Any suggestions for activities for a 3 year old?

Question

I started babysitting my 3 year old nephew and all he ever wants to do is watch spongebob. I tried suggesting coloring, play-doh and he doesn't want to do anything. any suggestions?

Answer 1

play trains
build with blocks
build with Legos
take all the pillows in the house and build a fort inside
lay all the pillows on the floor to make train tracks and pretend you are trains
color
draw
playdough or clay
cook together
fill the kitchen sink with water and let him stand on a chair to "wash" plastic dishes
paint
go outside and play soccer or catch
go for a walk
make a tent out of an old sheet or blanket
read stories
have him tell you a story and you write it down then he can draw the pictures to go with the words
play computer games - websites like Disney, PBS Kids or Starfall or Nick Jr.
work on learning to write his name and the names of his family
go to the library
go to the park
draw with chalk on the porch or sidewalk or driveway
draw with chalk on black construction paper
string beads or Cheerios or Fruit Loops
teach him to turn summersaults
teach him to stand on his head
go for a bike ride
act out stories like Little Red Riding Hood, the 3 Bears, Humpty Dumpty, etc.
play with puppets
make puppets out of old socks (you can glue or sew on googly eyes and yarn and felt and stuff OR you can used colored Sharpies to draw on stuff if you want to make it really simple)
put on music and dance
teach him some fingerplays or rhymes
do puzzles
play board games
teach him to play tic tac toe
teach him to play Go Fish or War with cards

Answer 2

Although kids love cartoons...they only need to watch so much. Maybe you can try bribing him into playing with play-doh by telling him to make you a spongebob with it?! Get him outside and being active if possible. Just tell him he can't watch spongebob all day and that he needs to run some of his energy out....that's why God gave him so much, so that he could play! Three year olds can be sooooo stubborn, I know...just keep offering different suggestions and ask him what he would like (other than spongebob, of course)

Answer 3

First of all, let me applaud you for trying to get your nephew to do something besides watch TV!! When my sister babysits, she would be happy to let me daughters watch anything and everything for as long as it will hold their attention (the longer, the better). I hope your sister / brother appreciates what you're doing for their son!

They sell these little foam stickers at the dollar stores ($1 for a bucket of like, 50 or so stickers). They're basically little 3-dimensional stickers, and you just peel off the back and stick them on a piece on construstion paper. My 3 year old loves them - she'll sit for hours just peeling and sticking. It's definitely worth the dollar investment.

She also likes when I read to her. Maybe he would be intersted in sitting down and either reading to him or letting him "read" to you.

If you're allowed to, bring him outside to play. The kids love outside play, and it will help wear him out, so he'll probably take a nap for you, too. My kids love to just run around after each other, and toss a ball around outside.

Those are the biggest things I can think of right now. Good luck with your nephew.

Answer 4

Turn off the TV, and take him for a walk. Go to a local park. pack a picnic, and eat outside. He's used to being sat in front of a TV, so that's all he wants to do. If it's not even an option, he'll eventually figure out that there are other things he can do.

My 4 year old neice has a bad habit of using a pacifier still. Her rule at Aunt Heather & Uncle Nick's house is that she can't have a pacifier. She used to pitch a fit. Now, she just hands it to me when she walks in the door, and I hand it back when she leaves. She has learned it's not needed or allowed here, so she no longer uses it.

Answer 5

Have you asked his guardian for any suggestions? Also, is he allowed to play outdoors while in your care?

If he's allowed to go outside, simply smile and announce at some point, "We're going to play outside today. Yay!" Once outside, give him a little alone time, but mostly try to engage him with fun games like tag, racing around the yard, see how high you can jump on the ground, who counts the highest, etc. No hide and seek!

If you have to stay indoors, simply announce you will be reading a book together. Leave the t.v. turned off. He'll get interested in it; all kids love being read to. You can have him saying the alphabet (as a game) too.

Try asking the parents for ideas first though. Good luck!

Answer 6

Don't suggest -- you're the grownup in this situation, you TELL him what you are going to be doing! Take him to the park, or the school playground, or even drag him out into the backyard! Bring along a soccer ball, maybe a toy dump truck or bucket & shovel for playing in the sand (if there's a sandbox).

He may gripe at first, but kids that age get into the swing of things pretty easily, especially if they see other kids out there having fun...

Answer 7

Since he loves Sponge Bob so much get some Crayola Mess-Free markers (they only color on the special paper) and get him to draw a pic of him. Turn the TV off. Put on a CD with classical music (better for their brain development). Go to Target and get some musical toys, educational, etc. Tell him that TV is a special treat and if he behaves he can watch a little TV.

Answer 8

A blanket over a card table makes a 'tent'. Have a campout.
Sooner or later he will get hungry. Involve him in making lunch.
A few large cardboard boxes make a tunnel or a fort.
Water coloring is more fun than crayons. (Dad's old shirt makes a good smock).
Sand and water (on the back porch) is more fun than play-doh.

Answer 9

get a big ball to roll...

or

in order to watch sponge bob...we have to make puppets or posters or pictures....

or

teach him how to draw sponge bob on a T-shirt...and make one for him .... crayons on the shirt - iron on with wax paper...

or tie die a white t-shirt

take him for a nature walk and turn him into a forest elf...
2 leaves together make a pointy ear covering...garlands around his head....burlap sack...stick leaves to his shoes...he's an elf!!!

Build a fort with an old blanket for him to hide in before sponge bob...let him take his nap in the fort...

buy him a board game of spongebob to play with...puzzles to put together...

work WITH the TV his parents have him hooked on...

Answer 10

Go to a room without a TV in it. Then introduce the new activities. Or take him outside. All kids luv outside.