REPOST: Lists- things to do with 3 year olds

As promised……. please feel free to fill in any hole. I am sure there are lots

Three things before I start.

1: This is my list of things I do…. not a list to tell you what you should do, and

2: I share it because I was asked to by some (to give them some ideas) and thought it may be helpful to others (for those many non-creative moments we have.)

3: Some days my 3 year old just follows me around chatting while I do countless jobs.

Enjoy….

*play in the yard

*go to the library

*catch the train to nowhere and back again

* find a pond and feed the ducks (if you are allowed)

*good time to teach them to eat lots of different things

*laugh loudly together

*take a video of them and watch it together

*visit Cityfarm at fairfield..... or similar

Great family prices..... and take a picnic lunch

* go for a mummy/daughter/ milkshake

*take a picnic to the park for lunch

*garden together

*make mud pies

*pick fruit, veges or flowers, if you are fortunate enough to have any of these.

*go for a swim

*get in your swimmers and play with water in the yard

*have a bath/shower, at an unusual time of the day, put in lots of things to play with

*read books

Photo by 9 year old "A work at the art gallery"

* go to the art gallery. NSW gallery has a special program for 3-5 year olds

*take books to the park to read

*sing songs

*make up songs

*call the grandparents

*call the Aunts and Uncles and Cousins

*cook muffins or banana bread ( I am sure there are other things that one could bake with a three year old, but I am not a baker.

*Invite a friend over and eat the baking

*do jigsaw puzzles

Have an older sibling or playmate play the game the 3 year old wants to play.

*draw pictures on paper

*draw on the chalk board

*paint with water on the chalk board

*paint on paper….. if you feel like cleaning up

*watch older kids doing things they can’t yet, and talk to them about how they will be able to do that too one day.

* get them to help clean up

*play duplo by building something huge together and CRASH it down

*make up a story with duplo

*wrestle  (they will take a while to learn how to do this, but is great for their self control, using up energy and understanding their strength.)

*cuddle and kissing for extended periods of time.

*make up a puppet story

*read a story using a puppet

*get them to ‘read’ you a story

*leave them alone in a safe place to enjoy their own company…… they may need some convincing of this

*play with buttons sorting, feeling, talking about colours and textures, count the holes

*give the day a theme (see playschool for ideas) and do lots of activities around the theme

*Rest outside

* go to the park

* build from the recycling with sticky tape, or without tape ….just stacking and falling and rebuilding

*play in a cardboard box

*pray with them  for people that are important to them

*play an age appropriate game on the computer here or here I am still exploring this and testing sites with 3 year old. I will keep you posted…… Literally

*dance together

*look for leaves

*paste leaves to a page

*make playdough  Recipe here and here

*play playdough

*make a story up with playdough

*make ‘biscuits’ with playdough and have a tea party or “smoko” for boys. My dad was a tradesman, this is what they call morning (and afternoon) tea.

*paper , pens, pencils, crayons, textas and stamps.

*make wrapping paper from stamps or buttons

Dress -up

*dress-up and dance

*clean walls with a spray cleaner VERY watered down

*build a blanket cubby over the dining table

*take a ball to the park

*ride a trike to the park….and take lunch with you….and some books

Special spots at the power house for 3 year olds

*go to the Powerhouse museum (Membership at very friendly prices especially for families with more than 2 children)

*play Mr Potato Head… or the beetle game

*read them a kids bible, we like this one.

*read to them a giant pile of books, even if they wonder around you and appear not to be listening for

*laugh at them

*laugh at what they laugh at

*talk about how life works throughout the day

*play age appropriate boardgames and Card games. Snap, memory match, Hiss

*watch playschool, or other age appropriate TV. Be careful of shows with mean characters…… 3 year olds are great imitators.

*watch Colin ( who requires no last name)

*musical Instruments playing

*musical instrument making

* playing trains

*sweep paths

*sweep floor

*sing songs

Call a friend and ask them to come and play

*help them to share with their playmates

*help them to say sorry to their playmates

*help them to be generous with their toys

*talk about imaginary places and people with them…. go with their stories

Make sure she get lots of rest

*take a ferry somewhere, and back again

*cut up paper and magazines just for the fun of cutting

*go for a walk and see how often they can see the letter that starts their name

*teach them how to obey simple instructions

*catch the bus