Author: Mel WAGENAAR
Educational Psychologist, Teacher and Mother, South Africa
This summer, there is no need to plan expensive outings or book specialist lessons and activities for your 3-year-old. You and your family, including your domestic helper, can use nature and recycled or home-accessed materials and objects to promote play-based learning in simple ways to spend quality time with your child. Play-based learning, a child-centred approach where children learn through engaging activities that are both fun and educational, is how all learning should occur. After all PLAY IS THE WORK OF CHILDREN, to adapt the famous quotes of Piaget and Montessori, both world-renowned child development specialists whose approaches and academic wisdom are still being followed by parents to this very day. Play-based learning promotes cognitive development, social skills, emotional growth and physical coordination. Overall, play-based learning offers a dynamic and engaging way for children to develop essential skills across multiple domains.
Activity Categories
Creative Arts and Crafts
Sensory Play
Pretend Play and Role Play
Physical Activities
Storytelling and Literacy Activities
Science and Exploration
Music and Movement
1. Creative Arts and Crafts
A. Drawing and Painting
Materials: Crayons, markers, watercolour paints/food colouring, brushes, paper.
Activity: Encourage drawing their favourite things or abstract art. Encourage the process and not the end product. The point is to have fun with colours and self-expression.
B. Collage Making
Materials: Old magazines, glue, blunt toddler scissors (with supervision).
Activity: Create collages based on themes like “Under the Sea” or “My Family.” Let children choose their own pictures and again, enjoy the process and talk about the pictures selected. Instead of using scissors, you can also ‘tear’ the pictures out. This creates an interesting effect. Children can make a picture for their grandparents too!
C. Playdough Creations
Materials: Playdough (easy to make at home with flour), rolling pins, cookie cutters.
Activity: Make shapes, animals, or simple figures.
D. Crafting with Recyclables
Materials: Empty boxes (various sizes), paper rolls, bottle caps.
Activity: Build structures or create imaginative objects. You could base the structures on ideas from their favourite storybooks. For example, build a house for the Three Bears (from the storybook, Goldilocks and the Three Bears).
2. Sensory Play
A. Sensory Bins
Materials: Rice, beans, sand, or water.
Activity: Add small toys or objects for exploration.
B. Homemade Slime or Playdough
Materials: Ingredients for slime or dough.
Activity: Mix and play with textures.
C. Nature Exploration
Materials: Leaves, rocks, sticks.
Activity: Collect and sort natural objects.
D. Water Play
Materials: Plastic containers, cups, spoons.
Activity: Pour, mix, and splash in a bathtub or basin (with supervision).
3. Pretend Play and Role Play
A. Kitchen Play
Materials: Stove made from a large cardboard box, utensils, food items.
Activity: Cook meals, serve, and role-play as chefs.
B. Dress-Up and Costumes
Materials: Various costumes, hats, and accessories.
Activity: Act out different professions or characters.
C. Puppet Shows
Materials: Puppets or socks for puppets.
Activity: Put on a puppet show with simple stories.
D. Doctor or Vet Play
Materials: Toy medical kits, stuffed animals.
Activity: Pretend to check on and care for toys.
4. Physical Activities
A. Obstacle Courses
Materials: Cushions, tunnels, chairs, blankets, scarves.
Activity: Set up and navigate through simple courses.
B. Dance Party
Materials: Music playlist.
Activity: Dance to favourite songs, exploring movements.
C. Ball Games
Materials: Soft balls (various sizes and weights).
Activity: Throw, catch, bat (with hands) or kick balls.
D. Nature Walks
Materials: Comfortable walking gear.
Activity: Explore the outdoors and observe nature.
5. Storytelling and Literacy Activities
A. Reading Books
Materials: Picture books, storybooks. Visit the local public library and let the children choose their own books.
Activity: Read aloud and discuss the story. The Hong Kong libraries also have regular story reading sessions. Check online.
B. Story Creation
Materials: Blank books, markers.
Activity: Create and illustrate their own stories based on a fun activity or a special day that the children have shared. You will need to help them with this.
C. Letter Recognition Games
Materials: Alphabet blocks or flashcards.
Activity: Identify letters and sounds – start with those that are linked to their own names. Make this a fun activity – it’s not a test!
D. Sing Nursery Rhymes
Materials: Lyrics or rhyme books. You-tube have some wonderful videos that you can follow.
Activity: Sing and act out rhymes.
6. Science and Exploration
A. Simple Experiments
Materials: Vinegar, baking soda, food colouring.
Activity: Conduct experiments like a volcano eruption. Check on-line for specific instructions. Children love this activity!
B. Bug Exploration
Materials: Magnifying glass – easy to buy in the local stationary shop.
Activity: Look for bugs and observe their behaviours.
C. Planting Seeds
Materials: Seeds, soil, pots.
Activity: Plant and care for seeds. This is a longer term activity that will teach children patience.
D. Weather Observation
Materials: Weather charts.
Activity: Observe and discuss daily weather. Use the Hong Kong observatory APP too.
7. Music and Movement
A. Instrument Exploration
Materials: Simple musical instruments (drums, shakers). You can also make your own shakers – check online https://www.thebearandthefox.com/easy-peasy-music-shakers/
Activity: Explore sounds and rhythms. For example, shakers can sound like the rain – and there’s a lot in Hong Kong during Typhoon and Monsoon season!
B. Musical Chairs
Materials: Chairs, music.
Activity: Play musical chairs to develop listening skills.
C. Sing-Alongs
Materials: Children’s songs playlist.
Activity: Sing and follow along with actions.
D. Freeze Dance
Materials: Music player.
Activity: Dance when the music plays, freeze when it stops.
As you can see, the listed activities cover many of the following areas of development with much cross-over:
Cognitive development: Problem-Solving Skills and language development can be developed through engaging in role play.
Social skills: Cooperation, empathy and understanding as well as communication can be developed through role play.
Emotional growth: Role play can foster emotional expression and through imaginative play, the older toddler can act out various emotions and situations, which helps them process and understand their own feelings.
Physical coordination: Fine and gross motor skills, as well as body awareness are developed when play involves movement like dancing
Never forget that the typical 3-year-old has a short attention span, and you may have to adjust and even abandon some activities and try again at another time. Try to incorporate a few of these activities regularly into your child’s routine and an enjoyed activity can be done more than once! Participate in activities with your child to model behaviour and encourage enthusiasm. Always, always ensure all materials and activities are age-appropriate and safe for your child.
You now have a variety of play-based activities to support the learning and development of 3-year-olds at home. Adjust the activities as needed to fit your child’s interests and developmental needs. Many of the ideas listed above require very little to be bought and can be undertaken using objects around the house. Finding the necessary materials WITH your pre-schooler can also be an activity. This can teach resourcefulness and develop the imagination. Have fun! There is a lot of magical excitement in being 3!
