reading time – 4 min
Hands-on activities to do with a 3-year-old
At 3, children are gaining independence and their imagination knows no bounds! They love inventing stories, cutting, painting, building or even cooking with grown-ups. It's also an age when fine motor skills develop rapidly, as does their curiosity. If you're looking for easy activities for 3-year-olds, here are 7 ideas for sharing a lovely family moment while stimulating their creativity.
Make an animal mask
3-year-olds love dressing up! Draw or print a lion, rabbit, cat or butterfly mask on a piece of cardboard. Your child can then decorate it with felt-tip pens, paint, stickers, feathers or even a few pieces of coloured paper. Cut out the eyes, add an elastic band and you're done! Once the mask is finished, let the pretend play begin: roar like a lion, leap like a rabbit or invent a story with the whole family.
The colour hunt
Turn your home or garden into an exploration zone! Choose a colour, then ask your child to find several objects of that same colour. You can then make the game harder by mixing several colours or by asking them to find objects according to their shape or size. This fun activity develops observation skills, vocabulary and concentration.
Make homemade shortbread cookies
At 3, children love getting their hands dirty! Prepare a simple shortbread recipe and let your child pour in the ingredients, mix the dough and then use cookie cutters to create stars, hearts or animals. Once the cookies are baked, they can even decorate them with a little icing or some coloured sprinkles. For even more fun, present them in a lovely personalised snack box before heading out for a picnic or sharing them at snack time.
Build an obstacle course
With a few cushions, chairs, tape on the floor or stuffed animals, create a small obstacle course in the living room. Your child will have to crawl under a chair, jump over a cushion, walk along a line or navigate around different objects. You can time the course or invent a pirate or explorer story to make the activity even more fun. It's ideal for developing their balance, coordination and self-confidence.
Create a picture with elements from nature
On a walk, collect a few leaves, dried flowers, small pebbles, twigs or pine cones. Once home, invite your child to create a lovely picture by gluing all these treasures onto a piece of cardboard. They can create a landscape, an animal or simply let their imagination run free. A perfect activity to extend an outdoor outing.
Make a puppet theatre
Using socks, paper bags or simply characters drawn on wooden sticks, create some puppets together. Then set up a small theatre behind a table or a cut-out cardboard box and let your child invent their own stories. This activity stimulates imagination, language and creativity. You can even make several characters to put on a real family show.
Things your little ones say
"We're swimming in the aquatic ocean!"
– Léonard, age 4
"Mummy, you're being a bit exaggerated"
– Hector, age 3
"Cross my heart and hope to die"
– June, age 3
AUTHOR
Hello, moi c’est Capucine ! J’espère que cet article vous a plu. Passionnée par la rédaction et spécialisée dans les contenus autour de la petite enfance, je fais partie de l’équipe éditoriale de Petit Picotin. Au fil du blog, j’explore les questions du quotidien des familles pour vous partager conseils, idées et inspirations, en m’appuyant sur des recherches, des sources spécialisées et l’expertise de notre équipe.
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