Independent activities for 3 year olds


Independent Play Ideas for Preschoolers – Toyventive

Playing on one’s own is absolutely essential, especially for preschoolers. These children are in the most formative years of their life and the way they play helps determine how that development will continue. Today, independent play is a common concept that is discussed among parents. 

Often, independent play can appear counterintuitive. Shouldn’t we spend time with our child? Help them in every capacity? In short, nope. Although kids absolutely need constant support and love from their parents, they also need time to be independent and play as such. 

This independence teaches them a variety of important skills that are ultimately extremely important to their development. Therefore, independent play is something that should be part of a child’s routine day to day in their play schedule. 

Ok, so what is independent play? 

Independent play is something all children need. More specifically, it is when a child plays by themselves without needing another person to prompt them along. Independent play can include a variety of things, such as a child coloring on their own or even a child simply reading independently. This act of playing alone is extremely beneficial to a child in a variety of ways, as will be mentioned below! 

Why is independent play important? 

So, we know what independent play is; however, how could playing independently benefit my child? 

Independent play promotes creativity and imagination. Imagination is critical to a child’s development, especially the younger the child is. Imagination helps children solve problems on their own which ultimately helps kiddos see that there are endless possibilities depending on a given situation. 

This could be a unique way to handle a problem or even a way of better understanding the world around them. In addition, independent play also promotes just that, independence. Kids learn how to play on their own, thus they are able to act without the prompting or help from others.  

Independent play also helps kids self-regulate. This falls right into hand with their newfound independence. Self-regulation is a really essential part to conflict resolution and by being independent, kids are able to learn how to regulate their emotions and actions. By being by oneself, you are able to understand yourself better. This is true for kids as well! As much as  adults value their “me” time, kids’ value and need it as well.  

How do I encourage independent play? 

So now we know that independent play is really important, right? However, how, as a parent, are you able to encourage independent play? 

You can do this through a variety of methods. First off, is helping set up play with your child and eventually removing yourself so your preschooler learns to be independent. This is a great strategy as it helps the child feel supported but also gives them room to act creatively and, eventually, independently.  

Another way in which parents can encourage independent play is through giving children time and space to independently play. Parents often feel a need to overcompensate by spending a plethora of time with their children; however, it is important to keep children on a specific play schedule. This should include an hour or so in their day of independent play. This is not only beneficial to a child’s development, but it is also incredibly beneficial to parents and giving them a few moments to breathe and get work done around the house. 

How do you teach independent play? 

In the same thread in which we encourage independent play, you can teach it. Kids do as they see. If they see their parents being able to do things on their own, it can often encourage your child to do the same. You are able to help your child see that independent play benefits them. 

Furthermore, parents can also teach independent play by giving their child space and room for growth. If a child expresses a desire to do something independently, encourage this. It eventually will help them accept independent play.  

At what age can a child play independently? 

Finally, a child can start playing independently as young as 18 months! At just 18 months a child is perfectly able to sit on a play mat and play independently, especially if you as a parent allow them to. By encouraging this from a young age, it encourages independence from right off the bat. Therefore, by the time your child is a preschooler they will be perfectly comfortable with independent play as well as group play if you provide that as part of your child’s play routine.

 

14 Independent Play Ideas for Preschoolers 

1. ToyVentive Toys 

ToyVentive has the perfect combination of independent play toys. Although they can be used with a parent, they are also perfectly age appropriate where a child could absolutely work independently with these. For example, our wooden activity cube is a great example of a toy children can quite easily play with independently. Therefore, ToyVentive provides a fantastic line of toys that promote independent thinking and play.

Read our Guide to Wooden Activity Center to learn more about how to choose the best cube for your kiddo!

  

2. Coloring 

Coloring is a great independent activity. Give a child some crayons and coloring pages (which you can easily print off from any website or purchase an old-fashioned coloring book!) and your kiddo is set for hours of fun. Coloring is such a great way for children to embrace creativity. A person can be bright blue, and a dog can be hot pink. Coloring allows a child to create their own version of reality and promotes a large amount of creativity and independence.  

3. Puzzles

An age-appropriate puzzle is a great way to help kids learn spatial awareness. Puzzles truly are  a wonderful pastime, and they help a child feel a sense of completion and accomplishment. 

This is really important because kids being independent and logical are great skills to develop during this period of time. ToyVentive has a great example of a young child’s puzzle that provides this opportunity for children to practice these skills.  

4. Pretend Play

We’ve talked about pretend play plenty, but it is a great independent activity for a preschooler. Pretend play can be done in a group or independently. Children and their imaginations truly  benefit from time spent in their own world.  

5. Exploring

Give your child some boundaries, watch from afar, and let them explore their very own  backyard! Exploring is a great way to get your kiddos up and moving even if it is on their own.   

Independent play does not mean a stagnant activity!

6. Cardboard boxes 

A cardboard box can truly turn into anything and if you give your child one, they will likely turn it  into anything. It could be their one-man spaceship or even their castle guarded by an invisible dragon – whatever they dream up. Cardboard boxes are just another great example of an object  that can promote pretend play.  

7. Sorting and matching games

Sorting and matching games, similar to puzzles, provides kids with a great opportunity to use logic and their amazing brains. These matching games can also definitely benefit parents. Maybe their matching game of the day could be the cluttered pile of Tupperware you have in a drawer or making sure all of your spices are color coordinated. These simple chores can be turned into independent play!

8. Word Games

Word games, for some of our older kiddos, is a great way of practicing what they’re learning at home and at school. These could be having kids write out words, participating in a simple crossword, and so much more! 

9. Dress Up 

Dressing up, as a kid, was my absolute favorite pastime! My mom put me in my room, and I went to town in my closet and my bucket filled with costumes. I tried on every combination of outfits and styles I could find. I could have spent hours doing so. Therefore, a box of costumes and your kiddo could allow for hours of fun. It may even inspire some pretend play! 

10. Crafts 

A simple craft is a great thing to hand over to your kiddo for some independent play time. Some simple popsicle sticks, and glue can turn into just about anything. Even some finger paints or  tissue paper can provide an afternoon’s worth of fun. 

11. Music and dancing 

Dance like nobody’s watching! 

Turn up some age-appropriate music and have your child show you their moves! A good dance party can give any child a good time. Music and dancing provide a great physical outfit for kids.   

12. Drawing 

Drawing is a great way of allowing your child to be creative and imaginative all at once. If you are able to give a child a blank piece of paper and some creative materials, I can guarantee you they will come up with something magnificent. Not only that, but you may also have some new décor for at home! 

13. Build a fort 

That feeling of climbing through what appears to be a mountain of blankets and pillows is pretty much the best thing ever as a kid. Therefore, you can spend some time with your preschooler and help them build the fort of their dreams and then let them have at it. As a child, they can spend hours coming up with scenarios and worlds in their little piece of the world.  

14. …bubbles! 

Let’s be honest, a little soap and water is pretty much the greatest thing in the world to a kid. Give a kid some bubbles and they have fun for days! 

All in all, independent play is incredibly important for your preschooler and their development. By providing independent play, children are able to expand their imagination and live far more creatively. In addition, it gives them the ability to be far more independent in not only their play, but also with more activities in their life. Parents are absolutely encouraged to help their little ones be independent and one of the best ways to do this is through independent play. So, the next time your child says “I can play by myself!”, give them a chance to do so! 

17 Independent Play Ideas for Preschoolers

By Alissa Marquess Zorn on October 18, 2013 (updated September 15, 2020)

Independent play is a great way for your little ones to keep themselves occupied at any time of the day. Solitary play is a great way to keep kids occupied, but also to build valuable skills surrounding independence and creativity.

These independent play ideas are great to have ready to go so you can pull one out when you need your preschooler (or older toddler….or kindergartener…) to be happily occupied for 10 minutes or so – maybe longer if you’re lucky! After we run through these ideas, we’ll cover all the ways that this type of play can be beneficial for your young child.

17 Independent Preschooler Activities:

1. Play dough filled balloons– I love the idea of the sensory experience of play dough without the accompanying crumbles of play dough all over.  At The Chaos and the Clutter I found tips for filling balloons with play dough and recommendations for other sensory balloon fillings.

2. Forts and other Cozy Spots – suggest a new space to make a fort and grab a pile of blankets or pillows for construction.  The other day we had a very snug house happening under the dining room table.

3. Write and wipe books– We have this Crayola Dry Erase ABC Activity Book (Amazon affiliate) which is nice because it contains enough pages with space for drawing as well as the letter pages.

4. New magnets for the Magnadoodle (Amazon affiliate) – If you save those thin flat magnets that come stuck on phone books and junk mail you can cut custom shapes from them for your board.   My daughter also enjoys trying to trace items like an upside down cup on her Magnadoodle.

             

5. Rubberbands and a Geoboard(Amazon affiliate) – Preschoolers love the fine motor challenge of creating pictures with rubberbands on these boards and they continue to be entertaining for years.

6. Audio Books– The library is a great source for picture books along with a recording.  Some kids find wearing headphones a novel and fun experience too.

7. Looking through toy catalogs– nope, you’re not saying you’ll buy anything, just giving them a happy time imagining playing with all of the different toys.  I tell my kids, “Circle what you like to put it on your wishlist!”

8. Pipe cleaners and beads – sometimes we add a collander into the mix too.  Adding different sized beads can add another level of

9. Rubber Stamps– I highly recommend Washable Ink (Amazon link)! Stamp ideas:

    • Get out a large sheet of paper and a few stamps and have your preschooler go to town.
    • Draw a shape, number or letter and ask them to fill it with stamps
    • Give them stamps and markers to decorate a cardboard box.
    • Ask them to stamp on a card to send to a loved one far away.

10. Pattern Blocks– Pattern blocksare fun with or without a pattern card. If you have a light table you can get translucent blocks which look great lit up from underneath.

11. Sorting treasures – Gather a collection of small empty boxes and a handful of your unwanted jewelry, glass stones, old keys…you know treasures and let your child look through and sort as they like.

12. Poker Chips– the clay filled chips have a satisfying heft and kids enjoy fitting them into the slot of an empty wipes container or sorting them into piles – similarly, putting coins in a piggy bank can be very engrossing.

13. Matching Nuts and bolts – At the hardware store choose five or six different sized bolts with matching nuts.   Let your child sort which goes with which.

14. Quiet reading- Or perhaps I should say “quiet picture book looking” This may take time to develop as a habit, but it’s one worth working on.  Seek and find books, textured books, and books with lush detailed illustrations are a big hit.

15. File Folder Games– Many of these printables are free and can be done independently by a preschooler.  Find a huge directory of all sorts of file filder games at Ideas for Preschoolersand find puzzles, matching and sorting games at Montessori Printshop.

16. Sensory Bin: We’ve talked about a bunch of sensory play ideas in this article. There are numerous toys to provide all types of sensory experiences. So why not give your kid the choice? Make a play bin and fill it with sensory experiences. Your child can have fun picking their favorite toys, and it can add some variety to your child’s play time as well!

17. Blocks:Why not go with the classics blocks? These are such simple toys for toddlers. They can have fun stacking, building, and playing. They’re big and easy to stack, and your toddler can exercise their imagination.

Want more preschool activity ideas?

  • Here are our favorite preschool games.
  • Our picks for preschool outdoor toys
  • And a bunch of sensory activities that are simple to set up.

Now that we’ve covered our favorite independent activities, let’s check out some reasons why independent play is so great for early childhood development. There are numerous reasons why solo play will benefit kids, and why they might enjoy it so much:

Imagination

The first benefit to independent play is it encourages imagination! Your kids have the freedom to define play time exactly by their own rules! The only limit to what they can do is their imagination, and you’d be surprised what they come up with. Imaginative play is great for developing minds, and showing young kids that all they need to have a fun playtime is a little creativity. These independent play ideas help to spur this creativity.

Fun

Independent play is just plain fun! Sometimes, kids are perfectly content occupying themselves for a while. Just give them the tools to do it, like any of our ideas above. Kids love independent play because they make the rules, which allows them to have fun in exactly the way they want.

Builds Self-Sufficiency

Independent play builds self-sufficiency as well. Whether they realize it or not, kids will begin to understand that they don’t have to rely on anyone to create their fun. They are capable of completing tasks all on their own, and they can do it all while having a great time! Play time is underlooked for all of the benefits it provides to a young child, and this extends to solitary play as well.

Builds PhysicalSkills

Independent play builds valuable physical skills for a child’s development. Playing with precise objects and building things will allow children to develop their fine motor skills and dexterity. They learn how to be precise, and how to build something in accordance with a plan. So while it may just seem like simple play-time, independent play can help significantly with a child’s development.

Remember: Mix It Up

Remember, independent play is great, but it’s just one part of a well-balanced routine for any toddler. Make sure that they engage in social play as well. Independent play is excellent for building independence, but your child needs to learn to play with others so that they can form friendships and learn about cooperation (amongst other skills). Incorporate independent play whenever you can, but be sure to mix it up, and be sure that your child engages in all kinds of play!

Thanks so much for reading our guide to independent play! We know that it’s not always easy to keep a toddler occupied and entertained. But we hope that, by using our list, you can find some go-to activities that your little one will love!

More ideas for Simple play for preschoolers can be found in my collaborative ebook: Three to Five: Playful Preschool

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