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Engaging Yet Fun Activities for 3-Year-Olds

Deepa Kartha
Having different activities for 3 year old toddlers not only aids in keeping them engaged, but also helps teaching them certain important skills. Here are some such activities that your preschooler will surely enjoy.
Parents of 3-year-olds know the struggle of keeping them still. Active and curious, they love exploring, which can be challenging and even risky for parents.
However, as this is a stage where they are learning new things everyday, it is important that parents do not stop them. Rather, look out for activities where toddlers can have fun and learn new things at the same time. These activities will help in teaching them various skills, like reading, painting, counting, etc., and also to develop their motor skills.
Interesting Activities for 3 Year Old Kids
Coloring and painting are endlessly fascinating for kids. Give them paper and colors, and watch them create amazing shapes and pictures.
Painting and Coloring
Some parents have the habit of asking the kids to draw a particular thing. This should be avoided, children should be allowed to explore their creativity. Indulge them in hand or finger painting. Take large sheets of paper and lots of water colors. Ask them to dip their finger or hand in the paint and make whatever shapes they want to make.
You can also do the same thing on t-shirts or cloth, rather than on the paper. This is a good way of teaching them to identify colors. One point of caution is that, this activity can make the place messy, but mess is something that is inevitable when you have children at home.
Three years of age is a good time to introduce alphabets and numbers to toddlers.
Learning Alphabets and Numbers
This can also be one of the fun things to do with toddlers. However, do not force them to learn the alphabets and numbers, rather do it in a playful way. There are several colorful books that have alphabets with pictures of things that start with a particular alphabet. There are also number books with which you can teach your child to count.
To see whether your child is able to recognize the alphabets or numbers, take sheets of paper and write the alphabets or numbers with a marker. Lay them on the floor, and ask you child to jump on a particular letter or number when you call it out.
You can also buy some blocks which have alphabets and numbers on them. With the help of blocks, ask them to spell simple words, like cat, ball, etc., and also their names. It is also a good way to teach them to recognize different colors and shapes. This is said to be one of the best preschool activities.
Many three-year-olds adore listening to and being read stories. Encourage them to read by pointing out alphabets after a story session if they can recognize them.
Reading and Telling Stories
Reading a book regularly by pointing out at the words may also help in understanding and recognizing certain words. Kids aged three years love to come up with stories which are often far fetched.
Encouraging this kind of story telling will help in developing their creative thinking. You can begin a story and ask your child to continue with it. This will be an enjoyable activity not only for your little one, but also for you.
Involving kids in household work is great way to introduce them to daily chores.
Helping in Household Chores
This teaches the importance of helping others and doing their own work. Simple tasks like tidying toys and organizing books instill cleanliness values. Kids enjoy shadowing parents in the kitchen.
Though parents may consider this to be a dangerous activity, introducing cooking at an early age is a really good idea. You can begin with simple activities, like playing with the dough (kids love this), and gradually move into simple recipes for kids, like baking cookies, making mini pizzas, etc.
These were some activity ideas for your toddler. You can even come up with more innovative ideas with your own creativity. Introduce your kids to the world of activities, which will help them to learn skills that they will find useful in the future.