After his third birthday, your child will go through significant physical, social, intellectual, and emotional shifts that will assist him in making sense of the world. So, finding appropriate activities for 3-year-olds should be simple... but it isn't.
It is a challenge! Staying at home with your young children is difficult at the best of times, but it is even more complicated when the weather is terrible outside, or you have found yourself in another lockdown in this strange world we live in.
If you have 3-year-olds like me, you know that they constantly keep you on your toes! My son and I have had a lot of free time this summer. Some days are great fun, and I go to bed feeling like I've made some great memories, while others have me scratching my head and rubbing my face to stay energetic.
If you, like me, get stuck in a rut and need some inspiration to do something different now and then, this list will help inspire you to mix it up more frequently!
I've collected a plethora of fantastic ideas for you! Some of these are games you can play together, while others are activities your baby can do on his own with your supervision. Being cooped up inside does not have to be boring; with a bit of imagination, you and your kid can have a lot of fun. Remember that you don't need to plan activities to fill every moment, but it's a good idea to have a few thoughts on hand for when you need them.
Now, let's take a look at some practical stay-at-home activities for 3-year-olds to keep them entertained!
Stay At Home Activities For 3 Year Olds: What do they enjoy doing?
"The stage from 2 to 3 is critical because language is just starting to develop. Children are also beginning to recognize their independence and are actively exploring their surroundings "Robert Myers, Ph.D., a child and adolescent psychologist, the founder of the Child Development Institute, and an assistant clinical professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine, agrees.
Dr. Myers says that parents can provide encouragement and support to their children, allowing them to master critical developmental tasks. They can, for example, introduce children to hands-on learning activities.
"Always layer activities with lots of languages, interaction, and imaginative play," says Roni Cohen Leiderman, Ph.D., dean of Nova Southeastern University's Mailman Segal Center for Human Development and co-author of Let's Play and Learn Together. "Relationships with parents or caregivers serve as a portal for child development."
That is why, as my sonr approaches the age of three, I am constantly on the lookout for fun, educational, creative, and imaginative activities for us to participate in. It's a good idea to have a variety of projects and ideas on hand for those times when you're stuck for ideas.
You'll find several lists of 15 ideas and activities for 3-year-olds to do at home below. They will entertain your child while also assisting in his development. Have a good time!
Easy And Fun Stay At Home Activities For 3 Year Olds
Dress-up
Bring out an old pile of clothes and let your child play dress-up. "You can participate as well," Dr. Myers says, "but it's best to encourage group play with two or three other children their age."
Create a costume bin in your home. Fill it with clothes from previous decades, old Halloween costumes, and oddball thrift store finds. When your child is looking for something to do, pull out the costume bin and let them become a character!
Another option is to gather a variety of fabrics and clothing and encourage your child to create a pretend costume out of what you have. Then, based on what he chooses, play a game together. Who knows what adventures await you!
If you have a daughter who loves princesses and you don’t have old clothes, you can buy ReliBeauty Girls Princess Dress up Costume. It’s for the dress-up game. The dream of every girl is to meet her prince charming, marry the one she loves, and live happily ever after. Now is the time to fulfill your little girl's wish and give her a chance to enter the Fairy Tale world. This dress costume, with its waist cincher style bodice and foil print organza overlay, will undoubtedly become your girls' new favorite, and all eyes will be on her when she wears it.
Skills learned: Creativity, imagination, language, and social development.
Decorate a Crayon Carrier
Cover a table with newspaper, then collect a resealable Ziploc bag, a glue stick, pompoms, and crayons. Allow your kid to use the glue stick if he or she is old enough to coat the Ziploc bag and assist him in attaching the colorful pom poms. When the bag has dried, he can fill it with crayons. Please take out the carrier the next time you go out to eat and let him show off his creation. He'll be ecstatic to be able to express himself once more.
You can buy Crayola Bulk Broad Line Washable Markers for your child. These non-toxic and safe art supplies inspire children's creativity for art projects, school assignments, holiday decorations, and so much more. Each box contains ten durable and long-lasting classic broad line markers in primary and secondary colors, ideal for creating thick, bold lines for full-coverage coloring. Kids can use them in the classroom and at home for individual projects and group coloring activities. Combine these markers with a coloring book or construction paper for a great gift idea, birthday party favor, or rainy-day coloring fun.
Skills learned: Motor planning, creativity
Make a Mailbox
Decorate an old shoebox or cardboard box and cut a slit in the top to make a mailbox. Fill it with junk mail and leave it for your kid to open. "Not only does this help her fine motor skills as she opens the envelopes and takes out what's inside, but it also helps her vocabulary," Dr. Leiderman says, "but you can also use it to teach your basic kid concepts." "Discuss the pictures, colors, and letters with her; assist her in sorting it by size, shape, or color; or count the pieces. You can also incorporate imaginative play by pretending to be a post office or a store with the coupons."
Skills learned: basic concepts, fine motor skills
Imagine a Boat
Pull your 3-year-olds around the room after she has sat on a towel or blanket. Pretend the blanket is a boat or a train, and you're stopping at various locations, such as the zoo, the grocery store, or a favorite restaurant. This at-home activity for 3-year-olds will also help her balance!
Skills learned: Balance, pretending
Trace His Body
Allow your child to lie down on a large piece of paper and trace his body's outline. "Because the child has to lie still to be traced, he learns self-control," explains Dr. Leiderman. "You can show him the location of the two eyes, nose, and mouth. However, it's fine if he wants to color all over it. Don't impose anything on him; allow him to have fun with it."
Don't force your child to lie still if he doesn't want to. Begin by tracing just his hand or foot, or your hand and foot.
Skills learned: Sense of self, self-control, identifying body parts, language skills.
Play Simon Says
Begin with simple instructions ("Simon says, touch your toes"). Then progress to sillier, more complex routines ("Simon says, tug on your left ear, then your right ear"). You can also encourage your kid to do things like jump, skip, catch something, and so on. And don't forget to use "Simon says" now and then during this 3-year-old learning activity!
Skills learned: Gross motor skills, following directions, receptive language
Try a “Stop and Go” Game
Play games that require you to start and stop, such as "red light, green light." According to Dr. Leiderman, developing self-control will eventually help children negotiate, compromise, and work out conflicts without losing their temper.
Skills learned: Self-control
Craft a Collage
Give your child different noses, eyes, hair, and other features cut out from old magazines. Encourage her to use the parts to create funny creatures or silly faces, then adhere them to a sheet of paper.
"Talk to your kid about the pieces and how to glue them together, but don't be overly direct," Dr. Leiderman advises. "Ask lots of 'wonder questions,' such as "I wonder what would happen if you put the pieces down without the glue?" or "I wonder why the glue is getting all over the table?" Childhood is about discovering new facts and applying them to theories, so assist them in developing theories."
Skills learned: Creativity, language
Hide Toys
Hide a toy throughout the home and ask your 3-year-old to find it for a simple indoor activity. Explore with her, guiding her with cues like "warmer" and "colder." You can also use flashlights to search for and hide multiple objects at once.
Skills learned: Listening, memory, problem-solving, social skills
Pass a Ball
This enjoyable activity for 3-year-olds necessitates the use of a play tunnel. Take turns lifting each end of a softball while standing at opposite ends with your child. "It may take some trial and error for your child to master this skill, but it's great motor planning practice and requires teamwork skill," says Rachel Coley, an occupational therapist, author of Simple Play: Easy Fun For Babies, and founder of the website CanDoKiddo.com.
Skills learned: teamwork, motor planning, understanding cause and effect.
Drawing Songs
As you sing, draw a simple picture of what is happening in the lyrics of one of your child's favorite songs, then hand your child the paper to draw something else mentioned in the song. Coley, for example, would sing "The Itsy-Bitsy Spider" to her son, illustrating the spider first and then asking him to draw his version of the rain. Continue back and forth until the song concludes.
Skills learned: creativity, storytelling, language skills.
Initiate Conversation
Give your child a doll or plush toy and encourage him or her to hold, talk to, dress, and care for it. "Talk to the doll like you would a child, and encourage your child to do the same," Dr. Myers advises. This activity for 3-year-olds teaches creativity and imagination as well as language skills.
Skills learned: language and fine motor skills, creativity, imagination, social.
“I’m going to catch you!”
Play the "I'm going to catch you!" a funny game around your house by chasing your child around the room. If he has a lot of energy, this will help him release it all. When you're finished, you might want to join her for a nap.
Skills learned: fine motor skills
Name that noise
Make various animal noises and have him guess which animal you're impersonating. Encourage taking turns and allow him to make noises while you think. This is also an excellent opportunity to teach him more about the animals you have chosen.
Skills learned: language skills, memory
Toddler challenge
Toddlers enjoy being challenged as they become more physically coordinated. "Can you lift your arm?" ask your child, or "Can you reach your hands to your toes?". Using the names of his body parts in context helps him learn and demonstrates her abilities!
Skills learned: motor skills, memory.
Conclusion
Keeping the 3-year-old entertained at home can be a significant challenge. You're probably looking for some fun ideas of things you can do with the kids that don't involve screens if you're trying to avoid rainy weather, self-isolating due to COVID-19 lockdown, or simply planning a day at home. We hope you find the 15 ideas for stay-at-home activities for 3-year-olds we've shared with you helpful.