What a 3 year old wants...

[.chrys.]

Tomorrow I begin a full-time babysitting job caring for a 1 year old and a 3 year old. I'm not new to babysitting (or parenting), but it's been a long time since I've had a 3 year old girl in my care. (My daughter is 22 and my niece is now 10.)

What are some activities I can do inside the home (and in the backyard) that a 3 year old girl will enjoy, learn and grow from?

I still haven't even met the children yet, so I don't know their interests.

Thanks for any ideas you can share!

 

[akmom]

I have a three-year-old girl. She loves playing barbies and dolls. Little toy people are a hit too. I absolutely love watching her make them hop around, talk in silly voices, and give each other kisses.

Outside she likes to dig holes and fill them with water and leaves and floral odds and ends, stir it with a stick and pretend to make a soup. She likes the swingset if I push her (a toddler swing works best), and enjoys going down the slide by herself.

When I play with her, she likes building with legos and Lincoln logs. She also likes short little stories with pictures if I read them to her. Pop-up books and touch-and-feel books are particularly engaging.

 

[.chrys.]

Thank you! This helps a lot. I hit the library last night and got some books and CDs with children's songs. Unfortunately, we no longer have any Barbies. Maybe I can get to the Goodwill tonight and find some more little girls stuff.

Thank you, akmom!

 

[CRAZY_CAT_WOMAN]

They like painting.

 

[CelticRose]

Painting. Jig~saws ~ the chunky sort. Anything sparkly.

 

[.chrys.]

Thanks, ladies! Gotta get the paints...fingers or brushes?

 

[CRAZY_CAT_WOMAN]

Thanks, ladies! Gotta get the paints...fingers or brushes?

Both.

 

[akmom]

I have a video of my son the first time he painted. I think he was 2. He was so darn excited about it. The whole video is just freaking hilarious. Brings a smile to my face every time I watch it!

 

[.chrys.]

Aw! That's a precious memory to have. My own children grew up in an era of VCR camcorders. That thing was huge. I have a few videos of them, but not a whole lot. I wish we had digital cameras back then!

 

[ex-pat]

Bubbles...monster bubbles, tiny bubbles...all sorts. Finger painting (and finger-painting feet so she can make footprints all over a large roll of paper...this is an outside thing, with a bucket of water to step in to clean feet in between. Making forts out of old sheets. Reading stories. Pretend plays...be careful about Barbies, some very feminist mothers hate 'em, and so do some very Christian mothers. Check out story hour times for toddlers and preschoolers and even for one year olds at the local library. Is there a zoo or a good children's museum nearby for that age? Some towns have them for preschoolers, and some libraries have free passes for them. (Some parents may have memberships already, too, or will buy one for your use with the kids) Apple picking, berry picking, petting zoos, feeding ducks in the park...

 

[.chrys.]

Thank you, ex-pat! Will look into these as well.