Group activities for 3 year olds

10 Super Fun Large Group Activities For Toddlers -(Everyone Will Love)

There is nothing more amazing and exhausting than a toddler.

The only thing more amazing and exhausting than a toddler is a whole bunch of toddlers!

Whether it’s at a birthday party or everyone is just playing together in the neighborhood having a set of pre-planned large group activities for toddlers is the only thing that will keep the grown-ups sane.

There is not a more important large group activity then your child’s first birthday. Even more important is your grandchild’s first birthday! For more party and birthday gift ideas see our article First Birthday Gifts (From Grandparents).

The one thing a parent can hope for is after a great time of playing with friends their little ones will have burned off enough energy that they will go to sleep or take a nap peacefully.

This is one of the main benefits of keeping our kids active and moving.

Although trying to start without a set of solid toddler activities will doom you to an afternoon of whining, crying or even the dreaded…tantrum.

Here are some of the best large group activities for toddlers a parent could hope for:

1. Blowing Bubbles

Blowing Bubbles is a toddler’s bread and butter. (That’s a lot of “b’s”)

There is nothing more exciting for them than to run around and “catch” those elusive bubbles.

Whether they are blowing them the traditional way using a bubble wand or using a bubble machine kids will play with bubbles for hours.

Just make sure you have the jumbo container of bubbles so you don’t disappoint.

If the worst does happen and you do run out of bubble mixture you can always make your own by following these easy recipes from the DIY Network.

I have always had much better success with a bubble machine.

You don’t have bubble wands and spilled bubble mixture everywhere.

Plus the kids get frustrated pretty quickly with the dip and blow method.

Using a bubble machine allows for way more bubbles and the kids get much more satisfaction from running around and popping them compared to blowing them traditionally.

I suggest the Dolphin Themed Durable Bubble Machine.

It blows 500 bubbles per minute and comes with bubble mixture included.

You will be the pride of the neighborhood with this amazing bubble maker!

Bubbles will make any mediocre day into an amazing day.

Click on the link above for Amazon pricing and rank.

2. Coloring

Coloring is definitely a favorite for toddlers!

This is a great indoor activity that can be done with minimal preparation.

Not only is this a favorite with the little ones it also has many cognitive and psychomotor (relating to the origination of movement in conscious mental activity) benefits.

Coloring helps your toddler by:

Developing fine motor skills

Stimulating their creativity

Introducing color identification

Helps improve focus

Improves proper writing grip

When children color they are given an opportunity to express themselves and to be creative.

While this might not occupy them for hours it will stimulate their minds and prepare them for a better future.

Here are some easy, yet entertaining coloring sheets from MomJunction.com

You never know you might just have yourself another Leonardo da Vinci or Michelangelo on your hands.

The one thing you need when dealing with toddlers and coloring is something big to help contain all of their “awesomeness”.

The Betheaces Drawing Mat is perfect for letting your toddler get creative without having to contain them at all.

Kids can use the special markers and within 3-10 minute the marking will be gone…Like Magic!

Click the link or the picture above for Amazon pricing and rank

3. Balloons

Toddlers are infatuated with balloons.

Seeing a balloon float in the air makes any toddler’s eyes get bigger.

Even though, most kids just like throwing the balloon in the air and catching it there are many different types of balloon games that a large group of toddlers could play.

Here is a list of balloon games you could play:

Balloon Pass- Kids pass the balloon to each other like in a relay race trying not to drop it.

Keep it in the air- Kids try to hit the balloon in the air for as long as they can without letting it touch the ground.

Balloon Pop- Toddlers love stepping on the balloons to make them pop.

Balloon Rocket- Blow up the balloon and let it go. Watch the balloon fly around the room.

Water Balloons– Fill them up and let them throw them. They don’t have to throw them at someone. They just like watching them break!

Balloon Find- Hide different color balloons and see who can find all of their colored balloons first

Balloons are great fun!

Although, the biggest problem with playing with balloons is not passing out trying to blow them all up.

Plus blowing them up fast enough to appease our inpatient toddlers.

Along with that, you will have to use helium for some of them so they will get the full benefits of proper balloon play.

With that said, I recommend two different balloon machines.

The first is for regular, non-helium balloons.

This Electric Balloon Blower Pump is perfect for parties or just for blowing up enough balloons for the neighborhood kids.

The second is for making the balloons even more fun by blowing them up with helium.

Using a Disposable Helium Tank will make blowing up your balloons a cinch and increase the fun tenfold.

It’s amazing to watch how much fun toddlers have playing with balloons.

The only thing better is playing with balloons and bubbles!

Mind Blown!

4. Shaving Cream Drawing

Shaving Cream Drawing is an Oh So messy activity but the kids will talk about it for weeks.

When you are stuck inside and looking for something amazing to do with a group of toddlers this is a go-to for sure.

An even better idea is doing it outside using an outdoor table or area for easier cleanup.

In a pinch, almost everyone has shaving cream somewhere in the house but it’s way more fun if you plan ahead and buy a bunch and let your little ones go wild.

To get started, find a large table or smooth surface and spray the shaving cream on the table.

Smooth it out like a creamy piece of paper and let the kids start drawing, easy as that!

If you don’t have a good place inside or outside to do your shaving cream activity you can use a window or a sliding glass door to get things moving.

5. Parachute

This is a parachute-like piece of material that kids grab around the edges and shake.

No, We are not suggesting you take your toddler skydiving!

The good news is that if you don’t have a “Parachute” a large sheet will do just fine.

The kids absolutely love shaking and moving the parachute.

You will find that it really is a great way to get the wiggles and shakes out of a toddler.

Depending on the age of your toddler you might need to help them get started but once the have a firm grip they will get the hang of it.

To see an example of a kids parachute and pricing on Amazon click the link or picture above.

Look below at the list of parachute games that the kids will absolutely love.

Kids absolutely love:

Shaking it- moving it as fast as they can

Playing popcorn – putting soft balls in the middle and shaking them to make them “pop”

Hide and Seek- LIfting up the parachute together and then finding someone underneath the parachute

Group walking- Holding the parachute and walking together in a circle

Ride along- Have some of the kids sit in the middle of the parachute and have adults and kids pull them around

Red Rover- Kids lift up the parachute as high as they can and invite others to run underneath the parachute to the other side before it comes down

Check out the video to get more fun game ideas using the parachute:

Using a parachute or a large sheet for your large group toddler activities will ensure that your kids have a great time both inside or out.

6. Sidewalk Chalk

Sidewalk chalk is a great activity for toddlers

Most of the time they just use the chalk to scratch the ground and make color scribble-scrabble but to them, it’s a masterpiece.

You should always have a stash of sidewalk chalk available but for large group activities, you want enough as most of them get broken or lost.

You can ways get a six-pack of sidewalk chalk at the dollar store for a buck or if you have time to plan ahead you can get 20 piece set for a couple bucks more from Amazon

Click the link or picture for Amazon pricing and rank

Other than just being plain fun, sidewalk chalk like coloring has many benefits.

It is great for learning how to grip writing utensils as well as developing the muscles in their hands that will allow them to write in the future.

While watching them you will eventually be able to tell which hand will be their dominant hand based upon the hand they prefer to use during their chalk session.

Now, many times if you are serious about making this a group activity the parents will have to get involved to make this more of an interactive activity.

Here are some ideas for cool sidewalk activities:

Follow the color- You can draw differerent paths in different colors and have the kids try to follow them to the end.

Basic Hop Scotch- Just draw the Hop Scotch boxes and have them try to hop to the boxes with the corect number of feet to match the number of boxes

Stencil Coloring- Have them color letters or pictures using stencils

Chalk Maze- Make up a maze using chalk and have the kids try to make their way out.

Road ways- Make a roadway or racetracks using chalk for your kids to play with using their matchbox or cozy coup cars

The ground is lava– Draw rock shaped circles on the ground and have them jump from “rock to rock” so they don’t get burned by the “lava”

7.

Playdough

PlayDough is a four-letter word is some houses and in some instances, it’s fully justified.

Although the look on your little ones face when you break out the oddly smelling, colorfully squishy, awesomeness makes it all worthwhile.

PlayDough is a classic activity that no toddler should be dough-nied… Wow, sorry!

Here is a collection of videos to help you get the dough rolling:

How to make playDough yourself-

Great PlayDough Activity Ideas-

Making A PlayDough Butterfly-

Making A PlayDough Elephant-

While most of these activities will require some help from an adult your little one will enjoy making these crafts with you.

A great way to start out is to get the small containers of each color.

As you know, with little ones a lot of the PlayDough gets thrown away or wasted due to the kids having ‘too much fun”

This way you are not wasting a lot of material and you can open up fresh containers more ofter rather than having to reuse old or mixed up PlayDough for the next activity.

Click on the picture above for Amazon pricing and rank.

8. Dance Party

Dancing and toddlers go hand in hand.

You will notice anytime music is playing their little booties are always moving.

Not only is dancing a great form of exercise but it is amazing for coordination and agility.

There is a whole list of reasons dancing is great for toddlers but what it all boils down to… They Love It!

Here is a list of great dancing activities: Click the link for examples-

Freeze Dance- Kids free dance until the music stops and then they freeze. Once the music starts again they can move again

Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes- Pretty self explanitoy, kids follow the instruction of the song.

Hokey Pokey- Again the song plays and the kids follow the words of the song. ” You put your right hand in, You put your right hand out…”

The Chicken Dance– Dance like a chicken!

If Your Happy and You Know it– In this song you move your body if you are happy or mad.

I’m A Little Teapot- You shape your body like a teapot in the song.

Itsy Bitsy Spider– The classic song and hand movements representing a funny little spider.

9. Painting

Painting is definitely the messiest of all the activities but certainly the most fun and exciting in the eyes of your toddler.

When it comes to painting with little ones its easy to think of finger painting or other traditional painting methods.

While kids love these, they may have done them before and they might be looking forward to something new or different.

In the table below you find many different and unique types of painting you can do with your toddler.

Types of Painting: Painting with-

Sponges	Popsicle Sticks	Flowers
Bingo Dabbers	Ribbon and String	Squeeze Bottles
Q-tips	Big & Little Brushes	Cotton balls
Hands and Feet	Spin Art	Paper Towel Rolls
Matchbox Cars	Stencils	Small Balloons
Bubble Wrap	Leaves & Sticks	Kitchen Utensils
Rollers	Blow paint w/ Straws	Funnels

Your toddler and their siblings will have a great time trying these different types of painting methods.

While you can come up with all these different painting styles on your own some parents are looking for something easier

The Glokers Early Learning Kids Paint Set is a great way to have a variety of all the different cool painting techniques but in one convenient package.

It comes with all the different kinds of unique painting methods as well as a six-pack of the Crayola Washable paints.

What a great way to get started without too much prep time.

Click the link or picture above to see Amazon pricing and rank

10. Water Tables

There is something about the water that mesmerizes toddlers.

Kids can play in the water for hours upon hours without blinking an eye.

Unfortunately, many toddlers are just too young to safely go swimming.

At the very least, it makes swimming a lot more complicated especially for large group activities.

This is where the water table fits perfectly!

While playing with a water table the kids can play safely, it’s perfect for their height and water tables have all kinds of gadgets for them to entertain themselves with.

Even though water tables are amazing they can be a bit hard to store.

The good news is they do come apart fairly easy and can be tucked back into the box for more compact storage.

In the end, once you see your little one’s eyes light up and they do the classic toddler squeal while running over to the water table you will forget all about the necessity of garage organization.

Although, for a group activity, you might want to elicit some help from other parents and have them bring one of theirs from home to help turn your mini water park activity into a reality.

To help get your activity going without relying on other parents check out these awesome water tables.

Step2 Rain Showers Splash Pond Water Table

Step2 Lazy Maze River Run Water Table

Little Tikes Spiralin’ Seas Waterpark (We personally have this one and it’s great)

Who needs a water park when you can have your own at a fraction of the price!

Please leave a comment and let us know if there is an activity that has worked well for you when dealing with large group activities for toddlers.

Is there an activity that we left out that has work well for you?

Should toddler activities be more sensory-based or active based?

Let us know and comment below!

36 Fun And Interesting Learning Activities For 3-Year-Olds

Multiple outdoor and indoor activities from all genres for your adorable toddler.

Research-backed

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Image: Shutterstock

Three-year-olds are very active and keep parents and other family members on their toes all the time. Interesting activities for three-year-olds can help parents channelize their energy in the right direction. While their concentration span increases with age, they may be more restless to satiate their curiosity to explore new things. No number of toys or games can hold a three-year-old’s interest for very long. So to keep them engaged in a particular activity for more than just a few minutes, it is inevitable for parents and caregivers to come up with meaningful activities that would cater to their preferences and interests. Read this post where we bring some amusing and educational indoor as well as outdoor activities that keep your three-year-old engaged.

35+ Activities For Three-Year-Olds

Arts And Crafts To Improve Creativity

Art and craft activities are said to improve children’s cognitive abilities as they enable them to use multiple areas of the brain. Using both their hands and fingers also encourages the development of muscles in those areas and could improve their fine motor skills.

Here are a few art and craft activities for three-year-old kids.

Related: 10 Interesting French Crafts And Activities For Kids

1. Fabric painting

For a three-year-old child, fabric painting could be something basic to teach them a few painting techniques, shapes, and colors.

You will need

Old fabric or T-shirts, fabric colors, stencils or chart papers, small sponges

How to do

Get ready-made stencils or take a thick chart paper and make some shapes like stars, hearts, drops, etc., in it to make your stencil.
Tape the stencil on the fabric and ask your kids to fill it with color using the sponge.
Once they are done, remove the tape and stencil to find surprisingly perfect shapes.
Repeat the process in different parts of the fabric to get a beautifully painted fabric.

Image: iStock

2. Drawing or Painting

You cannot ask a three-year to draw a masterpiece. Instead, you can help them paint or draw something with easily available tools.

You will need

A paper or a drawing book, water colors or acrylic paints or crayons, pencil, fork, brushes, or sponges.

How to do

Get them an appealing coloring book and ask them to fill the images in it with colors as in the reference image.
You can also draw some simple geometric figures like squares, circles, or triangles and ask them to color them.

Image: iStock

3. Pot Painting

Get a plain terracotta or a clay pot from your garden and let your kids add color to it. Be open-ended so that your kids use their creativity to make it beautiful in their way, even if it is not perfect.

You will need

A small empty clay pot, bright colored acrylic paints, a wax paper, and a newspaper.

How to do

Spread the newspaper on the floor, followed by the wax paper. Keep the clay pot upside down on the wax paper.
Squeeze acrylic paints around the pot’s edge so that it drips down and colors the sides of the pot. Take one color at a time and do it one after the other.
Don’t let the paints dry in between. Once the pot is completely covered, let it dry for at least a day.
You can also keep the canvas clear with a base coat of white or black and ask your kids to paint whatever they wish.

Image: iStock

4. Stamp Painting

This is one of the easiest ways to make your kid paint different patterns without much effort. You can use a variety of objects to create beautiful patterns with this art form.

You will need

Potatoes, lady’s finger, onion, natural flowers, leaves, cookie-cutter, knife, paints, drawing paper, and brushes.

How to do

This depends on the kind of object you choose. Let’s take a big potato, cut it into half, and with the help of a cookie cutter or a knife, make some shapes out of it. Remove the excess portion, and your stamp is ready.
Hand it over to your little one along with some paints.
Simply dip the stamp or paint the stamp with color and press it over a drawing paper or a fabric.
Once they stamp at different places, you can simply join them with branches, add leaves and pot to make a flower pot or bouquet.

You can also use other objects like onions, ladyfingers, flowers, and leaves to make natural patterns.

Image: iStock

Related: 20 Unique And Fun Painting Ideas For Kids To Try

5. Cup Painting

You can paint the cups and also make different creatures using painted paper cups and everyday items.

You will need

White paper cups, paints, brushes or sponges, chart papers.

How to do

Give a base coat to the cups with the color of the creature. Let’s say you’re making a chicken. Paint the cup yellow.
Draw its eyes with black and white, and nose red.
Cut the red chart paper to make its crown and feet and paste them on the top and bottom of the cup, respectively.

Similarly, your kids can create different characters like Peppa pig, angry bird, frog, etc.

6. Paper Plate Crafts

Just like paper cup crafts, the paper plate painting is quite interesting to do. You can make paper plate fans, paper plate turtles, and paper plate sunshine.

You will need

Disposable paper plates, paints, brushes, color charts, ice cream sticks, etc.

How to do

Take a paper plate, flip it towards its bottom, and color it with your favorite color or multiple colors.
Take the colored paper and cut it into six shapes: four feet, one head, and a tail.
On the head, draw the turtle’s eyes, nose, and mouth.
Stick all six shapes to the turtle, and that’s it, your paper plate turtle is ready.

You can also make a ladybug in the same way.

Image: iStock

7. Bird Feeders

A nature craft idea for three-year-olds is bird feeders of different varieties, shapes, and sizes. A well-made one is sure to attract birds to your garden.

You will need

Empty tissue paper rolls, birdseed, twine thread, vegetable shortening, popsicle sticks, and a plate.

How to do

Using the popsicle stick, ask your kid to spread the vegetable shortening on the empty tissue roll. This makes the paper roll water-resistant and helps it to hold the feed in place.
Take the bird feed on a plate and roll the tissue roll over the feed. Make sure the feed gets stuck to the roll completely.
Pass the twine through the tissue roll and tie it at one end, and your handmade bird feeder is ready.
Hang the feeder to any tree in your garden.

You can also use pine cones or cardboard to make different feeders.

Image: iStock

Sensory Developmental Activities

Sensory activities for kids stimulate their senses like touch, smell, taste, sight, hearing, balance, and movement. The benefits of sensory activities could include language development, development of fine motor skills, and problem-solving. Listed below are a variety of sensory development activities that would stimulate your child’s senses differently.

8. Playdough Crafts

Playdough is a popular activity that encourages creativity in children. But if your three-year-old has the habit of putting everything in the mouth, you need to exercise some caution. In such cases, you can opt for homemade edible playdough.

You will need

Colorful play dough, cookie cutters, play scissors, popsicle sticks, etc.

How to do

Ask your kids to use the play dough to make a simple ball, roll into a snake shape, flatten it with hands or a rolling pin.

Once they master doing these simple things, they know how to use their hands to shape the dough. Then you can ask them to make shapes using a cookie cutter or play scissors and slowly progress into making some small animals and objects.

Image: iStock

9. Pasta Bin Activity

This activity can develop the senses of touch and sound in your preschoolers. With a few items available at home, you can try this activity.

You will need

Pasta noodles, a big basket, bottles with caps, measuring jars or cups, a blanket.

How to do

Take a big basket and fill it with pasta or macaroni.
Give the empty bottles to your kids.
Ask them to fill the bottles with pasta using the measuring jars.
Once they fill all the bottles, they need to empty them and refill them.

For the sense of sound, ask them to fill each bottle to the half, secure the lid and shake it. Ask them to observe how each bottle is sounding differently, quieter, or louder. Change the quantity of pasta and ask them to check the sound again. Albeit a bit noisy, this activity can be fun.

Image: iStock

10. Frozen Treasure

This sensory activity for three-year-olds requires pre-planning and execution by the parent. It is quite apt during the summer to beat the heat.

You will need

Fresh fruits or small toy figures, freezer-safe containers, a kid-friendly tool kit with a hammer, screwdriver, and pliers, and a big tub.

How to do

A day before the activity, fill the freezer-safe containers with small fruits like berries, grapes, and cherries, add water, and freeze them. Fill four to five containers with different colored fruits and freeze them overnight.
On the day of the activity, remove all the ice blocks from the containers and put them in a big tub.
Hand over the tool kit to your toddlers and ask them to dig and find what’s hidden.

Image: iStock

11. Animal Sound Game

This activity of guessing the sound helps your child develop the hearing ability and also the ability to memorize things. It’s simple and does not require any crafting supplies.

You will need

A phone or a laptop.

How to do

Download some animal sounds, vehicle noises, bird chirpings. Play them for your children and ask them to guess the sound.

If they’re not familiar at first, tell them what the sound is. When they can imitate the sounds and recognize them, you can play the guessing game.

12. Smell It and Tell It

This is similar to the Guess the Sound game; only here, kids have to smell different objects and identify them. They could be edible or non-edible items but must have a unique that makes it easier for them to guess.

You will need

Fresh fruits, flowers, soaps, perfumes, a cloth to blind old, etc.

How to do

Blindfold your children with a soft cloth and keep various objects before them.
Ask them to pick one at a time, smell it, and guess what it is.
Score them for every correct guess and keep aside the incorrectly guessed objects.
Once they remove the blindfold, show them what they missed.

13. Treasure Hunt in a Sandbox

Kids love playing in the sand. So why not create a sensory game out of it?

You will need

A sensory bin or a big container, sand, coins, jewelry, etc.

How to do

Hide the coins, jewelry, and other toys in the sand. Ask your little one to explore and find all the hidden treasure. To make it more exciting, ask them to find it within a time frame.

Image: iStock

14. Pasta Sorting

This is both a sensory and learning activity. If your kids are aware of colors, this activity helps improve their knowledge of different shades of colors.

You will need

Pasta, food color, color bowls, a big container.

How to do

A day before the activity, take four portions of pasta, add different food colors to it and dry it.

On the day of the activity, mix the pasta in a big bowl, and keep the colored bowls beside it. Ask your kids to sort the pasta based on color.

15. Transferring or Shifting Activity

Shifting objects from one container to another, or from one place to another, might be easy for adults. But for toddlers, it’s a challenging activity.

You will need

Two containers, small objects like toys, cushions, etc.

How to do

Keep two containers at different places and fill one with toys. Ask your child to transfer them from one container to the other.

Learning Activities

There is some learning in activities designed for children. However, certain activities are specifically targeted at teaching specific things like colors, letters, numbers, or names. Listed below are such learning activities that keep your three-year-old engaged and entertained.

16. Color and Shape Sorters

This is a fun activity to teach colors and shapes. Your toddlers would enjoy and also learn something new.

You will need

Objects in primary and secondary colors, readily available shape sorter set.

How to do

Place primary and secondary colored objects differently and teach your kids. Once they understand the differences, mix everything, and ask them to sort.

For teaching shapes, you can buy any shape sorter game readily available. Once they learn the shapes, you can take it to the next level by asking them to sort them.

Image: iStock

Related: 35 Fun And Interesting Activities For Kids

17.

Learn Letters and Numbers

Teaching your preschooler letters and numbers at home is a good way to engage them.

You will need

Butter beans, marker, white chart.

How to do

Mark the butter beans with letters and numbers. On the chart, draw vertical and horizontal lines to form a checkered design. Write the letters and numbers randomly in the blocks. Place the beans in a basket with the letters and numbers facing upward.

Now ask your kid to match the letters and numbers on the beans to that on the chart.

Image: iStock

18. Play with Puzzles

Puzzles are readily available and solving them can improve your child’s motor skills and cognitive and reasoning skills. In older kids, it can also help improve their concentration ability.

You will need

A readability available puzzle set.

How to do

Start with a small puzzle that has fewer pieces. Once your toddler masters it, slowly increase the difficulty level. Changing the puzzles often makes them think differently and aids in improving problem-solving skills.

Image: iStock

19. Cook Together

Cooking does not necessarily involve using the stove or fire. Teach your kids something that doesn’t involve serious cooking and let them discover the joy of real cooking.

You will need

Utensils, cutlery, and cooking items.

How to do

Pick a dish and get the required items. Some ideas include sandwiches, baking cookies or cakes, and making a salad.

Give them a small task like mixing the dough – show them how to first and let them try it independently. You can also do it together. One added benefit of this cooking class is getting the kids to make something healthy and eat the food they prepared.

Image: iStock

Outdoor Activities

Playing outdoors is what makes the activity even more interesting and exciting for the kids. However, make sure you’re taking necessary safety precautions before planning any outdoor activities for your three-year-olds. Here are a few ideas for outdoor games and activities for three-year-olds.

20. Gardening

Gardening is a simple and interesting outdoor activity for a three-year-old. Teach them some basic gardening tasks like watering plants, pruning, planting, harvesting, etc.

You will need

A small watering can or a small bucket and a mug, kid-friendly scissors, etc.

How to do

Take your kids around your garden and tell them a little about the plants you have in there. If they’re already familiar with the plants, go straight to the activity by handing them the water can.

Show them how to do so that they won’t over water it. If the water can is empty, ask them to refill it and repeat watering to the rest of the plants.

You can also teach them pruning if they understand what it is. Ask them to use their play scissors to do it along with you.

Image: iStock

21. Backyard Obstacle Course

If you have three-year-old boys who are always on the go, this backyard obstacle set-up would excite them. As it involves physical activity, it helps develop muscles, improves endurance, and aids in developing gross motor skills.

You will need

Anything available from your kids’ toys like boxes, flags, frisbees, hula hoops, balls, cones, etc.

How to do

Design your obstacle course using the items you have. Ensure the path gets the kids to jump, crawl, run, walk, balance, skip, and slide.

Image: iStock

22. Building Sandcastles

You can plan this in your backyard or on a nearby beach. Just take the kids to sand, and they will know what to do. If they don’t, you can always show them.

You will need

Sandcastle set.

How to do

If you’re planning the activity in your backyard, gather some sand at one place, give the sandcastle kit to your kids, show them some sample pictures, and leave the rest to their imagination.

Image: iStock

Indoor Physical Activities

We cannot always plan physical activities outdoors. You must have some indoor physical activity that allows your kids to move around. Listed below are a few ideas that you can try.

23. Walk Like an Animal

You don’t need any items for this activity. Just show it to them and ask your kids to imitate you.

How to do

If your three-year-olds are familiar with animal sounds and behaviors, this would be an easy and interesting activity for them. Just say the name of an animal and ask your kids to imitate. If they don’t know, you can show them how and they can imitate you.

24. Scavenger Hunt

The regular scavenger hunt is a clue-based activity. But for the tiny tots, we modify the game a little to make it simple yet fun.

You will need

White papers, pens, baskets, etc.

How to do

Before starting the activity, prepare a list of items that your kids are familiar with in the house.

Once the kids are ready, read out one item from the list and get them to bring it and place it in a box. Once they find one, call out the next item, and the next until they find all the treasure.

Related: 20 Indoor And Outdoor Scavenger Hunt Ideas For Kids

25. Dance Party

If you’re running short of time and ideas, one instant thing you can plan is a dance party.

You will need

Music system, some snacks, drinks, flashy lights, etc.

How to do

Set up the dance floor with lights, music, snacks, and drinks, and let the party begin. Get them to move as they want to the music or teach them easy dance steps to try with you.

Image: iStock

26. Indoor Obstacle Course

You can also plan an obstacle course indoors with some household items and some toys from your kid’s collection.

You will need

Chairs, tables, hula hoop, balance board, basket, skipping rope, play mat, and cushions.

How to do

Just design a simple obstacle course with 5-6 activities. You can incorporate some of these ideas in the activity – crawling under the chairs, passing through the tunnel made using a playmat, skipping, balancing, throwing a ball into the target, somersault, etc.

You can place cushions on the floor to prevent injuries if the child misses a step and falls.

Image: iStock

27. Yoga Practice

Teaching good habits in childhood helps the kids become better adults. Yoga is one such activity that promotes overall well-being for all age groups.

You will need

A yoga mat, some reference yoga videos.

How to do

If you’re not aware of safe yoga for kids, search some asanas that can be done by the kids. Play them on the TV and ask your kids to follow them.

Try to do along with them so that they find the activity interesting. You can make it part of their daily routine so that they become habituated to it.

Montessori Activities

Montessori activities are designed to encourage children to learn through play. These activities are designed to promote independent thinking, fine motor skills, critical analysis right from childhood. As they’re tailored around a child’s areas of interest, they help the kids to learn quickly and easily. Listed below are some fun activities inspired by Montessori techniques.

28. Toy Cleaning

Simple but an interesting activity for kids as it involves water. It also teaches them some day to day activities that we do at home.

You will need

All the washable toys of your kids (preferably plastic and silicone toys), two water tubs, dish soap, a towel.

How to do

Ask your toddlers to collect toys from all the rooms, sort them, and separate all the washable toys.
Fill both the containers with water, maybe two-inches deep.
Add dish wash soap to one container and make some water bubbles.
Ask your kids to wash each toy at a time in the soap-filled container and then rinse it in plain water.
Then keep them on a towel spread on the floor. Once all the toys are washed, they can wipe them with the towel.

29. Float and Sink Experiment

Let’s add some science to the fun. Teach the kids about sinking and floating with this simple water experiment.

You will need

A water tub, some natural items like leaves, twigs, flowers, stones, shells, etc., some water toys.

How to do

Before starting the water play, get some items like leaves, flowers, stones, sticks, shells, buds, etc., from your garden.
Place them next to the water tub along with the water toys.
Now ask your kid to sit there and drop each item at a time. Tell him to observe which item is floating and which is sinking.
Explain to them why some objects are floating and some and sinking.
Now remove everything from the water, ask questions, and then check their answers by dropping the objects.

30.

Fruit Cutting

Fruits and vegetable cutting is one of the Montessori food prep activities. This enables them to use both their hands and also teaches them some practical life skills.

You will need

An apron, water, kid-friendly peeler, knife, chopping board, etc.

How to do

Ask the toddlers to clean all the veggies with water first. Each fruit needs to be cut in a certain way. Show them how to do it and ask them to do it as is.

For their safety, choose soft veggies and fruits and a blunt or kid-friendly knife that they can use for cutting.

Image: iStock

31. Hammering

Your three-year-old might be more interested in real tools than his regular toys. Well, why not let them explore the same with a kid-friendly tool set and activity.

You will need

You can purchase a readily available Nail game set that comes with all the necessary tools, including a corkboard, a wooden hammer, tack nails, some color cards, etc.

How to do

You can simply ask your kids to hammer the nails into the board by placing a plain paper in between. Once they master it, you can ask them to form shapes using some colored cards, pictures cut into pieces, etc.

A variety of activities can be created using the hammering tool kit.

Image: iStock

32. Writing on a Chalkboard

Every preschooler needs to get a good grip on pencils, chalks, or markers to develop writing skills. To avoid wasting paper, you can set up a chalkboard and offer them a clean canvas.

You will need

A blackboard, chalk pieces, board eraser, etc.

How to do

Set up the blackboard in your kid’s playing corner and give them chalk to scribble on it however they wish. If they are not comfortable standing and writing, you can place the board on the floor for a few days and let them practice.

Image: iStock

33. Moving Puzzle Game

This activity gives a new twist to puzzles, making it even more helpful for further skill development.

You will need

Any puzzle game (preferably the one your kid is familiar with)

How to do

Unlike in a regular puzzle game, keep the pieces of the puzzle in a different room. Ask your kid to solve the puzzle in the play area by bringing one puzzle piece at a time. This not only keeps them moving but also encourages them to remember which puzzle piece is required.

Image: iStock

34. Window Cleaning

Another popular Montessori activity is window cleaning. While spraying water on the windows is a thrilling sensory activity for kids, cleaning the windows improves their gross motor skills.

You will need

An empty spray bottle, white vinegar, water, a piece of cloth, or a sponge.

How to do

Just mix vinegar and water in the required proportion and fill the mixture in the spray bottle. Hand over the bottle and the cleaning material to the child, show them how to do it, and let them imitate you.

Image: iStock

Related: 12 Best Clean Up Songs For Kids, With Lyrics

35. Touch and Tell

This is a sensory Montessori activity that encourages your kids to use their sense of touch to guess the things.

You will need

Small toys that your kids are familiar with, a big bag with a drawstring or a zip closure.

How to do

Gather all the small toys your kids usually play with and keep them in the bag. Blindfold your kids and ask them to pick one toy from the bag and name it just by touching it.

36. Match the Socks

Matching colorful things is one of the best Montessori activities to improve visual coordination in your kids.

You will need

Multiple pairs of socks.

How to do

Mix all the socks pairs and ask your kid to pick each one and find its pair.

Introducing toddlers to learning activities for 3-year-olds will help keep them engrossed and entertained and enhance their creativity, focus, and cognitive abilities. Ensure you pick the right activity for your toddler as per their interest and abilities. Sensory developmental activities such as playdough crafts, frozen treasure, and smell it and tell it will help improve their motor skills. You may also try the various learning activities and outdoor and indoor activities mentioned above to aid your child’s physical and psychological development.

Key Pointers

Art and craft activities can improve creativity and cognition in three-year-olds.
Sensory activities, such as playdough crafts benefit a child’s brain growth.
Games such as color and shape sorters can help three-year-olds learn new colors and shapes.

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Nisha Bharatan is a freelance writer with experience in writing health and finance content for various Indian and international clients. After completing her engineering from Savitribai Phule Pune University, she did content marketing courses to complement her interest in writing. Nisha writes articles centered around kids’ development, their activities, crafts, games, and fun elements that keep children and families entertained....
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Dr. Maymunah Yusuf Kadiri, popularly referred to as ‘The Celebrity Shrink,’ is an award-winning neuro-psychiatrist and mental health advocate with over 15 years experience. She is the medical director and psychiatrist-in-chief at Pinnacle Medical Services. She has created the innovative mental health app in Africa, HOW BODI. Dr. Kadiri is a Goldman Sachs Scholar on Entrepreneurial Management of Pan Atlantic...
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Development program for children from 3 years old

Individual or group lessons in mini-groups of 4 - 7 people.

Individual approach to each child.

Group 3-4 years.

Mathematics, speech development, the world around, the development of fine and gross motor skills, creative part, exciting warm-ups, work with handouts

For more information call: +7 (917) 841-79-91

/ Developmental classes - Mom + Baby / Developing classes - Child development group from 3 years old / Developing classes - Child development group from 5 years old / Developing classes - Development group for children from 6 years old / Developing classes in fine motor skills of hands /

Our Studio will give recommendations and develop your child in accordance with age norms.

A child between the ages of 3 and 4 should be able to:

1. Count to three and show the appropriate number of fingers on the hand.

2. Be able to master concepts:

one - many,
large - small,
high - low, etc. (antonyms)

3. Know the primary colors (red, yellow, green, blue, white, black).

4. Know the basic geometric shapes (circle, square, triangle).

5. Be able to compare objects by size, color, shape.

Be able to compare the number of items.

6. Be able to match a pair to an object with a given feature.

7. Be able to put together a cut picture from 2-4 parts.

8. Be able to find and explain inconsistencies in the drawings

9. Be able to find an extra object and explain why he made such a choice.

10. Be able to find similarities and differences between objects.

11. Be able to memorize 2-3 pictures.

12. Be able to memorize 3-4 words that an adult repeated several times.

13. Be able to memorize and repeat the movements shown by an adult 1-2 times,

14. Be able to remember any detail or feature of an object.

15. Be able to complete the task within 5 minutes without being distracted.

16. Must find paired items. Be able to choose the right one from a group of objects. be able to pay attention to the properties and features of objects, to find similarities and differences between objects.

17. Know the names and be able to show domestic (cow, goat, horse, cat, dog, etc.) and wild (wolf, hare, fox, etc.) animals.

18. Know the names:

3-4 birds (sparrow, swallow, crow),
3-4 fish (whale, catfish, shark),
3-4 insects (grasshopper, butterfly, bee).

19. Know the names of the main plants:

3-4 trees (birch, oak, apple tree).
3-4 flowers (chamomile, tulip, rose).

20. Know what vegetables, fruits, berries, mushrooms are.

21. Must have an idea about the materials from which the surrounding objects are made.

22. Know the parts of the day - morning, afternoon, evening, night.

23. Must be able to name natural phenomena - rain, snow, wind.

24. Be able to cut paper with scissors (perform a simple application).

25. Be able to use pencils, markers, pens, etc. Be able to draw circles, dots, lines.

26. Be able to trace and color pictures.

27. Be able to name one attribute of each object.

28. Know the names of the main actions of people and animals (lie down, sit, run, etc.)

29. Be able to repeat rhymes and songs after an adult.

30. Know your first and last name.

31. Be able to control the power of the voice, speak loudly - quietly.

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Educational activities for children aged 2-3

At the age of two or three years, a child actively explores the world around him, learns to talk and communicate with adults and peers. During this period, his personality begins to form. Therefore, parents need to pay special attention to the development of speech, thinking, social skills.

Contents of the article:

Classes for the development of logical and mathematical thinking
Lessons for the development of speech
Gross and fine motor activities
Classes on the study of the properties of objects
Getting to know the outside world
Output

Classes for the development of logical and mathematical thinking

The thinking of two and three year olds is clearly effective. The ability to think logically implies the ability to analyze, compare and generalize. You can develop logic and teach your little one basic math skills with the help of the following exercises.

✅Comparison

Take a handful of buttons or other small items and divide them into two unequal piles. The child must determine which pile has a lot of buttons, and which has few. If he does not see the difference between the concepts of "a lot and a little", explain to him what it is.

The second variation of this exercise is the value comparison. Take several objects or toys of different sizes. Ask the baby to show where the small objects are and where the large ones are.

✅Score

Children at the age of two or three are not yet familiar with numbers. It is better to master the counting skill on surrounding objects or on the fingers. Teach your child to show his age on his fingers, tell him how old he will be in a year, two, three.

It is convenient to use counting sticks or any other items for counting. Climbing the stairs with your child, count the steps, passing houses - windows, walking along the alley - trees or lampposts.

✅ Hidden Object

Hide the toy in the room and ask your baby to find it. Help him by suggesting places to search - under the sofa, behind the armchair, in the closet, etc. Then you can switch roles - the child hides the toy, and you are looking for it.

Speech development classes

Between the ages of two and three, children experience a significant leap in their speech development. Their vocabulary is replenished very quickly. Having become acquainted with a new word, children bring it into their vocabulary and begin to actively use it. Simple exercises will help develop speech skills.

✅Reading

The best way to develop speech is reading. Buy picture books for 2-3 year olds. Choose poems, fairy tales, nursery rhymes. It is useful for a child to listen to both prose and poetry.

When reading a fairy tale, ask your child questions about the plot. If he finds it difficult to answer, help him. Explain the meaning of each unknown word. Look at the illustrations in the book and discuss with your child.

✅Singing

This fun activity encourages speech development and voice training. Sing with your baby children's songs with and without musical accompaniment. Children quickly memorize rhyming lines and a motive, and sing along with adults with pleasure.

✅Composing proposals

Think of the beginning of a sentence and ask your child to continue it. For example, "Mom bought today in the store ..." or "Black runs down the street ...".

✅ Discuss the events of the day

Discuss the events with your child every day. For example, “You and I went to the park today and fed the ducks in the pond. And in the evening, my grandmother came to visit and brought a delicious pie, ”etc. If the baby goes to kindergarten, ask him to tell you how the day went, what he did, what interesting things happened.

✅Describing objects

Take an object and ask the child to describe it, asking leading questions (What color is it? Is it big or small? What does it look like? What is it for? etc.).

At the age of 2–3, children still do not pronounce words well, many of them abbreviate and distort. Be sure to correct your child when they speak incorrectly. Of course, he still does not know how to pronounce all the sounds, so a clear pronunciation will not work. But still, try to teach the baby to speak as correctly as possible.

Classes for the development of attention

At such an early age, attention is involuntary. This means that the child does not yet know how to concentrate it by willpower. His attention is attracted by what is of interest (a bright toy, the sound of music, people around him). Attention, like other mental processes, can and should be developed.

✅Search for an object

Take a picture with a story and ask the child to find a certain object or character in it. The same exercise can be performed outdoors. Ask the baby to show a flower, a red car, a cat, a girl in a green jacket, etc.

✅Similar Detection

Take an object, such as a book, and ask your baby to look around the room for things similar in shape to her. It can be a phone, a tablet, a picture on the wall. You can search for objects that are similar not in shape, but in color, size and other features.

✅Finding the Missing Item

Take some toys, arrange them on the table and ask your child to look at them carefully and memorize them. Then he should turn away or leave the room, and at this time you remove one toy. The task of the child is to determine which toy has disappeared.

Lessons for the development of gross and fine motor skills

Finger motor skills are directly related to cognitive processes - speech, memory, thinking. Therefore, it needs to be developed. There are many exercises for this.

✅ Games with small objects

Invite your child to sort the buttons by size, string large beads on a string, roll the balls in his hands. Be careful not to put a small object in your mouth, nose, or ear.

✅Construction set and mosaic

Buy your child a construction kit or a mosaic for toddlers and build with him. This exciting activity strengthens the small muscles of the hand, makes the fingers more dexterous, trains attention and imagination.

✅Sculpting

Sculpt with your child various figures from clay, plasticine or salt dough. To make the lesson more interesting and exciting, read a fairy tale or watch a cartoon, and then try to make a character you like.

✅Finger games

Not only babies love to play finger games. Toddlers aged two or three love them too. Teach the baby to fold fingers into different shapes:

fold your thumb and forefinger into a ring and bring it to your eyes - you get glasses, and if you use all your fingers - binoculars;
clench the hand into a fist and stick out the index finger and little finger - these are the horns of a goat;
"Step" with your index and middle fingers on the table, representing the legs.

Invite your child to show their imagination by inventing and putting together unusual shapes from their fingers.

Gross motor skills are developed by ball games, cycling, jumping, wall bars and any physical activity. Teach your child to fasten and unfasten buttons, Velcro, hooks on clothes, put on and take off things on their own.

Classes for the development of intellectual abilities

Reading, music, creative work, solving logical and mathematical problems contribute to the development of the baby's intellect.

✅Drawing

Invite your child to draw a house, himself, mother. Set a theme for the picture, tell the child what details can be added to it. For example, a house can be surrounded by trees, the sun and clouds can be depicted in the sky.

✅ Role-playing games

Make up a story, choose the right toys and play it out with your baby. For example, a doll is sick: you need to put her to bed, take her temperature, give her medicine in a spoon.

✅Music

Listening to classical music has a positive effect on the mental development of children, and also brings up a sense of beauty in them. It is useful not only to listen to music, but also to dance to it. This has a positive effect on both mental and physical development.

✅Puzzles

Collecting puzzles trains attention, thinking, memory. Buy your child large puzzles with a small amount of detail and a clear image. First collect them together with the baby, and then invite him to do it on his own.

✅Sorting items

Shuffle the cards with different items and ask the child to sort them into categories, eg vegetables, fruits, clothes, furniture.

✅Riddles

Riddles are good for training the intellect. The main thing is to select tasks that are age-appropriate and understandable to the child.

✅Sunny bunny

On a clear day you can play with sun bunnies. Take a mirror and start letting bunnies on the ceiling, floor, walls. Then give the mirror to the child and let him try it himself. Coordinate his movements, suggesting how to catch a ray of the sun and direct it in the right direction.

Classes to study the properties of objects

Learning the properties of various objects develops the thinking of the baby, helping him to understand how and for what this or that thing can be used.

Teach your child to compare objects according to the following criteria:

size - big, small, tall, low, long, short;
state - hard, soft, liquid, warm, cold;
shape - round, square, rectangular, etc. ;
flowers.

Anything can be used as a "learning tool".

Pour cold water into one glass and warm tea into another, and ask your child how they differ (color, temperature, taste).
Sew some fabric bags (you can use old socks) and fill them with sand, beans, small stones, balls, etc. Let the child try to feel what is in each bag.
Buy a sorter - a special container with slots in the form of different geometric shapes and a set of matching inserts. The task of the child is to choose the right figure for each hole.
Invite the baby to feel different materials - leather, fur, silicone, wood. Let him tell you how they differ (fluffy fur, smooth skin, etc.).

Getting to know the outside world

The scope for exploring the outside world is very wide:

Animals. Tell your child which animals are domestic and which are wild, in what conditions they live, what their cubs are called. If you have the opportunity to visit the zoo, be sure to do it.
Plants. On a walk, pay your baby's attention to the trees, flowers, shrubs growing around. Tell us what they are called, which ones are fruit. Collect the leaves and look at them with your baby.
Natural phenomena. Tell your child about different natural phenomena, the change of seasons and the weather. By the age of three, the baby should already know the name of the seasons and their main features.
Materials. Tell your child about the materials from which various things are made (wood, metals, fabrics, paper, plastic).

At the age of two or three years, learning takes place in the form of a game. The main thing is to interest the child, and then he will be happy to study. Try to spend as much time as possible with the baby, do not dismiss his questions, but always answer them.

Invite the baby to help with the housework, give him small tasks (bring bread to the table, pour food for the cat, put away toys).