CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR KIDS WITH CANCER

It's hard to know what to get a child who has cancer for Christmas. Often we forget that there are opportunities we can utilize to help the child stay involved with life.

Depending on the age of the child and his or her abilities to engage in play while under medical treatment, family and friends can actually choose from a wide range of toys and games.

Many children hospitalized will probably tell you they are often bored. It's hard to be stuck in a bed for hours on end. If you don't have the energy to go to the play room, or if you are isolated from other children because your immune system is down, you should still have the chance to play.

Travel-sized games are great for kids who are stuck in bed. They can be played on a tray table or a foam board that you buy at the local office supply store. When a meal comes, you just lift the light-weight board off and set it aside. These are also great for doing puzzles.

Never underestimate the power of a kit for a child cooped up in a hospital bed or at home. There are many award-winners that have been tested and approved by experts. If your child is a doll lover, you can find a cardboard doll house kit that your child can decorate. There are kits for making little purses, gardens, jewelry, memory tiles, and so many other things.

But sometimes even just simple gifts, like a deck of cards, can offer a child hours of fun. You can get fancy and find colorful illustrated versions of Old Maid, Go Fish, and even Uno. Cards don't take up a lot of storage space at the hospital. They tuck into a drawer.

And there's always Rubik's Cube, the ever-challenging  3-D puzzle.

But sometimes there are simple little gifts that can mean a lot. Snow globes can be a wonderful bedside Christmas decoration when there isn't room for a tree. It's a magical wonderland of hope and promise.

Even when held down by illness, children are still children. If their bodies can't provide them with adventures, bring the adventure to them. Give them the opportunity to exercise their minds.

For more suggestions and tips, visit my free guide, The Practical Caregiver's Guide for Sick Kids Stuck in Bed:
https://sites.google.com/site/thepracticalcaregiversickkids/