As your little one turns three, it’s time to start thinking about simple activities that will help them grow and learn. There are many fun ideas for 3-year-olds that can be done both at home and in the outdoors.
We have compiled a list of activities and fun games for children, including educational and imaginative activities, outdoor and physical activities, and other fantastic ideas. Keep reading for the top picks!
Importance of Activities for Children
Improve Social Skills
When your child is around other children, they will learn how to take turns and share activities. They also have the opportunity to make friends.
Improve Motor Skills
By participating in activities that require movement, your child will improve their motor skills. This is important for activities such as writing, using a spoon and fork, and playing sports.
Improve Cognitive Skills
Cognitive activities help children learn and grow. These activities can include puzzles, colouring, sorting, counting and more.
Improve Communication Skills
When your child is engaged in activities with other children, they will have to use their words and communicate. By practising communication skills early on, it will speed up their oral language development.
Fun Everyday Activities for 3-Year-Olds
Every single day is an opportunity for activities and learning. From outdoor activities to educational activities, there are many activities for three-year-old children that will help them grow in many ways. We’ve listed some of our favourites below!
1. Play doctor or tea party with dolls or stuffed animals
This is a great indoor activity for children that allows them to use their imagination. They can be the doctor, giving checkups and medicine to their patients, or they can host a tea party with all of their dolls and stuffed animals.
If you have more than one child, this is also a great opportunity for them to work together and cooperate.
2. Do a scavenger hunt for colours
Get your child to find one item for each colour of the rainbow inside your house and let them put the items together in a pile. This quick activity is great for learning about colours and letting them sort it on their activity table.
Another option would be to find one item for each colour of the rainbow outside. It will give you and your child a breath of fresh air!
3. Play with a cardboard box
Make a rocket, race car, playhouse, or nest. The possibilities are endless with cardboard boxes. Rainy days are a great time to do this activity.
4. Have a dance party
Put on some music and hold a dance party to give your child hours of fun. This is a great activity to get your child moving, and it can help them improve their motor skills. Hula-hoops are also fun to use while dancing.
5. Make a paper airplane
Paper airplanes are so much fun! You can instantly make a flying machine out of a piece of paper and let your child fly it across the room.
6. Make and write a letter to a grandparent and walk it to the mailbox
Let your three-year-old be creative and make a letter to send to a grandparent. They can draw pictures, use paint brushes, stick them on stickers or practise writing their name on construction paper. This activity will help build their pre-writing skills.
7. Play with the hose or sprinkler
Time to go outside and have lots of fun under the sun! It is great for children to have a blast playing with the hose and sprinkler when it is hot outside.
Educational and Learning Activities for 3-Year-Olds
Activities not only let children have fun, but they also offer educational benefits. The following activities will help your three-year-old learn and grow!
8. Sorting colours
This is a wonderful idea that will help your child how to identify different colours. You can use items from around the house, such as pom poms, glow sticks, or you could purchase building blocks in different colours.
This activity for toddlers will help improve their cognitive skills and learn how to classify items, which is a skill that will be important when they start school.
9. The alphabet game
By simply singing or saying the alphabet, your child will learn how to recite it. You could also make a game out of it by hiding alphabet blocks around the house and having your child identify the letter if they find them.
This activity is great for improving their memory skills, and when they are familiar with the alphabet, they can start learning how to read.
10. The number game
Your three-year-old probably knows how to count to ten. You can always improve their number skills by singing or saying the numbers from one to ten with them.
You can use educational tools such as flashcards or cards with numbers written on them to reinforce this concept. You could also use items from around the house and ask your child to count how many there are.
11. Around the world
Let your children wander around the world by showing them videos, pictures and books about different countries. This awesome idea will help them learn about other cultures and places, which will be important for their future.
You could also try activities such as preparing a meal from a different country or watching movies that are set in another country. After you have watched the movie together, ask your child what they liked most about it!
12. Rhymes
You have probably done this a lot of times, but don’t underestimate the power of rhymes! Your child will greatly benefit from them as they will improve their memory skills and ability to focus.
Rhymes also teach them about rhythm and how words sound together. You can find lots of different rhymes online or in children’s books.
Outdoor Activities for 3-Year-Olds
Take your child outside and have some fun in the sun! There are plenty of activities that you can do outdoors together, and they will all help improve your child’s physical skills. Here are simple ideas to get you started:
13. Building sandcastles
What’s a better day for children than being at the beach? Get some sand on their toes and build a sandcastle! This activity is great for improving their motor skills and letting them have fun in the sun.
It will also help improve their cognitive skills when they are learning about the shapes and sizes of different objects that can be used for building a castle. If your child has never done this before, be sure to show them how!
Alternatively, if you are far from the beach, you can use kinetic sand or sand foam to let your child have a 3D experience with building a sandcastle.
14. Swimming
Take advantage of the opportunity to swim in the ocean while you’re at the beach. Swimming is a great way for children to improve their physical skills while having fun, but make sure to keep an eye on them!
15. Plant a flower
Get more into nature and plant a flower together. This activity is great for children because it will teach them about responsibility and how to take care of things in nature.
It also lets them have some fresh air, which is essential for their health. While doing this activity, teach your child about the different parts of plants, such as roots, stems, and leaves.
16. Cycling
There are bicycles appropriate for their age and your child will have a blast cycling around. This activity is great for improving their physical skills, as well as their cognitive skills when they learn how to ride a bike.
You should supervise them and be aware of traffic if you are outside.
17. Walk in the park
A simple walk in the park can be a great way to let your child have some fresh air and get exercise. You can also point out different plants or animals that you see along the way, which will help them learn about nature!
You could even take a picnic with you if it’s sunny outside so they can enjoy their lunch while having fun.
Conclusion
Your child can have a fun time while they’re learning with activities that are age-appropriate. Okinja Early Learning Centre and Kindergarten always makes sure your child is getting the best out of the various activities that we offer. With us, children flourish and explore their potential in a supportive and homely environment.
