rainy day activities for three year old?

Question

my boyfriends little cousin is always alone, doesn't get too much attention, has lack of stimulation at home and is a kid in general need for fun learning and enjoyment. for a while i've been playing fun games with him and doing all i can for him to feel happy as his parents are far away and he lives at his cousins. i'm beginning to think i should make things with him, just to stimulate his thinking, i want to teach him things and have fun with him, as opposed to sitting there watching pingu and playing with his toy train.

so, what is there to do? theres only SO much i can do, as it's not in my house, so big scale things like making the living room into a jungle is out of the question. and i don't think they'd let me take him to the park or anywhere far. i'm looking for creative things ....give me al the ideas you have!!! thank you so so much!

Answer 1

I taught in an art camp with three year old children.

One of their favourite portions of the day was during 'cooking' time - I'd take them into the kitchen, and "we" would all cook together. In reality, I was doing most of the cooking, but to involve them, I would give them the already measured out ingredients and have them dump it into the bowl. Mix, make the mold, and that sort of thing. They thought they were doing a lot more then they were, and you can make it a stimulating activity! For example, saying things like; "We need two eggs! Can anyone pass me /two/ eggs?" make it really great for teaching. They improve hand-eye coordination, following instructions, patience, and a lot of other things. You can get raelly creative, and let him decorate with icings and sprinkles!

Cooking can be really messy, but with order and control - kids aren't slobs. I managed to do it with about eight 3-5 year olds, and the kitchen wasn't totally wrecked by the end of it, so this activty shouldn't be too messy for just one.

Make something simple - cookies or rolls or something. Later, he'll be very excited to eat something that he helped make!

Answer 2

finger painting!! fun no matter what age u r. or just drawing, but tell him ur going on a a trip 2 the jungle, so u need 2 kno wot it looks like 1st. u culd try watching pingu with hi a few times. they often do things on there that dnt involove the TV, or going outside.
u could get him the best book in the WORLD! lol. im 20 and i still love it (sadly enuf) its called 'letterland' when i was little it used to be literally just the book on the alphabet, but now they have short stories that go with each letter and are easy enuf 4 youngsters to read. u culd try making him super brainy n try teaching him a few simple words, or just the alphabet?
try going on the Cbeebies website. they should have indoor activities for little'uns to do. or just get sum kiddy music n get him 2 make a dance routine for it. oh n stickle bricks / mega bricks are so much fun! lol. kinda like lego, but far to big 2 b swollowed

by the way, i think its great that this kid isn't urs, yet u seem to love him so much! nice 2 kno there r ppl out there like u

Answer 3

My 3-year-old son LOVES this activity:
Make a bunch of 3x5 cards (preferably colored, and all the same color) with "clues" on them, that you will hide around the house and they will eventually lead him to a prize (a favorite toy, or a piece of candy, or whatever). You will have to read him the cards as I'm assuming he can't read yet, but that's OK. Let HIM find the cards and if he can't find one give suggestions or another verbal hint. Here's an example:
Card #1: "Go find the case for the video about a monkey" (child goes to the Curious George video case, where the next card is hidden)
Card #2: "These things are red, round, sweet and delicious" (child goes to the bowl of apples on the kitchen table)
Card #3: "This is where you rest your head at night" (child goes to his room and looks on his pillow)
OK, you get the idea. Be creative with the clues, and you can make them easy or more challenging depending on the child. I do this with about 8-10 cards and my son LOVES it. He feels so excited and proud when he finds the next card. Make sure the last card (with the prize) says something like "WELL DONE! You are great at following clues!" or something like that. Good luck!

Answer 4

Aren't you lovely?! How about rolling up the sleeves and doing water playing with bubbles, lots of plastic pots to pour with.
Or a treasure hunt, draw a plan of the downstairs rooms, put big things like the sofa and telly on it, hid something small, maybe a toy, and X marks the spot, so he'll get a little awareness of map reading.
How about rhyming games, think of words that rhyme and make them up as long a chain as you can.
ping, sing, zing, wing, ning, ying, ding, qing...

Answer 5

Reading books is always good, finger-painting if they will allow it. Give him some old magazines, safety scissors, glue and paper and let his imagination go wild. Talk about different seasons and animals. Make "musical instruments" out of empty water bottles and beads.

Hope this helps. I always hate to see a child that doesn't get the attention and stimulation he needs.

Answer 6

As already mentioned, painting or brushes or you can buy easy painters (bottle with sponge head that already has paint in) - finger painting with fingers is always good. cooking, sticking - making pictures from cut outs of magazines or making things from old boxes, cartons. Chalk pictures
Jigsaws, match the pairs (get a few playing cards - say 5 pairs to start - turn them over so they are not showing) and ask your little one to find the pairs.
Good luck

Answer 7

Well you can make craft projects, pretend play pirates or kings and knights, introduce him to games like Candy Land or Chutes and Ladders teach him songs like Bunny Foo Foo or the who stole the cookie from the cookie jar song. There are a million possibilities just use your imagination and have fun!

Answer 8

Make cookies; paint; play dough ( you can make it too); small-scale fort out of couch cushions; make stuff out of Popsicle sticks (houses, etc.) and glue; reading; counting games; he can start to learn Candyland or Chutes and Ladders or Cooties (no reading required games); get an old sheet and make Superman capes; make "stuff" out of pipe cleaners (people, flowers, animals, etc); shaving cream on a table is a great art medium for kids too!

Answer 9

No mess painting. Put finger paint in a freezer zippy bag and close it. Now put it on a flat surface and with you finger sqush it and draw pictures. When happy with the picture put in sunny area let dry and you have your no mess painting

Answer 10

how about painting, colouring or baking? you could also buy some jigsaws suitable for a 3 year old.
well done for being so caring seeing as nobody else is bothered!