Does someone in your family have a broken arm or leg? Will this ruin your school holidays completely?! Have a look at our list of things to do with a broken arm (or leg!) that aren’t completely boring.
And no, they don’t all involve iPads!
Things to do with a broken arm (or leg!) that won’t break your spirits
You had so many plans. Swimming, climbing, jumping, exploring. The deposits have been paid and the tickets have been booked. Then the school rang in the days before the school holidays with the news that your precious child had injured themselves. Suddenly, you were looking down the barrel of an angry, bored child spending a whole lot of time around the house.
Houston, we have a problem.
Strap yourself in (firmly, applying the correct amount of pressure, keeping it steady) for our list of “cool things you can do with a broken arm!”.
If I could talk to the animals
Brisbane, Gold Coast, Ipswich and the whole South-East corner have a huge range of animal viewing options for kids and families. But did you know that there’s more out there than just Australia Zoo? If you’re looking for things you can do with a broken arm then you should definitely check these options out first. We’ve even done all the research for you – Sounds like you have your hands full already!
Byron Bay Wildlife Sanctuary (formerly Macadamia Castle)
Find out how to get discounted entry every day to Lone Pine – click here.
There’s also Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. Heaps of options for little ones with restricted movement. They’ll get so excited by all the up close animal experiences they’ll (temporarily) forget about their casts. At least until the whinging starts on the way home.
Libraries – not just for nerds
The days of libraries being dusty, forgotten corners of shopping centres are long gone. Today’s council libraries are fun, vibrant places chock full with things to do with a broken arm. Video games, interactive screens, indoor playgrounds, kids’ computers, activities and more. The library is the place to be, with or without a cast. Find out about all the Gold Coast Council libraries here and the Brisbane libraries here.
Imagination station
One of the best things to do with a broken arm is to ask children to draw on their own senses of creativity and wonder. Can they put on a show in the living room? Can they create a stuffed toy hospital? What art works can they create? Can they decorate the cast? The possibilities are endless (so is the mess, but who cares).
If you want to find some outside inspiration when it comes to imagination, you could try a visit to the fabulous Ripley’s Believe it or Not! on the Gold Coast.
Calling all budding photographers!
A positive of having somewhat limited movement is that your child now has a chance to slow down and look around them. What better way to embrace this new perspective than to capture memories on film? Give them an old camera or a smart phone and get snapping.
Some great places to get shots in Brisbane:
- GOMA (be careful about photographing artworks without permission – lots of interesting stuff in the gardens)
- QLD Museum
- JC Slaughter Falls and Mt Coot-tha
- Roma Street Parkland
The possibilities are endless!
Cooking up a storm
Some movements may be restricted but one of our favourite things to do with a broken arm is COOKING! Kids can really get lost in the fun when they’re baking and cooking up a storm in the kitchen. Plus, there’s always licking the bowl afterwards.
We’ve got some recipes that you might want to try already collected. What about strawberry and banana bread, delicious apple pie or even raw chocolate and chickpea fudge?!
The Farm at Byron Bay also has great cooking experiences for kids.
Scavenger and treasure hunting!
Awesome things to do with a broken arm include SCAVENGER HUNTS. These are relatively easy to set up in your backyard or local park. With a little imagination and patience, you can cook up an activity that your injured child can participate in without feeling left out.
Don’t forget to try out The Brunswick Heads Fairy Trail.
Any other things to do with a broken arm?
Can you think of anything we left off our list? Let us know in the comments. We didn’t include ‘getting things stuck down the cast’ even though that’s always a fun one! Oh, and if you’re in desperate need of a late night chemist in the Gold Coast region, we’ve got a list of them right here.
