Creative activity for 3 year olds

75 Everyday Activities For 3 Year Olds

August 6, 2013 | 75 Comments

What are your favorite activities for 3 year olds? These simple activities aren’t just for 3 year olds, they are great activities and preschool learning games for older kids too! Don’t miss my new book Everyday Preschool, it’s the best book for parents who want to make sure their child is learning every day.

Finding the right activities for 3 year olds should be easy… but it isn’t. This summer my daughter and I have had a lot of time to play. Extra time in fact because she decided when she turned 3 to give up naps. With her brother home from school for the summer, my attempts at forcing the issue have been met with refusal. I am going to try again in a month when her brother returns to school but in the meantime, she has quiet time, earlier bedtimes and lots of simple activities like these peppered throughout the day. For more specific games for 3 year olds check out our post here with our favorites!

If you have a younger child check out our similar list of 75 TV Free Activities For Toddlers. These 3 year old activities have been the bulk of what we’ve done this summer. Big projects are fun but day in and day out this is what we do.

This post contains affiliate links.

Fun Activities for 3 year olds

Playdough sculptures with dry spaghetti.
Fill a table with books and read, read, read.
Doodle with smelly markers on cardboard from your recycle bin.
Play doctor with dolls.
Take a walk and hunt for colors.
Play with puzzles.
Look at family photos together.
Create with peel and stick jewels.
Read through catalogs.
Build a fort.
Play eye spy with a favorite book.
Eat lunch outside.
Play in a box.
Paint with watercolors.
Play with stickers.
Play sports in the yard.
Play-Doh and sequins.
Play The Cupcake Game.
Play Simon Says.
Make a balance beam out of painter’s tape and walk it!
Play in a kiddie pool.
Color with Color Wonder markers and coloring sheets.
Water some plants
Play with Magic Nuudles.
Play with Play-Doh and Duplo together.
What are some easy things to do with a 3 year old? Keep reading!
Play with a light table ( easy DIY here ).
Play with cold cooked spaghetti.
Cook together.
Play with water, rice, beans, gravel, etc… in your water table .
Play with the hose.
Dress up some dolls.
Take silly pictures together.
Play hide and seek.
Cuddle.
Play with stamps.
Make some window clings .
Paint your toenails with kid-safe nail polish.
Run Through the sprinkler.
Write in a journal with markers, stamps, and crayons.
Go to the beach.
Learn about emotions with Mr. Potato Head.
Go to the library.
Read with a sibling.
Call Grandma ( or Aunty, Uncle… you get the picture. )
Help clean.
Play dentist with dolls.
Finger paint.
Draw with chalk on black construction paper.
Go to a local elementary school and play at the playground.
What are the best activities for 3 year old ?
Play dress-up.
Take markers and paint onto the porch for art outside.
Duplo
Play School
Mix sidewalk chalk and other toys for pretend play outside.
Bubbles.
Scrap paper collages. All you need is some paper and glue!
Hunt for magnets with a magnetic wand in a bowl of uncooked oatmeal or rice.
Jump in puddles. I don’t know of a better activity for a 3 year old than this one!
Build a tower out of recycling.
Wash the car.
Backyard nature hunt. Tape painter’s tape sticky side out on a window or wall and have your child stick what they find on it.
Take some pictures.
Have a tea party.
Practice cutting with playdough!
Make a ramp with cardboard and drive matchbox cars down it.
Read books outside.
Play-Doh with pipe cleaners.
Wash push cars, scooters, and bikes.
Go for a hike.
Play with Play-doh and egg molds.
Play airplane or train with your kitchen chairs.
Wash windows with water and vinegar.
Turn snack bars into shapes and practice using a knife at the same time.
Play alone. Yes, it’s more than OK, it’s awesome to let kids play alone. Let your 3 year old think up their own activities. We don’t need to entertain them 24/7 !

What is your family’s favorite everyday activity? Not listed? Add it in the comments and tell us why your kids love it!

Need more activities to do with 3 year olds?

Filed Under: 75 activities for 3 year olds, Age Preschool, Age: Toddlers, Preschool Activities | 75 Comments

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21+ Crafts & Activities for 3 Year Olds

ByMichelle McInerney | MollyMoo Updated onAugust 17, 2022

It’s a few years since my daughter was a 3 year old, but the memories of her enjoying independent play and my eavesdropping on her playroom chats are happily fresh in my mind. Being 3 is all about playing, being curious, having fun and ‘more’ playing! – watch them get busy with these 21 handpicked activities for 3 year olds, from easy art projects to pretend play.

Let’s play some fun activities for 3 year olds!

Learning Activities for 3 Year Olds

FELT SHAPES BOARD

A great quiet, calm-down activity to help engage little minds.
via kidsactivitiesblog

STYROFOAM FISHIES IN A CARDBOARD BOX AQUARIUM

Making these creative little fishies is a really simple and fun craft “ perfect for home and the classroom.
via mollymoocrafts

MOON SAND MAKING

Brace yourselves because this is the most awesome activity – wonderful for sensory learning and the kids can get involved in making too.
via laughingkidslearn

VELCRO DOT CRAFT STICKS

Keep the kids busy while encoring creativity learning.
via powerfulmothering

BUSY FINGERS BRACELETS

Practicing fine motor skills with beads.
via Mom

Preschool Activities for 3 Year Olds

DIY T-SHIRTS

Kids love seeing their doodles explode with color
Just draw with sharpie markers, spray, air dry and wear.
via kidsactivitiesblog

EVERYDAY CRAFTING FUN – 4 REALLY FUN IDEAS

With fruit loops, paper bags, packing peanuts and pipe cleaners – Oh how I love the packing peanut teeth!!
via PinkStripeySocks

DIY TODDLER DOMINOS

Suuuuuper easie peasie made with craft sticks and sharpie markers. Place your sticks in a plastic bag until you’re ready to play again, and again and again!
via PinkStripeySocks

Things To Do With 3 Year Olds Indoors

SALT DOUGH MOSAIC TILES

Salt dough is such a versatile and fun material. You can never run out of activities to do with it.
via lifelessonplans

PRETEND PLAY CITY WITH PAPER BAGS

A simple way to create a pretend city for your child to act out their imaginative stories.
via kidsactivitiesblog

KID-DRAWN PLAY MAT

Fun for all with a roll of craft paper, a packet of crayons and the kitchen floor!
via mollymoocrafts

These crafts are perfect for 3 year olds!

Crafts for 3 Year Olds with Glue

YARN FAMILY PORTRAITS

Doodle a bald family on a piece of paper and let the kids get creative with yarn and a glue stick. Oh what fun!
via PinkStripeySocks

TOILET ROLL DOLLS

Incredibly cute, and incredibly easy to make with just toilet rolls and scraps of fabric. Crafts that inspire play – my favorite type of crafts.
via danyabanya

EGG CARTON RAFT

With egg cartons, lollipop sticks and a glue gun make a sturdy raft with a mast and crows nest for hours of imaginative play.
via mollymoocrafts

FREE PRINTABLE OWL PAPER CRAFT

Don’t stop at one – make a whole little owl family.
via kids activitiesblog

Painting Activities for 3 Year Olds

PAINTED STICK INSTRUMENTS

Kid painted sticks, decorated with yarn and a few beads and bells and your 3 year old will be making sweet music.
via Naturestore

FIZZY PAINTING

Painting and science fun all in one.
via taminglittlemonsters

WHAT’S ON THE TELLY?

Painted card box box with button remote control – let teddy read the news!.
via mollymoocrafts

Fun Food Activities for Three Year Olds

CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM PLAY DOUGH

This homemade play dough recipe can jumpstart that journey to owning their own ice cream shop, becoming an ice cream pastry chef.
via kidsactivitiesblog

POTATO PRINT MONSTERS – FOR EVERYDAY FUN

With some potatoes, paint, googly eyes and a few cotton buds you have all the necessary ingredients for creating goofy, scary or pretty monsters ¦ potato printing is fun in the kitchen.
via mollymoocrafts

Mess-Free Fun Things To Do With 3 Year Olds

CARDBOARD BUNNY LACING CARD

A simple cardboard bunny lacing card template to keep little hands busy and engaged.
via kidsactivitiesblog

Time to get your crafty pants on!
Michelle xx

Here Is More Learning Fun:

Printable Christmas coloring pages
Scholastic Book Club
Want to make a rainbow puzzle for your toddler? We can help you make it!
Car drawing
Have you seen this Harry Potter Butterbeer recipe?
Try this flower drawing easy activity

Play to learn preschool
5 minute crafts for kids
Help your little one hone their fine motor skills with these fun activities.
A macaroni salad recipe that’s sure to please
We made Arepa Con Queso in honor of the new hit movie Encanto
Jokes for kids they’ll love!
You’ll love at least one Puppy Chow Recipe out of these 30.

What fun activity for 3 year olds are you going to start with first?

Michelle McInerney | MollyMoo

Michelle McInerney, an Irish based graphic designer and mum of one, is the craft designer behind award winning blog MollyMooCrafts.com - a fun and colorful online world of unique and cute crafts for children and their parents.

Michelle can also be found on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Google+ and one of her favorite places to hang out is on Pinterest.

Creative activity of a preschool child

Parents and teachers of a preschool educational institution (kindergarten) often face the following questions: What is the creative activity of a preschool child? What should it be and how to organize it correctly? How to develop creativity in preschoolers?

Also, see: organization of creative activity of students

Creative activity at preschool age is considered to be the activity of the child, aimed at his development and allowing him to realize his needs and desires in the knowledge of the world and self-expression.

Creative activity at preschool age makes it possible to reveal the child's creative abilities and develop them. The process of developing the creative abilities of children can be carried out at home with their parents, in kindergarten, in circles and sections. The main goal of organizing creative activity in preschool age is the formation of a creative approach in children in solving the tasks assigned to them.

In preschool educational institutions, the creative development of children is carried out through exhibitions of drawings and crafts, thematic events and performances with the participation of children.

Preschool children are inquisitive and have non-standard thinking, which can manifest itself in their creativity, therefore it is very important for teachers and parents to provide support and assistance in the creative endeavors of the child. The child's perception of artistic and poetic images occurs due to his constant contact with literary works and works of oral folk art, the study of painting and music.

The following types of creative activity in preschool children are distinguished:

Playing activities;
Productive activities;
Musical activities;
Theatrical activities;
Artistic and speech activity.

Among the developmental and creative activities of preschoolers in preschool educational institutions, games are especially distinguished, aimed at developing the right hemisphere of the child, which is responsible for creative abilities.

For example, learning unusual drawing techniques, writing a poem or a fairy tale, expressing emotions without words, depicting an unusual animal or imaginary city by drawing or modeling, etc.

In the game, children form an idea of reality, the first experience of living the situation and solving problems without the help of an adult. The more varied the games, the better the all-round development of the child.

Productive creative activities young children allow children to develop construction and image skills. The purpose of the productive activity of the child is to obtain a certain product for him: a drawing, crafts, structures from the designer. Productive activity among preschoolers contributes to the development of the child's cognitive processes, skills and abilities necessary to create the required product, forms the desire to obtain the desired result.

Musical activity plays an important role in the development of visual-spatial coordination, musical ear and motor skills in a preschool child. Playing musical instruments, rhythm and singing allow the child to develop harmoniously in an emotional and rational direction, to adapt to various situations.

Theatrical activity of children at preschool age is of particular value, as it allows the child to try on different roles, gives him the opportunity to show his abilities in the proposed circumstances, includes various types of creativity.

Artistic and speech activity at preschool age involves listening to works of art and folklore by children, familiarization with simple literary terms, retelling of fairy tales, reading poems by heart, mastering figurative and expressive speech, acquiring the skills of rhyming words.

Activities may vary depending on the child's personal interests and mood.

Creative development of a child is carried out not only through applied and other forms of art, but also during walks in city parks, excursions to museums and sights, trips to nature, etc.

During creative activities, a child develops aesthetic taste, develops thinking and motor skills, perseverance, ingenuity, striving for creative achievements.

Creativity allows a preschooler to express himself most fully, to show his individuality, while the way of expression does not matter, the main thing is that the child likes it.

A key aspect of creative activity in a preschool child is his genuine interest in creativity and the desire to do and create something.

The proposed methods for the development of imaginative thinking and imagination in preschool children can be used both in a preschool educational institution by teachers and by a parent during homework.

1. Observation of the surrounding world

This method refers to the knowledge and analysis of objects and phenomena surrounding the child. For example, the study of plants and animals, natural phenomena (wind, rain, dew), and so on.

2. Educational games

Educational games can be of different nature. For example, puzzles, mosaics, constructors, games with a playing field and cards require concentration and perseverance. The choice of the difficulty of the game should correspond to the age and development of the child.

Developing games that can be played with a child regardless of place and time include games with words or cities, edible/inedible and others.

3. Artistic creativity

Engaging in any kind of fine art develops the child's creative abilities. In addition to the classic way of drawing with paints and pencils, a child can show imagination, using a wide variety of materials and surfaces to create a drawing.

Sculpting, like nothing else, develops fine motor skills, helps the child master simple geometric shapes, develop imagination in ways of depicting animals or ordinary objects.

In the same way, the creative potential of the child is revealed during his work on the application.

4. Reading

Listening to fairy tales, children's poems and stories forms an active vocabulary in a child and develops imagination.

5. Music

Music allows a child to develop an aesthetic perception of the world and feel harmonious and whole. The background accompaniment of any activity of the child with classical music has a beneficial effect on his mental health and emotional state, develops the right musical taste.

Music lessons provide the child with a sense of tact and musical ear, develop vocal abilities.

The development of creative abilities in preschool children should take place in a relaxed playful way, taking into account the personal interest of the child. Only in this case, this activity will be successful and bear fruit in the future.

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Development of creative abilities in preschool children

Every child is a creator and experimenter by nature. The formation of a multifaceted and holistic personality is impossible without the development of creative abilities. In children, they are in a latent state and are not always fully realized on their own. By creating conditions that encourage the child to engage in creativity, you can wake them up.

What is creativity and why develop it?

Creativity is the process of creating something fundamentally new, original, unique by a person. Creativity is expressed in the ability of a person to find a special look at the familiar and everyday. They to some extent depend on the psychophysiological characteristics of a person, but are not innate. Their development is due to the active intellectual activity of man.

One of the important tasks of pedagogy is the formation of a creative personality. Modern society needs non-standard, diversified personalities, people capable of creative activity.

Creative abilities include:

imagination,
imaginative thinking,
intuition,
fantasy,
perception,
initiative,
curiosity,
the opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge in practice.

Creativity is important, so it is necessary to develop it from early childhood. Often parents give preference to the development of the child's intelligence, logic and memory, but forget about creativity. This is a big mistake. Creative and logical thinking are not opposed, but complement each other.

Such activities have a complex effect on the child. They contribute to the development of observation, imagination, thinking, memory, emotional intelligence. The process of further schooling will be much more effective if creativity is applied to it. Therefore, creative development is no less important than intellectual and physical.

Conditions for the development of creative abilities

To develop the creative abilities of a child, certain conditions must be observed:

Proper and timely physical development of the child.
Inclusion of the child in creative activities as early as possible.
Creation of an environment that will stimulate creative activity - emotional comfort in a family or team, an atmosphere of creative search. Support for any child's endeavors.
The development of preschool children should only take place in a playful way. Classes should not turn into boring lessons.
A variety of activities to get the result - the creation of a new product.
Giving the child freedom in choosing activities, methods and materials, duration of classes, their alternation.
Regular and systematic nature of classes.
Timely, but measured help from adults in case of difficulties and impasses.
It is important to constantly stimulate the child to be creative, to support in case of possible failures, to show sympathy and patience.

A child of preschool and primary school age is actively involved in creative activities. In it, he is led by adults, and tries his hand on his own. This requires creative imagination, coordination of one's actions, independence, the ability to apply experience in new conditions, and responsibility.

Children of this age are very inquisitive, they have a great desire to explore the world, their thinking is not bound by stereotypes. Parents, encouraging this, giving children knowledge, involving them in various activities, contribute to the enrichment of experience. And this is a prerequisite for future creative activity.

Development of creative abilities with age

Each age period is characterized by its own characteristics in the development of children's creative potential.

Junior preschool age

1-2 years old . Toddlers of this age often show interest in music - they move to the music, catch its rhythm. Artistic creativity also fascinates them. They learn to hold a pencil in their hand, try different materials and techniques, experiment a lot.

3-4 years . During this period, the peak of creative activity in children is manifested. They already know and know a lot. Recognizable objects appear in their drawings. They still follow an adult, but they can take the initiative, invent and fantasize.

Senior preschool age

5-6 years old. Classes for children of this age can already be complicated by a wide variety of new tasks. Older preschoolers can already work on a task for a long time, act independently, adequately cope with failures, and achieve the result they need.

Primary school age

7-8 years old . At this age, more serious creative activity begins - drawing, music, theater. And in every area the child will be able to express himself. Although it is possible that the leader will be one to which he has natural inclinations. Also, children's technical creativity is manifested at primary school age. Children have already accumulated a certain experience that allows them to experiment and create new things.

The best period for the development of creativity is preschool age. It is worth starting to develop the creative abilities of children as early as possible.

How to develop the creative abilities of preschoolers?

There are many ways to develop children's creativity. Conversations about the world around, about everything that happens around, answers to questions of interest - all this can be used by parents every day. Educational games, puzzles and constructors should be in every child. It is worth doing drawing, sculpting, reading books and listening to music with the baby. These activities will not only entertain, but also bring great benefits.

Games and activities to develop creativity

What does the figure look like?

Game for children 5-6 years old. Develops creative imagination, the ability to create images, select the most creative of them, the ability to notice signs of objects. An adult offers several pictures that show abstract figures. Children think they are reminiscent.

All variants are encouraged, but original ones are especially noted. If the child has no options, you can tell him to look at the picture from a different angle, close part of it, etc. The ability to see objects in abstract images indicates a high level of development of the child's imagination.

Making up a story

Game for children from 5 years old. The host begins to tell the story with the phrase “Once upon a time . ..”, and then the rest are included in the game. In turn, they add one meaningful sentence at a time and continue the story. The facilitator directs the development of the story. Before starting the game, children should be encouraged to fantasize, suggest the idea of using the characters of fairy tales, books, cartoons. As a result, the leader retells the whole story in full.

Mosaic of grains, seeds

The game is suitable for children from 3 years old to primary school age. Develops creative and imaginative thinking, fine motor skills, the ability to model a holistic image from details, parts. It is necessary to prepare a set of various grains and seeds in sufficient quantities. Children are invited to post any image - a house, a flower, an animal, etc.

It is important not to give hints, but to let them, having shown their imagination, do it on their own. If several children play, then you can make a big joint picture.

Magic blots

Game for children from 3-4 years old. Develops imagination and fantasy, the ability to see images. An adult makes several blots: he pours some ink or ink into the center of the sheet and folds the sheet in half. On the expanded sheet, a symmetrical blot will turn out. Children voice what they see in the blot (whole or its individual parts).

Three items

Game for children from 5-6 years old. Develops imagination, thinking. An adult prepares cards with a couple of signs of objects written on them. You can do without cards and just call them out loud. For example: warm and fluffy, sweet and soft, hard and heavy, etc. Children should think and name three items each that correspond to the indicated signs. Warm and fluffy can be a blanket, a cat, a soft toy.

Who has what character?

Game for children from 4 years old. Develops imagination, the ability to distinguish emotions. An adult distributes pictures to children depicting various inanimate objects. For example: hammer, pillow, pencil. Is it discussed with the children what character these objects can have? Can their character change, depending on whose hands they are in? Children are offered to describe how a sad and cheerful hammer, a lazy and industrious pencil works.

Creative ideas

Fine arts

Children can be given crayons, pencils and paints from a very young age. An object that leaves a mark on the surface fascinates them and encourages them to experiment. From 3-4 years old, drawing acquires meaningful features. The child seeks to depict the world around. With age and experience, his skills improve.

Modeling

Modeling classes contribute to the development of imaginative thinking, visual perception, memory, manual skills, forms a sense of beauty, the ability to see beauty in the ordinary. Modeling is also associated with the game - the leading activity of preschoolers. The completed figure is voluminous and stimulates children to play activities with it. It is good to use different materials for modeling - plasticine, clay, dough, paper pulp. Each of them has a different texture and properties.

Appliqué

The appliqué is based on cutting out various details and applying them to the background in a certain order. Details can also be fixed in various ways - with glue, threads, etc. The originality of the application is in the nature of the image and in the technique of execution. The image here is more conditional than in the figure, of a generalized form, with almost no details. Application classes develop a sense of color, rhythm, symmetry. This is how artistic taste is formed. In parallel, children are accustomed to the planned organization of work.

Non-traditional drawing

Preschoolers first acquire the simplest skills and abilities of drawing with traditional paints, pencils, etc. And as they grow older, they begin to look for new ways of reflecting the world around them. At this point, an adult can introduce them to interesting non-traditional drawing techniques.

Paraffin candles, cotton buds, toothbrushes, combs, threads and other household items are used. Such activities help in removing children's fears, gaining self-confidence, inner harmony. Owning different techniques and ways of depicting, the child gets the opportunity to choose.

Music

Supports the overall development of the child and helps build skills for future schooling. Listening to music at an early age helps children express their emotions and share feelings. Listening to music, the child learns to interpret and understand it, and the imagination is actively involved in the process.

It is useful for kids from a very early age to listen to music - children's songs, dance melodies, classics. Older children learn to move to music. Musical fairy tales are of great interest to kids. It can be audio recordings and musical cartoons. Children quickly memorize songs, which contributes to the development of memory, speech.

Theatrical activities

Reincarnating in various characters, the child gets acquainted with different aspects of life and prepares for new situations that may occur in life. In a theatrical action, he can transform into anyone, become a tree, a doctor, an elephant, a giant, an astronaut, etc. This develops intelligence, the ability to empathize and understand another, reveals new talents and abilities.