normal. I just hate watching my kids be sick!

So I had the idea to make a comfort kit to lift their spirits when they aren’t feeling up to much. I added just a few things to keep them occupied and make them feel special while they’re feeling so crummy. Most of the items are from Dollar Tree, so it was also really cheap!

• Blanket and stuffed animal (I got this cute 2-in-1 combo from Target)
• Special book
• Crayons
• Coloring book
• Cars
• Puzzle (Tip: Give them a cookie sheet so they can do the puzzle while laying in bed!)

Sick Kit Printables

If you want to make your own kits, I created some free printable tags for you to place on the front of your baskets.

Download your FREE printable here!

Hopefully these items can bring your kids comfort in the unfortunate event that sickness invades their little bodies.

What do you do to prepare for when sickness strikes your house?

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Britney is a wife and mom with a passion for helping other women see the good inside of them. She loves podcasts, polka dots, and dancing around the kitchen with her family.