Resource ideas for 3yr old boy?

[green4lynn]

Hi all,

I have a 3.5yr old mindee boy who I'm struggling to keep amused. My resources are slightly on the girly side as my own children are girls, and most of my mindees are, or have been, girls. Barbie, Polly Pocket, etc. I also have Duplo, cars/garage, train set, food/kitchen, loads of craft stuff, books, puzzles etc but he is obsessed with technology! Usually his first question on arrival is "Where your phone?". His mum lets him play on her Iphone and there have been many tantrums over her having to take it off him! He would quite happily spend all day with mine, listening to music. He goes to pre-school 2 days and when I asked mum how he was getting on (been going since Jan) she had been told that he hadn't made any friends and didn't play with any of the other children! He can be an odd little boy but is very affectionate. He develops obsessions with things, at the moment it's fire extinguishers! He is also very bright!

I am after suggestions for ways to keep him occupied and stop him getting bored. He likes repetition. Mum struggles too, she says he will ask for an activity, but when she does it he says no! Some mornings she drops him off and says "Good luck!". He's been with me for nearly 3 years so nothing surprises me any more! Any suggestions gratefully received.

X

[sing-low]

Hi all,

I have a 3.5yr old mindee boy who I'm struggling to keep amused. My resources are slightly on the girly side as my own children are girls, and most of my mindees are, or have been, girls. Barbie, Polly Pocket, etc. I also have Duplo, cars/garage, train set, food/kitchen, loads of craft stuff, books, puzzles etc but he is obsessed with technology! Usually his first question on arrival is "Where your phone?". His mum lets him play on her Iphone and there have been many tantrums over her having to take it off him! He would quite happily spend all day with mine, listening to music. He goes to pre-school 2 days and when I asked mum how he was getting on (been going since Jan) she had been told that he hadn't made any friends and didn't play with any of the other children! He can be an odd little boy but is very affectionate. He develops obsessions with things, at the moment it's fire extinguishers! He is also very bright!

I am after suggestions for ways to keep him occupied and stop him getting bored. He likes repetition. Mum struggles too, she says he will ask for an activity, but when she does it he says no! Some mornings she drops him off and says "Good luck!". He's been with me for nearly 3 years so nothing surprises me any more! Any suggestions gratefully received.

X
Playmobile? They have some fire stuff. You could take the tiny pieces out. Or a marble run? Would be repetitive. Trying to remember what my DS enjoyed when he was that age. Will post again if I get a brainwave.

[Bumble Beez]

Try this link...

http://www.littlefamilyfun.com/2012/03/crafts-activities-for-boys.html

I love this blog...always such good ideas and the parking lot number game would be a good one to increase LO's socialising skills, taking turns, asking questions, sharing etc...

Sarah x

[sarah707]

is he ready for some themed activities do you think? Where you clue into his interests - typical little boy interests might be dinosaurs, minibeasts, fire engines, aeroplanes etc - and extend his thinking by doing lots of different things around the interest.

It might be that he needs a little extra stimulation now he is getting older and if you work with him to plan things, involving him in the planning and preparation of the activities as much as possible, he might be more engaged :D

[hectors house]

If he likes technology - how about walkie talkies (if you have anyone of a similar age to chat back of course) Several of my mindees use computers a lot at home to play games on, so I don't want to repeat that here, so thought that at least the walkie talkies promote team work, communication and coordination - my 4 and 3 year old boys are loving ours especially now out in the garden. Think I got mine at an NCT sale years ago.

If he likes fire extinguishers could you give him old soap dispensers with soapy water in to play with in water tray - or give him cheap shaving foam cannisters to put out fires in toy cars - then it is good to drive cars through the foam. Fire engine toys and books - trip to fire station?

I did get cross a few weeks ago with a 4 year old mindee in the garden - he dared to say "i'm bored" - I pointed out to him that when I was young I only had a swing in my garden and we sometimes had the tent up in the holidays.

[blue bear]

could you buy him a cheap camera and help him to print off photos on your printer or take a trip to the chemist to print?
make a book with the photo graphs, getting him to narrate and you write and then read them back (we use small photo albums to make books with as they are so durable) mine just use my camera it bounces well I got it off ebay.
Set him tasks on what to photo, so coloured doors on the way to school, mini beasts in the garden, things that are round etc.

does he like recording things, i use my mobile phone to record the children, they love playing it back over and over. if you have an iphone ladybird do a great app, the books can be read to you or you can record the children's own version of the book to play back, you can press the pictures and they make noises.

make a sound trail, so record sounds and he has to find them in the house and garden or even out and about, obvious things like a bird singing or less obvious a crisp packet being shook, leave him to investigate for a couple of days.

Can you link in with the planning from pre-school, one of my mindees were doing transport so i extended it by taking mindee on a bus and a train.

mine are mud sand and water mad at the moment, every day i slightly change things to keep them inspired, so last week we had coloured water, bubbles, shaving foam, new pans from pound land and cornflour.

will he engage in craft, paint a 2 litre drinks bottle red, add a bendy pipe and print of a fire extinguisher label and stick it on for his very own fire extinguisher, talk about the different coloured extinguishers, play fire fighters, make a fire engine from a box or your sofa, go visit a local fire station, take photos make a book.