More Fun Activities Ideas For Babysitting Grandchildren When You Have No Voice?

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Between "How to Solve the “I’m Bored-itis” When Babysitting the Grandchildren – Part 1" and Part 2, we've got lots of fun activities ideas for days when we are babysitting grandchildren and they are bored. But what about those times we are babysitting grandchildren and don't feel that great or, as in my case last week, you are babysitting with NO VOICE.

Yup, that laryngitis I had went on…and on – total silence for three days, then hoarse for the next week – all thanks to the wonderful greenery in our area all the great allergenic pollen. So, what's a grandma to do with no voice while babysitting very active grandkids? After all, like parents, we caregivers rarely take time off for colds, flus, or laryngitis. How DO we cope?  Why, with lots of help from senior mom and grandkids, of course, along with a few ideas, tips and solutions:

1. As I wrote last week, one of my favorite helps was for them to play with cardboard boxes – big AND small
2. Have the grandkids order any food in a drive-thru window while you whisper what to say (and yes, I just found out that whispering is bad for the throat. But sometimes, ya just gotta do what you gotta do!)
3. Use the grandkids to call my senior mom to give her any messages. She does have a cell phone (the Jitterbug, which we still consider to be one of the best cell phones for elderly senior citizens) but she does NOT have texting – by choice. 
4. Play lots of audio books in the car, like Encyclopedia Brown and Down Gilead Lane
5. Do as much homework as possible via the computer and iphone
6. Keep a shorthand notebook handy to jot down notes for the readers (the doc really doesn't want you to talk when you have laryngitis!)
7. Hand signals help too – thumbs up and down, A-OK, etc. 
8. Clapping helps too. Many teachers do a sharp -staccato- three claps to get students attention. I tried it with the grandkids and it worked great. I didn't have to try to talk over them. First I got their attention, and then I could quickly whisper.
9. Legos legos legos
10. Pray for and with me (in soft whispers)
11. If you feel fine, like I did, play dodge ball – very quietly.
12. Also, swinging ball kick – again quietly. If the grandkids didn't keep score, it didn't get done.

Well, that's what helped me. How about you? Have you ever dealt with no voice while babysitting grandchildren. Got any more tips or activities ideas for us? Just in case that pollen strikes me again!!! 🙂