Im looking for activities for my 3.5 yo DS. I watch 7wk old twins now, and im looking for fun activities that will keep my DS entertained, safe and helps with his learning. I just started watching the twins today, and he was awful. I know, its probably the attention seeking behavior im seeing but i'd like to be proactive with this before it gets worse. I use to work with mentally and physically disabled adults and children-- and we use to order fine motor activites but not sure where we ordered them from.
Any suggestions of activites that keep a childs attention for more then 5 mins would be GREAT lol TIA!
Gee whiz! I have tried everyting and I still can't get my 5-year-old to hold a crayon or whatever correctly. There are lacing cards you can get at a teacher supply store if you have one nearby, or online. Put beads onto pipe cleaners, As people have mentioned, painting and coloring. Crayons are better than markers, because they have to push harder. For painting, try to put the paper on a fence or easel. Having to hold the paint brush in this way is supposed to help more. Sort beans or beads into different cups by color or size. Cutting with scissors (straws are good for this.) Play-doh is good for strengthening little fingers - can use a plastic or kid-friendly knife to cut it, as well. Putting Q-tips in through the top of an empty Parmesan cheese container. Picking up colored cotton balls with tweezers and sorting them. Can use big plastic tongs you get at the dollar store, too. Hole punch. Stickers. Clothes pins - don't actually know of an activity. Maybe put twine around the room and have him make a fort by clothespinning sheets around the room? Holepunch. Yarn stuck through styrofoam plate to make a design - need yarn and yarn needle, or you can punch a design on the paper (nails) and have him go around the design (your own lacing cards!) You can even put numbers or letters on them like connect the dots for extra learning. Just print off a coloring page from the web if you don't want to draw your own picture. I made the last one up just now, but I have gotten these over the years. I borrowed my ideas from a lot of different sources, mostly from blogs of mothers who homeschool. Good luck!
The other thing that he'll do for long periods of time (along the vein of motor skills) is play with Legos. Before Legos, it was Duplos... Depending on where your son is at with motor skills, Legos are small and may be difficult. Either way, these blocks are great because they encourage imaginary play while working on fine motor. :-)
He won't let me read to him -Edit
- Cmdale87
on May. 29, 2012 at 7:20 PM