What Are Some Fun Indoor Activities for Children Aged 5 and 3?

Question

Looking for something new!

Answer 1

For a child so young you could first start playing games to grab their attention such as musical chairs. Also tell them to bring some items that yo describe. In this way they'll be able to learn different objects and colours. You can also tell stories and allow him/her to contribute.

Answer 2

Painting, Books, Play shops, Mums and Dads, News,

Answer 3

Sidewalk chalck would be gd on the pavement.then musical chairs is fun.painting and sports,bubbles and simon says is fun!!!

Answer 4

sidewalk chalk or paint (they even have new 3-d stuff), hula hoops, jump ropes, bubbles.

have each lie on the sidewalk and you trace their body outline.  then they get to decorate themselves.

hang a twin sized sheet outside or lay it on the driveway.  allow the kids to paint on it with odd objects (spray bottles filled with watered down paint, feathers, bubble blowers, handprints, etc).

let them do playdough outside.

make smores while they are playing.  take graham crackers and make a sandwich out of them with marshmallows and hershey bar.  wrap it in tin foil and sit it in the sun.  let the kids play and when they are hungry, they will be ready.

make bird feeders outside with a bagle, peanut butter and bird seed.  smear p. butter on the bagle and roll in bird seed.  hang on a tree.

let the kids play in sprinklers.  add to the fun nerf balls, hula hoops.

have fun.

Answer 5

Things I have done...I have a child care in my home with children ages 5,4,3,2.5, 2, and 1 years old.  

Open ended art-

* painting with different utensils...even more fun when they choose and/or make their own utensils.  We painted with dandelions during our flower theme.  They loved it.

* large paper (dollar store-staples, etc) taped to wall- different types of writing utensils.  

* washable markers on windows/sliding glass doors...a damp sponge and it will wipe right off.

* paint to fast classical music one day and slow classical music the next. Compare the art work.

* Collages- it's amazing what they can do with materials when we let them go.  You can very the collages by changing background shape/color and materials.

* Printing with cups- if you mix dishsoap in black paint it makes a bubble when they print it.  I have them print on yellow paper usually.  A nice contrast.   The older ones I allow them to color in the spaces of the circles with crayons. Abstract art at it's best LOL

* Caro syrup is a really neat substance to work on...but it doesn't dry...:-)  But it's the process we want not the product.  Usually I wrap cardboard with aluminum foil.  You can add food coloring.

* Sand art- drizzle glue and sprinkle with sand.

* "Marble painting"- use different types of balls and containers... it's neat to get a big box and add 3 golf balls and let the two children cooperate to move the box and balls around and make marks.  Another variation- painted marbles and the paper inside of an oatmeal container.  They can roll the container back and forth.

Other Activities:

Plastic wading pools get a lot of use.  :-)  I purchased dish tubs from the dollar store and we place sensory material inside and cups, spoons, containers, tweezers, etc. along with it.  For a variation I add the farm set, polar set, jungle set.  It allows a higher level of play.  Sand, water, corn (they have fun taking corn of the "squirrel corn" and then later playing with the corn on it's own), flour, cornmeal, bean mixture, lentils, pom poms...the list is endless.  :-)

I also allow for scissor "work" in the wading pools. Cutting straws are very fun because they will "boing!".  The children love using their cut material for collages...especially the straws (but use a cardboard background and have lots of glue handy!).

Bubblewrap is always exciting.  They can run barefoot on it or jump.  They like to use hammers with it.  We also use lotion and finger paint on it (if you add lots of soap to the fingerpaint it makes bubbles!)  It's a neat way to make prints.  We made "turtles" on year by printing greenish/brown painted bubblewrap on to a paper plate.

Eyedroppers and colored water is always a hit.  I use icecube tray and the primary colors.  They can mix to their heart's content.  Putting coffee filters out for them to drip water onto is a nice extension.  Cone filters make cute butterflies.  I say this because the three year old will turn all the colors brown but when they drip it onto the coffee filter it will show all the colors.

Musical/Rythm instruments...if you don't have any...check the local dollar store or make them!  Rhythms on Parade by Hap Palmer is a great rhythm instrument CD...check your local library.

Oh, well I could go on...:-) Hope one of these can be a "jumping board" for you.

Answer 6

If you want to join in the fun - cover a small table (or use a childs picnic table and put newspaper on the floor beneath it first for;

Playdough,

Fingerpainting or

Castle making - sellotaping cardboard boxes together to make a castle....

If you want them to play together while you do other things whilst still having them in sight pick non-messy things...

A Fantasy Village - small play people and a castle or dolls house and  large lego blocks, toy train sets, cars etc...will keep them quiet for hours, especially if you tell them to make a Fairy Village, Noddy's Village, a Magical Land etc... think of their favourite book or children's show and get them to make it from their toys. This is particularly good if you have a boy that likes cars and trains and a girl who likes fairies and castles since their village can have both. (This works even for a 3 yr old girl and an 8 yr old boy - she once had  an underwater Barbie Mermaid land made from lego walls and shells and he sent his Dr.Who in the Tardis in to it to explore - all they need is a storyline and their imagination does the rest)

Teddy Bears Picnic - Put up a small pop-up childrens tent indoors (or cover some chairs and a table with blankets) and give them some blankets, a childs tea set and cuddly toys.

They can also make invitations for their Teddy Bears to come to the picnic - just give them paper and crayons.

Bathtime fun...

Chocolate Bubble Bath - put on some party music (in another room for safety), bath them together in a bubble bath and give them a plastic plate each with chocolate pieces to eat, then blow bubble solution over them to make it magical - only tell them not to stand up to catch the bubbles (in case they slip).

Ice Queen's frozen people -Place small toys in a plastic cup and putting in the freezer - then give them the frozen block with toys inside when they are in the bath, telling them that a nasty Ice Queen has frozen the toys and the only way to rescue them is to melt the Ice in the bath - this one is a favourite for my kids - age 3 and 8!!!

Don't forget to tell them they get a sticker or a sweet if they tidy up after playing !!!!