educational worksheets for 3 year olds

200+ Free Preschool Printables & Worksheets

FREE PRESCHOOL PRINTABLES

Letters & Letter Sounds

Name recognition puzzles, tracing, drawing & fine motor, other literacy printables, counting & numbers, other math printables, scissor skills, visual discrimination, science, geography, social studies, dot marker sheets, playdough mats, q-tip painting printables, seasonal & themed packs, 64 comments:.

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Do you recommend to print in color or would Black and White be ok?

Hello. Thanks for reaching out. Printing in black and white should be fine for most of our activities. Please feel free email us at [email protected] with any other questions.

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ST PATRICK'S DAY FOR TODDLERS

Preschool Worksheets PDF FREE Printable

Here is a list of free preschool worksheets pdf you can download and print from Planes & Balloons. You’ll find activities and worksheets that strengthen fine motor skills, early literacy and math skills, thinking and reasoning skills, focus and attention, and so much more.

Coloring pages

Language arts

Preschool math

Cut and paste

Same or different

free preschool worksheets age 3-4 pdf

Pre-K to Kindergarten Review

Grab this book full of engaging activities to prepare your little one for kindergarten!

Or use them in your nursery or preschool lesson plans throughout the year.

Preschool Number worksheets

You can easily turn a bunch of these worksheets into a cute preschool workbook for teaching numbers!

Tracing the numbers 1-20

Number flashcards 1-20

Halloween counting 1-20

Spring color by number

Christmas count and match

Preschool alphabet worksheets.

Check out these fun and educational alphabet activities for your preschoolers!

Spot and dot uppercase alphabet

Alphabet tracing worksheets printable

Tracing lowercase letters

Hot chocolate letter matching

Alphabet coloring book

Preschool shapes worksheets.

Free printable preschool learning materials free download pdf for your 3-4 year olds and 4-5 year old preschoolers!

Do a dot shapes worksheets

Frog shapes cut and paste

My shape book free printablE

Free Printable Shapes Worksheets

Tracing shapes worksheets

Nursery worksheets pdf.

Let your preschoolers practice visual discrimination with these fun same and different worksheets in your home or daycare!

Spring same and different

Same and different worksheets for preschool

Visual discrimination practice

Ocean same and different

CActus same and different

Preschool tracing worksheets pdf.

Tracing is a great preschool pre-writing activity , especially when you need one quickly and without much prep work. There are many tracing activities for preschoolers here, including tracing shapes, horizontal and vertical lines, and tracing pictures.

Tracing lines spring worksheets

Tracing fall pictures for preschool

Valentine’s Day number tracing

Alphabet tracing worksheets.

Transportation tracing pages

Preschool cut and paste worksheets.

Preschool cut and paste worksheets to practice scissor skills and fine motor skills.

Cut and paste Apple Worksheets

Cut and paste Easter eggs

Cut and paste For preschool

Cut and paste hearts

HALLOWEEN CUT AND PASTE

Preschool mazes printable.

These printable mazes will be a fun addition to your preschool playgroup activities.

Christmas mazes

Back to school mazes

Easter mazes

Mazes for preschoolers

Number mazes

Coloring is popular with little ones, especially if the coloring pages are in sync with their favorite topics such as bugs, cars, fall, Christmas, and more.

Preschool worksheet packet PDF

If you need a little bit of everything all in one printable, then these preschool packets pdf will help you out.

• Farm animals worksheets for preschoolers
• 4th of July worksheets for preschool
• Free printable days of the week bundle
• Halloween monster worksheets for preschoolers
• Circle time calendar template
• Berry picking learning pack
• Silly socks preschool learning pack
• Free printable Christmas worksheets for preschoolers
• Summer worksheets for pre-k and kindergarten
• Fall preschool worksheets packet
• Dental health preschool worksheets packet
• Preschool space activities learning binder
• Spring preschool worksheets printable pack
• Valentine’s Day preschool worksheets bundle
• Thanksgiving worksheets for preschoolers

Printables for Busy Moms & Creative Kids

• Organization

Printable Activities for 3-year-olds

Looking for printable activities for 3-year-olds ? I’ve got lots of fun ideas for you here!

If you’re like me, you want to have some fun crafts and activities for your preschooler to do that don’t require a lot of prep… the great news is that there are plenty of free printable activities for 3-year-olds available online that are perfect for busy moms!

These printables for toddlers cover a variety of activity types. Don’t forget that everything you do alongside your 3-year-old can be a learning experience! Talk to them about what they are looking at, what they are sorting/cutting/etc., and anything about their activity that will stimulate their brain to think, learn, and understand even in the smallest of ways.

It’s so rewarding to spend time doing activities with your 3-year-old! Some of these activities they can also do on their own for quiet play time. Whether you are going to give them your full attention or whether you need them to learn to quietly entertain themselves for a short time, there are activity options here that you can use.

Free Printable Activities for 3-year-olds

Keeping a 3-year-old busy with fun activities can keep you busy, but you can get ahead of the game by taking the time *now* to print out a bunch of these activities to have on hand.

I like to keep a folder full of printables for my 3-year-old, and as many as I can, I laminate so she can use them again and again with dry-erase markers.

Ok, on to this amazing list of activities to keep those 3-year-olds busy! 😄

( Six Clever Sisters has 10 more great ideas HERE! )

Have you seen these toddler “scissors” that are self-opening and safe? Great for toddlers doing crafts!

Not ready to use these printables yet? PIN FOR LATER!

Check out THESE free printable letter recognition worksheets!

Printable Pencil Alphabet Puzzles

All About Me Name Worksheets – Letters in My Name

Cookie Jar Letter Sounds Matching

Butterfly Printables

Free Pizza Shapes Match

Printable Popsicle Stick Shape Mats

Learning Activities Binder with Free Printable

Word Search CVC Worksheets Free Printable

Shape I Spy Free Printable

Printable Number Matching Clip Cards

Free Printable Preschool Counting Game

Dinosaur Alphabet Clip Cards

Printable Alphabet Letter Formation Cards

Color Sorting Printable Activity

Comparing objects printable worksheets

Dinosaur Matching Game Printable

Free I Spy Printable

Spot and dot shapes

Sequencing worksheets

8 Adorable Flower Printable Puzzles for Kids

These printable activities for 2-year-olds or these ones for 4-year-olds may also have some activities that your 3-year-old would love!

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Easy Worksheets for 3-Year-Olds

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Discover the joy of learning with our Easy Worksheets designed specifically for 3-Year-Olds. These engaging and colorful worksheets are crafted to capture the imagination of your little ones while gently introducing them to the world of numbers, letters, shapes, and colors. With a focus on fun and easy-to-understand activities, our worksheets are perfect for fostering early learning skills in a stress-free environment. Whether it's tracing, matching, or simple problem-solving, our Easy Worksheets for 3-Year-Olds offer the perfect blend of education and entertainment, ensuring a delightful learning journey for your child. Start your toddler's adventure in learning today!

Check out this Trial Lesson on Easy Worksheets for 3-Year-Olds!

Wild Animals

Christmas Tree Tracing Winter Words Worksheet

A Fox and Bird Coloring Page

Snowflake Tracing Winter Words Worksheet

Who Is in a Family? Worksheet

Red and Blue Coloring Fun Worksheet

Number 10 Printable

Solving Problems: Number Lines Worksheet

Snowy Day Maze Printable

Itsy Bitsy Spider Nursery Rhyme PDF Worksheet

Beginning Sounds Worksheet

Pick a Picture Word Recognition Worksheet

Yellow and Green Coloring Fun Worksheet

Police Subtraction Worksheet

Pegasus Printable

Number 5 Printable

Construction Zone Addition Worksheet

T-shirt Subtraction Worksheet

Cookie Addition Worksheet

Baking Cookies Addition Worksheet

Composing a Robot's Face of Crescents And Stars Worksheet

Holiday Lights Subtraction Worksheet

Counting Eggs Worksheet

Animal Tracks: Find 1 Less Worksheet

Groups in the Park Worksheet

Related articles.

Easy worksheets for 3-Year-Olds are a fantastic educational tool that serve a myriad of benefits for young learners. First and foremost, they are specifically designed to match the developmental capabilities and learning styles of toddlers, ensuring that the activities are not too challenging or overly simplistic. This balance keeps children engaged and interested, fostering a love for learning early on.

The simplicity of these worksheets makes them highly accessible. They often incorporate bright colors, large images, and straightforward tasks that appeal to 3-year-olds, making learning feel like play. This approach helps to develop fine motor skills as children practice holding pencils, drawing, tracing, and coloring within lines, all of which are critical for their early development.

Furthermore, easy worksheets for 3-Year-Olds lay the foundational knowledge and skills necessary for preschool and beyond. Through these engaging activities, children learn basic shapes, colors, numbers, and letters, setting them up for success in reading and math. They also begin to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills as they work through each worksheet.

In addition, these worksheets offer a structured learning environment that helps young children establish routines. This not only prepares them for the structure of a school day but also teaches them about concentration, patience, and the satisfaction of completing tasks.

Overall, easy worksheets for 3-Year-Olds are an invaluable resource for parents and educators looking to nurture a child’s cognitive, motor, and social development in a fun, engaging way.

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Quiz: What is my child’s play personality?

Take our quiz to learn your child’s play style & how you can support them

Parent Resources for Learning > Core Skills > 7 Play-Based Learning Activities for 3-Year-Olds

7 Play-Based Learning Activities for 3-Year-Olds

by Dr. Jody Sherman LeVos | Aug 10, 2023 | Core Skills

Pop quiz: What’s a better way to get a 3-year-old to learn, pop quizzes or playtime? 

If you guessed playtime, you’re right! Play-based learning activities for 3-year-olds help them develop the skills they need for school and life by tapping into their natural love of play . It’s a lot easier to get a toddler to play a learning game than to sit down and study—plus, they’ll actually learn more!

The Short Cut

• Learning activities for 3-year-olds can help them develop Core Skills , Creativity , Critical Thinking , and the other 5 C’s that help them thrive
• Play-based learning activities work well because kids learn more when they’re doing something they’re interested in
• Many of the best activities are simple and use everyday items from around the house

We’ve put together instructions for seven of our favorite play-based learning activities for 3-year-olds, plus some general tips, to get you started.

Why Learning Activities for 3-Year-Olds Work

Three-year-olds have a lot of energy, and they’re often eager to have new experiences. You can take advantage of their natural Curiosity (one of the 5 C’s) to help them learn valuable skills and see where they are in reaching their developmental milestones .

When kids do an activity they’re interested in, their brains literally light up on researchers’ scans. They learn more and retain more of what they learn, including important abilities.

For instance, hands-on activities —in which your child molds, cuts, sticks, sorts, or manipulates objects—help them develop motor skills. They also help them learn to follow directions for precision and accuracy, improving their Critical Thinking. Similarly, activities like putting puzzles together and playing with building blocks help develop reasoning skills and Creativity (another of the 5 C’s).

All of these abilities will help them as they get older and start working on more complex skills like writing and tying shoelaces.

The first six years of a child’s life are a critical time for brain development. The things they learn in this period help them perform well in school, excel in work, build healthy relationships, and live happy, fulfilling lives.

How Should I Teach My 3-Year-Old?

Keep It Simple

Parents sometimes think early learners need an elaborate game or flashy toy to hold their attention. But three-year-olds are fascinated by lots of simple things—different colors and shapes , how these colors change when you mix them (e.g., red and blue make purple), kicking a ball, storybooks about dinosaurs, baking cookies, and so on.

You don’t need anything complicated to create engaging learning activities for 3-year-olds. In fact, you’ll often be more successful if you keep it simple and use everyday items you already have.

Allow for Creativity

Life is full of right answers for 3-year-olds (and a lot of them, like “Can I hit someone when I’m mad?” are important!). But focusing on process over the finished product when you’re playing helps kids maintain their natural Creativity. If they decide to paint a blue dog, that’s OK! And if they choose to create a 10-legged cat, that’s great too. 

Give them time to play with no “right answers” to strengthen this important skill.

Be Flexible and Patient

Not every activity you try is going to be a hit with your kids. That’s OK!

At this age, your child is learning who they are and what they’re comfortable with. Exploring their likes and dislikes (which can change quickly!) is part of their development.

7 Top Learning Activities for 3-Year-Olds

1. number hunt.

What You’ll Need

• A set of fun items—from teddy bears to building blocks to balls, anything goes!
• Hide the items around a room
• Ask your three-year-old to find a set number of an item or a group of items (for example, ask them to find one teddy, two socks, and three balls)
• If this is too easy and they lose interest, try turning it into a race against the clock (can they find the items in just one minute?)
• If they find the game a little tricky, ask your child to search for one item at a time (e.g., one teddy, and then one sock, and then one ball) and progress from there

We love this activity because it helps develop working memory and numeracy, important areas of both Critical Thinking and Core Skills.

2. Pasta Necklaces

• Dry, uncooked cylindrical pasta
• Sealable plastic bags
• Food coloring
• A cotton thread or string (you can also use an old shoelace)
• Paper towel
• Beads (optional)
• Place the pasta into the plastic bags, then add a few drops of food coloring to each bag
• After adding the coloring, seal each bag and let your kids give it a good shake
• Line the trays with paper towels, pour the colored pasta on top, and allow it to dry
• While the pasta dries, cut the string so it’s the right length to make a necklace for your child and tie a knot on one end
• Once the pasta is dry, your child can slide the pasta (and beads if you use them) onto the string to make a necklace. When they reach the end of the string, tie the two sides together and you’re done!

This is a fun way to help your child practice counting (“How many pieces of pasta are you adding?”), develop fine motor skills, and explore Creativity.

3. Trace Yourself

• Have your child place part of their body (like their hand) on a sheet of paper
• Show them how to trace around it using a crayon
• Let them take over tracing and finish
• Encourage them to decorate their tracing however they’d like—maybe their hand needs eyes and a mouth!
• The simplest body part to start with is your child’s hands. Once your child has mastered tracing out their hands, they can progress to their feet.
• For even more fun, use a very large piece of paper and trace your child’s whole body. They can then add features and clothes.

This activity requires little prep and can be great for an easy afternoon when you’re in the mood for low mess levels. And it’s an excellent way to help your child practice their fine motor skills!

4. Make an Ocean

• HOMER Sail the Sea printable coloring page
• Crayons, markers, or colored pens
• Help your child color in the printable and discover the interesting creatures that live in our seas
• As your child colors, point out the letters and say their names, the sounds they make, and creature names that start with them (“S” makes a “sssss” sound, for “seahorse”)
• Try to get your child to make the letter sounds too
• Lean into process over perfection. The goal is to introduce your child to letters, sounds, names, and the links between them—if all they want to do is say “sssssss” and color, they’re still learning!
• To make things even more fun, give the creatures silly names and make up stories about them

This is a great activity for developing Core Skills like letter-sound recognition and fine motor skills!

5. Build a City

• Building blocks
• Get out the blocks and start making things, giving each building a name (“This is a candy store. This is an apartment building. This is a playground.”)
• Invite your child to name their own creations as they build alongside you
• If they’re enjoying the game, ask them to copy buildings you’ve made (“This is a candy store. Can you make one too?”)

This quick, simple activity helps develop Critical Thinking (copying your buildings), Core Skills (fine motor skills), and Creativity, all at once!

6. Watch It Grow

• HOMER printable seed growth tracker
• Crayons or pencils
• Large jar (glass or clear plastic)
• Fast-growing seeds (e.g. peas or beans)
• Paper towels
• An old milk or juice carton
• A ruler or measuring tape
• Ask your child to fill the jar with paper towels, then pour water onto the paper towels until they’re slightly damp
• “Plant” the seeds in the damp towels, positioning them close to the jar’s edge so you can watch them grow
• Use the printable to decorate the “watering can” (the milk or juice carton) and add a tag with the plant’s name
• Each day, make a fun moment of checking the jar and asking your child to note any changes you can track in the field notes (“Oh! We finished breakfast! Time to check the jar!”)
• If the paper towels dry out, add water

This activity introduces kids to how plants grow, stoking their Curiosity (another of the 5 C’s) as they explore the way the seed changes day by day!

7. Create Your Own Color Hunt

• Five objects that match each color of crayon, located in or around the house
• Optional: HOMER Make a Color Hunt printable
• Draw a square in the center of a piece of paper (or use the optional Make a Color Hunt printable)
• After drawing the square, use just one color to color it in
• Hand your child the paper and ask them to find five items in or around the house that have the same color
• For kids who aren’t counting yet , you can place items in a bucket or box and ask them to find all the items inside that match the color on the paper

This is a great activity to help with sorting, learning colors, and counting!

Continue the Adventures with Begin!

There are lots of ways to help your child stay entertained, engaged, and learning at home! These activities should help your 3-year-old develop a wide range of important skills.

And if you need more, don’t worry—we’re here to help. Sign up for our emails or check out our award-winning products, from kid-safe learning apps to hands-on activity kits , or try our Early Learner Bundle to see how it all comes together to give your child their best start to achieving their fullest potential.

Jody has a Ph.D. in Developmental Science and more than a decade of experience in the children’s media and early learning space.

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Dr. Jody Sherman LeVos

Chief Learning Officer at Begin

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LEVEL 1 ACTIVITIES: AGES 0-4 YRS

Math activities.

• More or Less L1
• Number Matching L1
• Same or Different L1
• Symmetry L1
• Number Trace and Count Activity L1

PRE-WRITING ACTIVITIES

• Line Tracing L1
• Picture Sorting L1
• Name Tracing L1
• Sequence L1
• Match, paste and trace

LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES

• Letter Coloring Sheets L1
• Lower Case Letter Tracing & Sounds L1
• Lower Case Letter ID Find and Dab L1
• Rhyming Words L1
• Fun with Letters L1

THEMED ACTIVITIES

• Bathroom L1
• Brown Bear L1
• Butterfly L1
• Caterpillar Theme L1
• Christmas Mixed Activities L1
• Community Helpers L1
• Count up to 5 L1
• Does it belong? L1
• Fire Safety L1
• Fall Leaves L1
• Farm Animals L1
• Gardening L1
• Halloween L1
• Healthy Foods L1
• JellyFish Fun L1
• Mother's Day L1
• Father's Day L1
• Ocean Animals L1
• Spring Numbers L1
• St. Patrick's Day L1
• Strawberry L1
• Tooth Care L1
• Valentine's Day L1
• Whales In The Ocean L1

ART AND CRAFT ACTIVITIES

How to make a simple paper bird craft at home, how to make a simple paper frog craft, how to make a simple paper snail craft, how to make a simple paper penguin craft​, how to make a fun crab craft.

Preschool Worksheets Age 3-4

At the age of 3–4 children start to be extreme curious. They ask many questions and try to gain as much knowledge about the world around as they can. While playing they demonstrate rich imagination, and rapidly developing speaking ability.

This is a high time to develop the first skills and competences that will be very helpful for the future school achievements. At home or in kindergarten children can develop fine motor and speaking skills, sensory perception, logical thinking, memory, attention and concentration ability, using play-based learning materials WUNDERKIDDY.

Why is preschool education important?

A huge children’s curiosity makes them to learn something new. Their brain is able to learn and remember lots of information and gain numerous of new skills. At the age of 3 children can easily learn to count up to 10, recognize distinction between items and nature objects and point at certain objects (e.g. sun or sky, etc.)

Children’s speaking ability also develops rapidly at the age of 3 years old. Their vocabulary allows them to construct simple sentences and ask many questions about the world around .

How to get a child involved into learning

Remembering that preschoolers cannot sit still for a long time; all the learning activities are to be done in a play form. Keep watch what your child likes the most and find appropriate games for him/her. Then the learning activity will be done with a huge involvement and motivation.

You should also choose the right time for learning games. If you see that your child is not interested or tired, postpone the game for later or offer another activity.

Worksheets for 3 year olds

At the age of 3–4 years children have a good memory , gain new physical skills, can tell longer sentences and are developing emotionally. Proper learning activities for 3 year olds are:

• creative games
• outdoor and indoor plays
• cooking and everyday activities around the household

We have prepared a collection of play-learning materials for children of 3–4 years old to make learning interesting and fun. Download and print high-quality materials for free from our website.

Math games for preschoolers

At about 3–4 years old children know numbers and can count up to 10. To learn numbers and develop counting skills, you can count with your child everything around (fingers, trees, cars, flowers, etc.) To make counting more various and exciting, print free developing math games and cards and worksheets for 4 year olds on WUNDERKIDDY.

At this age children are to know basic geometric shapes and be able to find objects matching by form. They are also able to compare quantities and define «more» and «less».

Logic and memory development

Logic and memory are the basic skills necessary for everybody. 3-4 year olds can improve these skills by means of following learning activities for 4 year olds:

• To assemble simple puzzles
• To find differences between two pictures
• To complete logical chain and simple math patterns
• To repeat a gesture or body position
• To compare colors and find matching pairs
• To sort and group objects according to their common features

Speaking skill improvement by toddlers

The most easy way to develop speaking skills is to talk with a child. Even if he/she cannot speak yet, listening is the first step to speaking. At about 3–4 years old children can learn letters and can combine simple words from separate letters. They are to talk about general topics:

• Home and household
• Furniture and kitchen utensil
• Wild and home animals
• Doings and movements
• Seasons and their features
• Fruits, vegetables and berries
• Personal hygiene and day's routine

To learn new words on the topics above in a play form, we offer printable games and worksheets that are meant to enrich kid's vocabulary and improve their speaking ability.

Pre-writing skills

At the age of 3–4 years old children are to prepare their hands for future writing. By means of colorful children friendly tracing worksheets and graphomotor sheets you can do pre-writing trainings in a fun and easy way. Just download them here.

3 year old activities or how to start teaching kids at home

You can start preparing children for writing at the age of 3. Train their hands using different tasks, for example, graphomotor tracks. Activities like sculpting, drawing, and painting help to train fine motor skills, creative thinking and imagination.

Print free educational games, illustrated cards and preschool PDF worksheets for your play-learning sessions with children at the age of 3–4 years old. On our website you will find everything you need for exciting play-based learning: nursery printable activities for toddlers, Montessori worksheets, printable games and educational activities in PDF for 3–4 years old that are well suited both for kindergarten and home preschool activities for 3 year olds.

Print, play and enjoy WUNDERKIDDY!

Daycare Worksheets

Free Preschool Worksheets

The idea behind this website is to make a place where parents, teachers, and childcare professionals can download and print free educational resources for preschoolers. Preschool-aged children will benefit the most from the free printable worksheets on the site right now but we also plan on adding additional resources for younger kids.

Worksheets Cover English, Math, Activities, and General Learning

Our free worksheets are broken down into four main categories and cover different areas of early childhood education. The preschool English worksheets category includes spelling, reading, rhyming, phonics, and alphabet printables. They are designed for preschoolers’ cognitive and literacy development. The preschool activity worksheets category includes scissors practice, mazes, connect the dots, coloring, and tracing printables. They help children with developing fine motor skills and critical thinking ability. The preschool math worksheets category includes shapes, position and order, numbers, measurement, and counting printables. Children will become familiar with basic math skills. The preschool learning worksheets category includes weather, holiday, seasonal, colors, and telling time printables. They are a wonderful way for kids to learn the fundamental aspects of life. All of our free preschool worksheets can be downloaded in the PDF file format and then printed or you can print the worksheets directly in your browser.

Free to Use Anywhere including Preschools, Daycare Centers, Summer Camps, and at Home

One of the more common questions we get is “What are we allowed to do with the worksheets?”. You can do everything you want with our free daycare worksheets except sell them. Print as many as you want and make as many copies as you would like. You are also allowed to use our free worksheets anywhere, whether it be a preschool, summer camp, kindergarten, home, or a local daycare center. We want the worksheets we have created to be used by as many kids as possible.

These Preschool Printables are Different

Daycare worksheets cannot just be handed out and expected to be completed. A toddler who is two years old and a preschooler who is four years old learn differently than older children. Younger kids need to have different types of engagement in order to facilitate learning. Many of our preschool worksheets have more than one way they can be utilized. Teachers and parents can print a worksheet and then make learning game or activity out of it. Childcare professionals can also put together lesson plans using the free printables that can fit into a prekindergarten curriculum.

Popular Free Worksheets

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Does My 3 Year Old Need Preschool?

I found preschool to be so beneficial for my daughter at this age. The socialization is one of the biggest benefits of a preschool program.

They’ll be exposed to so many new opportunities that may not be available at home like different toys and learning materials, daily structure and routines, learning to respect their teachers, various educational activities, much more.

I don’t believe that preschool at 3 years old is absolutely necessary and your child will be fine without it. However, I would enroll a 4 year old in some sort of program to get them prepared for Kindergarten.

Some schools or daycares offer full day or half day preschool and you can choose whether your child goes every day or a few times a week.

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What You Can Teach Your Three Year Old

If you’re not in the education field, you may be unsure of simple ways to teach your three year old or ways to incorporate new learning into everyday activities.

Below are a bunch of things that you can help your 3-year-old learn and understand. Practice and exposure is the best way to develop new skills with your child so try and make every opportunity a learning opportunity you can.

This list is for children in the 3 year old range up to 4. Not exclusively once they turn three.

Also, always remember that every child develops at their own pace so don’t worry too much if your child doesn’t have all of these skills yet. This isn’t a list of what they should know at this point, but rather a guide to help you understand what they are capable of learning at this age.

1. New Vocabulary

Your 3-year-old will probably be speaking in full sentences or at least long 4-5 word phrases by now. Three year olds should have at least 250-500 words in their vocabulary as well.

Although there are way too many words to give you a full list, here are some of the common words, phrases, and concepts that your three year old should be able to say and understand:

• Body parts , Animal sounds and names , Friends/Family Names (and their own first, middle, last), Vehicles , Household objects (food, utensils, furniture, clothing, etc)
• Colors and Shapes
• Direction words (below, above, next to, on top, underneath, etc.)
• Days of the week, Months of the year, Seasons, Weather (sunny, rainy, cloudy, windy, snowy, hot, cold, etc.)

If your 3-year-old isn’t talking much at this point or is not trying to speak in full sentences, mention it to your pediatrician. Here are more  tips to get your child to talk  here.

2. Conversational Speech

Your 3 year old should be able to ask and answer simple questions and tell simple stories or anecdotes. They’ll probably be asking a lot of WHY questions as they are curious to learn all about the world around them.

Be sure to answer them with the correct responses and not just ignore their requests for information. Every question is an opportunity to teach your child and you don’t want them to miss out on those experiences.

It’s also important to make corrections in their grammar. When they were 2, some of the things that they said wrong sounded pretty cute. However, now that they’re 3, you don’t want them to get into bad habits of the way they speak.

Whether they’re pronouncing a world wrong, using the wrong tense, pronoun, or grammar, the only way they will learn the right way is if you correct them. So let them know the right way to say the word or sentence and have them repeat it back to make sure that they understand.

In order to get your child to initiate conversation or answer your questions , you can:

• Ask them about their favorite characters/shows/books/toys. What easier way to get a kid to talk than to get them talking about their favorite tv show or super hero?
• Ask them about their day , ie. what did you eat for lunch? What did you play with in the bath tub?
• Ask them for their opinions
• Tell them to ask you about the above mentioned things

If they still tend to give you one-word answers, ask them more questions to get them to elaborate. The more you ask. the more responses you will get. In turn this will help them to realize that they need to add more detail in their responses.

3. Reading books

At 3, your child should understand the concept of “reading” a book. They won’t actually be reading the words , but they should know how to grab a book, hold it the right way, and flip through the page independently.

They should be able to get a good understanding about what is happening in the book by looking at the pictures . They should even recognize that there are letters and words on the page that mean something, but won’t know exactly what they say or mean.

Read to your child everyday to instill their interest in reading. When you are reading to them:

• Use your finger to follow the words on the page so they start to associate the letters with what you’re saying
• Read word-for-word what the text says on the page instead of making up words or describing what the pictures look like
• Ask them questions about what they see on the pages

Your 3 year old may even be able to answer some inferential (why) questions (although this is a tougher skill), but it can’t hurt to try and ask them some of the questions. These are questions that the book doesn’t actually give the answer to, but the child has to think about their own answer or reason. For example, Why is the girl sad in this story? Why shouldn’t the boy have crossed the street? Why did the dog jump over the bone?

Reading doesn’t have to begin and end with books; labels on cereal boxes, words on toys, printed words on street signs, text on the television, or signs at stores are some examples where you can point out words and letters.

Related Post:  The Outstanding Benefits of Reading to Babies and Toddlers

4. Promote Independence

Your three-year-old should be doing many things on their own now so be sure to give them these opportunities to learn, understand, and make mistakes (within limits, of course).

Of course they may not have perfected every skill yet, but the only way a child will learn is by doing it themselves. You can give them a hand completing the task once they’ve finished.

They should be increasing their independence in areas like:

• Dressing : choosing their own clothes, dressing for the weather (warm items or cool items), taking on/off a shirt, pants, underpants/pull-up, shoes, and socks, and learning the right way to put on items (backwards, forwards), and that shoes are on the right feet.
• Self-feeding:  using utensils without spills, choosing their own meals and snacks (check out these  veggie puffs ), opening containers, drinking from an open cup with some supervision, and why it’s important to eat healthy. I love these utensils as my 3 year old graduated from her “baby utensils” to wanting to be just like mom and dad- these look like our silverware but are a perfect size for preschoolers.
• Brushing teeth and hair:  Teach them how to brush correctly on their own (back and forth, top and bottom), putting toothpaste on (with help), and why it’s important to keep our teeth clean. My 3 year old LOVES using an electric toothbrush like this one , especially the ones with their favorite characters.
• Cleaning up:  wiping up messes, putting toys away, bringing dishes, cups, & utensils to the sink when done, throwing away their garbage, using handheld vacuum to clean, and putting away toys when completing activity
• Hygeine : Blowing their nose, washing their hands, using a washcloth to wash themselves in the tub. Make washing hands and standing at the sink much easier by using stools and sink faucet extenders .
• Transitions:  Getting in and out of the car on their own, going up and down the stairs, ending one activity and moving to the next without complaining, turning on/off lights when entering/leaving the room

Be sure to model and show your childhood to do these skills the right way so that they don’t keep practicing something the wrong way.

5. Pretend Play

Using their imagination opens up a world of fun and play for your 3 year old. This skill typically comes naturally as they copy and imitate what they see in the real world, in books, or on tv.

They will use a combination of imagination and reality to copy the things they see daily , like these:

• Cooking in a play kitchen with pots and pans
• Hosting a tea party for their dolls and stuffed animals
• Feeding, burping, and changing a baby doll with play spoons, bottles, and diapers
• Talking on the phone with a play cell phone
• Playing doctor with a doctor or nurses kit
• Going shopping with a shopping cart and fake food
• Driving a car
• Sweeping, mopping , and vacuuming the floor
• Dressing up as their favorite princess , super hero, or character

At 3 years old, your child should have moved passed scribbling and be able to make intentional marks on the paper. They should be able to draw a:

• straight line down
• straight line across
• cross ( + )
• other shapes such as a square or triangle come later, but they can still attempt these, but may need help or the angles won’t be perfect

You can also guide them into making drawings using those elements (lines and circles), for example to draw a sun, a person (stick figure), or a flower . Of course, these drawings won’t be perfect, but they’re gaining insight as to how to make their marks on the paper look like something real.

Imitation is the best way to have your child learn to draw at this age, meaning that you draw one line and have them watch and repeat the same thing . This as opposed to copying (where you just show them the picture and expect them to figure out how to draw it).

7. Coloring and Painting

At age 3, your child can start learning how to color a picture correctly. You can guide them by showing them how to:

• Stay within the lines of a shape, border, or object
• Finish coloring each section without leaving a ton of white spots
• Use correct colors for certain objects, ie. coloring a strawberry red and a horse brown, instead of just picking any color that they choose
• Use different colors for different sections of a picture, ie. Coloring a beach scene with blue for the water, yellow for the sun, green for the palm tree, etc. instead of jut coloring the whole thing one color

Be sure that they are holding their crayon with the correct grasp at all times. I highly suggest  these finger crayons  for the young ones.  They are perfect for little hands and promote a good grasp when holding the crayons.

If your child likes markers, but you don’t trust them being alone in a room with them, these Crayola Mess-Free Coloring Sheets are my absolute favorites!

The markers come out clear if they are used on any other surface besides the paper. On these special sheets, they’ll turn a color so your toddler sees the masterpiece that they are creating. They have so many characters available so I’m sure you can find a pack that your child will love.

Tracing is a great visual motor skill (hand-eye coordination). You can teach your 3 year old to trace lines and letters by:

• Having them use their finger first to trace the line on the paper
• Tracing straight lines first and then working toward shapes, zig zags, and curved lines
• Making sure that they know to stay on the line the best that they can
• Tracing letters in preparation for writing

Cutting is a skill that 3 year olds can begin practicing. They may still have a difficult time, but here are some tips to get your preschooler cutting:

• Be sure to use child safety scissors so they can’t hurt themselves.
• Teach them how to hold the scissor correctly with their thumb toward the ceiling on both the cutting hand and helper hand
• Position the paper in front of them  while they are cutting instead of holding it off to the side or way up high.
• Make sure that their  arms, shoulders, and elbows are down and relaxed  as they cut right in front of them. As they’re concentrating, children tend to hike up their elbows and cut up high.
• Once they are able to make small snips on the paper by just opening and closing the scissors, teach them how to cut on a straight line
• Use sturdier paper like construction paper to make holding and stabilizing the paper easier on them.

10. Numbers and Counting

Your 3 year old may be able to count up to 20 (with some errors at times) from memory and maybe even up to 30 with more practice. They can also work on recognizing and identifying numbers and counting objects.

You can practice counting with so many different, everyday objects :

• count each step while you’re walking up the stairs
• count the number of blueberries on their dinner plate
• count the number of toys in their toy bin

Numbers are everywhere so be sure that they are counting whenever they can.

The concept of one-to-one correspondence (one object is one number) should be emerging now. Just show them how to point to each object as they count it and correct them if they start saying 2 numbers as they count one object or skip over objects when counting.

11. Letters and Sounds for Beginning to Read

Your child may already know many of the letters of the alphabet. At this age, they should probably be able to recite the ABC’s from memory (with some errors and help as needed).

Now you can work on recognizing letters, as well as the sounds they make. To make letter learning easier, try these tips to teach your 3 year old:

• Look at both uppercase and lowercase letters when learning . The lowers case letters are the ones that they will see more often when they read or see words.
• Point out letters to them everywhere : on cereal boxes, on street signs, on banners, and on snack bags
• When talking about a letter, always tell them the sound that it makes and a word that has this letter as its starter. For example M: say M says mmm for mom. Always have them repeat you to etch it into their memory.
• Use different sensory modalities to trace, write, or copy their letters . For example, writing them in sand, placing stickers inside the written letter, tracing the letter written in puffy paint with your finger, erasing the letters from a dry erase board , matching upper and lower case letters , etc. Here are some more fun sensory activities for letter learning .
• Sing songs that help them to remember the letters
• Use puzzles with letters for letter matching

These name puzzles from Bloom Owl are a great way to get your child learning the letters of their name. They’ll love playing with the puzzle as they start to recognize the letters they see all the time.

By far my favorite resource for having your child learning letters and letter sounds is the Leap Frog shows on Netflix . They include Letter Factory, Phonics Farm, and more. If you have Netflix you can access these shows! My 20 month old was reciting all of the letter sounds because he loves this show so much!

Once your child has a good memory of most letters and their sounds, you can teach them how to put them together to form short words. At 3 years old, a child may be able to start reading 2 or 3 letter words. Teach them how to use those sounds to read short words from the -at, -et, -it families, such as mat, rat, bat, get, set, let, sit, fit, kit, etc.

Related Post: Sticker Activity for Learning Letters

12. Building

Building helps to improve your child’s hand-eye coordination and spatial awareness. They’ll be able to use their imagination and creativity to create masterpieces and then knock them all down when they’re done.

This Melissa & Doug Alphabet block set  is great to stack and Bristle Blocks are also perfect for stacking, putting together, and taking apart at this age. My 3 year old is also obsessed with Magnetic Tiles – it’s the one toy that just never gets old!

Have them use blocks to encourage imaginative play and see what they can come up with. Building blocks let them problem solve and investigate the world around them. 

13. P uzzles

Puzzles are a great activity for fine and visual motor skills (hand-eye coordination). Having to fit a piece into it’s correct spot by turning and manipulating it is great for visual-spatial awareness.

Your 3 year old should have moved past inset puzzles and can do more complicated interlocking puzzles . Start them out with small interlocking puzzles like these or these , which only have 6-9 pieces per puzzle.

14. Physical Activity, Sports, and Getting Outside

Three-year-olds are known to be pretty wild so you probably won’t need much coaxing to get them active. However, make sure they’re getting plenty of physical activity to learn new gross motor skills . These include:

• Jumping and running
• Climb up and down playground equipment or a jungle gym
• Start learning how to ride a balance bike or a bike with training wheels
• Throwing/catching/kicking a ball
• Hop or stand on one foot for a short time
• Walk backwards

The best way to get them active is to give them lots of outdoor time . Take them to playgrounds to climb on the equipment as they offer so many opportunities for enriching gross motor skills. Take them for a walk and point out all the sights you see.

Your child can also start playing cooperative sports with peers and follow directions by watching someone do a movement. Activities like gymnastics, dance, soccer, swimming lessons, and tee ball are all great organized activities to practice all of the above skills.

15. Music, Dance, and Rhythm

Children love rhythm and music so get them singing, dancing, and exploring their bodies with music. Put on music for them to dance to, sing along to their favorite songs with a microphone , or make their own music with  toy instruments like maracas, xylophone, tamborine, etc .

You can also make musical ‘instruments’ with so many household objects , like shaking pill bottles, banging wooden spoons, or filling plastic Easter eggs or water bottles with uncooked beans or rice.

Do the Hokey Pokey to get them moving and learning body parts. Imitating movements that they see you doing is a great way to develop body and spatial awareness , as well.

Singing songs and doing dances are also a great way for your preschooler to learn and memorize new words and concepts like the days of the week song, months of the year song, head shoulders knees and toes, finger family song, etc. They’ll know their days of the week s quickly if you just put a tune to it!

16. Potty Training

Around 3, many children will be fully capable of using the toilet. If you haven’t started yet, give it a try! Your child may do better than you think.

If they’re already potty trained, make sure that they are fully independent with pulling their pants and underwear up and down, wiping themselves both back and front, and washing their hands afterward.

Be sure to wait until they’re ready and don’t force it on them. Here are some great tips on potty training your child here.

17. Sense of Time

Of course your three year old will not be able to tell time, however you can still teach them a basic sense of time, including:

• Understanding morning, afternoon, and night. They should understand the concept of when they wake up it’s morning, lunch time is the afternoon, and before bedtime is night. They can also understand this better by seeing outside when it’s light or dark.
• Recognizing the numbers on a digital clock . If they can identify numbers, they should be able to see the first number and say it’s 7 o clock. With my daughter, we tell her that 7 o clock is bedtime so when she sees 7 on the digital clock, she knows it’s time to go to bed.
• Knowing when they have 1, 5, or 10 more minutes left. They still won’t have a true sense of how long these increments of time are, but you can try to make them aware that 1 minute is quick, compared to 10 minutes or 20 minutes.
• Days of the week. They may be able to get a sense of what day it is today, what it will be tomorrow, and what it was yesterday

Before they fully have a sense of time, try setting an audio or visual timer when you need to show them when time is up. For example, when you say clean up in 5 more minutes, set a timer for 5 minutes to ring when it’s time.

We love the Time to Wake clocks for my little ones. They let them know when it’s time to call for mom or get out of bed by simply turning a different color when it’s almost time to get up or when they should leave their room.

This is a great visual way for them to “see” and understand time.

Of course, safety is a crucial lesson to teach your child. This is the age where they will probably have no fear or understanding of dangerous situations. The following practices need to be taught to your 3 year old as they may not just come naturally:

• not running away in public
• not running out into a parking lot
• stranger danger
• staying close to mom or dad
• being cautious when crossing streets
• holding hands when in public or outside
• sun safety: applying sunscreen, wearing hats
• being careful of hot items: kitchen appliances, flames, etc.

Speaking of safety for your little ones, the Whystle App is a great resource for all parents to have that tracks all safety information that’s important to your family. This includes product recalls for toys, food, and more that could promote dangers into your home. Download this app free on your phone and then there’s a free trial for the subscription so you never miss an important safety warning.

19. Manners and Respect for Others

Understanding how to properly treat others is a valuable trait to instill in your child. This goes for respecting both adults and other children. It’s important to teach your children how to use polite words and actions to show manners.

At this age, they are still testing their boundaries and exploring new ways of getting what they want. Instill rules for respecting others even through times of frustration.

• Saying  excuse me  when needing someone to move or get their attention
• Patiently waiting  for a parent to finish talking to another parent before chiming in
• Saying  please and thank you  shows consideration and appreciation
• Making  eye contact  when speaking to others
• Apologizing  when you do something wrong
• Ask questions  to others about how their day is or how they are feeling
• Compliment  others on their clothes, hair, or something they did
• Share  their toys or items that belong to them
• No pushing, hitting, biting, or pulling hair to hurt others in any way

20. Staying Healthy: Good Hygiene and Eating Well

Teaching your 3 year old to practice good hygiene and healthy eating is great to start young . Build-in their hygiene routine throughout the day and they will become accustomed to this regimen. Eating healthy foods early on to set them off for a healthy diet for the rest of their life. These include:

• eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and proteins. Avoid: processed foods, unhealthy snacks, and sweets
• washing hands after meals and potty
• brushing teeth morning and night
• bathing daily or every other day
• keeping their clothes and body clean while they eat or play
• covering their mouth when they sneeze or cough
• blowing their nose into a tissue
• wiping their own privates after going potty

Complying with:

• brushing and combing hair
• cutting fingernails and toenails
• cleaning inside ears with a  child safety q-tip

Related Post:  How to Get Your Picky Toddler to Try New Foods

21. Acting Appropriately in Public and Understanding “No”

Preschoolers are very ego-centric (only care about themselves). It’s totally normal for them to only think about how things will affect them. This almost always leads to inappropriate behaviors as they learn what behaviors get them what they want.

Don’t always give in to every cry  and teach them that sometimes they can’t get everything that they want. Don’t always give them the cookie that they’re begging for or the new toy at the store. If they must get the object that they desire, make them earn it.

Teach your 3-year-old how to act appropriately to avoid tantrums in public. Try  putting rules in place  when you are out so they know what is expected of them. Always have a way to redirect or distract them when you see a tantrum starting (using something else they are interested in). Lastly, just avoid situations that could set them off.

This is a great article about  Tips for Cry-Free Shopping with Your Toddler

22. Empathy and Compassion

From a young age, you want to fill your child with compassion and empathy for others . Teach them about emotions and to be conscious of other people’s feelings.

• If they see someone crying, ask what’s wrong.
• If they see someone alone, go over and play with them.
• If they see someone that looks different than them, treat them equally.
• If they hurt someone, apologize and make it better

It’s never too early to talk to your children about race , ethnicity, disabilities, and recognizing differences between others.

23. Structure and a Routine

Your 3 year old probably already has some routine in place throughout their day . However, you want to ensure that they are consistently doing what is asked of them so that they could even do it on their own if needed.

The more structure that your child has in their day, the more they will start to understand time and a daily schedule.

I love using a  routine or responsibility chart (like the blue/green one on the right) so my toddler can have a visual cue of everything that is expected of her. Use  one with pictures  instead of just words, ( like this Mickey Mouse chart ), so your toddler actually understands what it’s for.

Here are some examples of day-to-day routines that you can create a specific pattern for:

• Bedtime: Brush teeth, go potty, wash hands, put pajamas on, read a story, go to sleep
• Morning: Go potty, wash hands, brush teeth, get dressed, eat breakfast
• Before naptime
• Pre-dinner wind-down time
• Cleaning time
• Getting ready for school/daycare : Packing their backpack, putting their jackets and shoes on, getting themselves into the car

Related Post:  Why Your Child Needs a Daily Routine and How to Make One

24. Staying on Task

A 3 year old’s attention span is still quite short, although it should have increased a lot since toddlerhood. It’s only reasonable to ask them to focus on a task for around 6-10 minutes at this age.

However, it is important for them to be aware that once they start a task they should finish it to completion. My daughter loves to grab a puzzle and put in 3 pieces and walk away or sit down and read 2 pages and then walk away.

The goal of teaching your child to stay on task is to complete what they start.  Here are some tips:

• While playing with your child, make sure that they complete the entire activity, ie. puzzle or read through the whole book, before they get up and run around.
• If they’re coloring or building a tower, keep them engaged in that one activity for as long as possible before you let them move on to the next.
• During mealtimes make sure they remain seated and finish their meal before getting up and playing.
• Make sure they clean up one activity before moving on to the next

25. Be a Helper and Doing “Chores”

Little kids LOVE to help grown-ups. They want to do everything that you’re doing because they’re starting to gain this growing confidence and independence. Invite them to perform tasks that they may not be able to do independently, but that they can help you with.

• Get the mail
• Take the trash out
• Refill the toilet paper roll dispenser
• Help with cooking: mixing, adding ingredients
• Carrying in bags or groceries
• Fill the dog bowl
• Entertain a younger sibling
• Cleaning up their toys
• Cleaning up after themselves: throwing their dishes in the sink garbage in the trash can
• Wiping down the table or floor when they make messes

26. Technology

Technology or screen time should be  limited  for preschoolers to no more than 2 hours a day, but it is still important for your child to learn how to use these devices. The fine motor skill of swiping, clicking, and sliding to nagivate through tablets and smart phones are something that your 3 year old can easily learn.

Ipad  educational games like  ABC Mouse are great to sharpen a lot of the educational skills listen above, as well as practice using a tablet or smart phone. There’s a great curriculum based on age and developmental level that teaches them so many new skills.

My 3 year old loves  ABC Mouse because of the wide variety of games and fun. She’s learning how to trace letters, numbers, make new sounds and words, etc.

Leapfrog Laptop  is also a fun interactive computer that little words can learn letters and typing on.

27. Sorting and Comparing

Sorting and comparing is a skill that you can teach your 3 year old. Make them aware of how objects are the same and different. Some of the criteria that they can use to sort is by:

• size (big, medium, small)
• categories (fruits vs. vegetables, farm animals vs. ocean animals)
• pattern (stripes, polka dots, solids)

This sorting pie from Learning Resources is a great way to practice sorting and categorizing objects by the features mentioned above.

28. Follow Multi-Step Directions

Your 3 year old should now have progressed from only understanding and following 1-step directions (i.e. put your shoes on) to following 2-3 step directions (i.e. get your shoes from the closet, put them on, and go wait by the car).

Practice with 2 steps at first to make sure they can focus on the direction given, process it, and carry it out. Then you can try adding in another step to see if they can still follow.

At times, your little one may be distracted to get all the distractions, and that’s ok since their attention span is still short, but as they approach 4, they should really be listening to you intently and follow your commands.

29. Rhyming Words and Opposites

You can teach your 3 year old some rhyming and opposite words at this age, as well. Short words that sound alike (ie. rat, bat and sky, tie) should be easy for them to catch on to.

Opposite words, for example in-out, up-down, should also be learned at this age as they use these words all the time. They should already know the words, but now understanding the meaning and how they are opposites of each other will really get their mind stimulated and understanding these concepts.

30. Sight Words

The first sight word that your preschooler may be able to spell and recognize is their name. Teach them how to spell their name and how to recognize it when it’s written. Those name puzzles shown above are great for practicing this!

Although your child isn’t expected to know sight words until later on, it can’t hurt to expose them to it now. Sight words are words that may not sound the wya they are spelled so they will have to just memorize the way the word looks.

These are typically commonly used words, for example, like, the, and my. As you read to your child, you will probably come across these words several times.

Point out the words to them and tell them what they say. If you tend to read the same books over and over, they should quickly pick up on what a word looks like and say it as you read. Not only soul you point these words out in their favorite book, but wherever you see it whether it’s a cereal box or sign.

Flash cards are also great for learning sight words, however they are a bit young for this.

31. Days of the week/Months of the Year/Seasons

By going over the calendar daily or singing songs, your 3 year old can learn the days of the week and months of the year pretty quickly. They still may not get a true sense of how these time periods work, but they can memorize a list of these items.

Most of these skills listed above can be accomplished at some point while a child is between three and four, but every child develops at their own pace.

This article is not intended to skew your mind into thinking that your child MUST know these concepts. However, if you are looking for activities to do with your child, ways to engage their mind, or knowledge to teach them, these are some great tips. Your child is NOT behind if they can’t adequately do all of these things, but if you are concerned, please speak to your pediatrician.

Have fun teaching your three-year-old and enjoy watching them blossom this year. They’ll be growing and developing before your eyes so don’t blink! Here are some more great activity ideas to do with your little one.

Related posts:

20 Educational & Developmental Activities for 3 Year Olds

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If I have to be honest three year olds are my favorite! They are sweet and kind and so loving, but what I love even more is watching the growth that happens when they are three. They go from barely being able to form a sentence to in-depth conversations where you might find yourself scratching your head how they learned all this! To help them in their growth I love to have plenty of educational activities for 3 year olds on hand to help them in their growth when they are ready to learn!

Whether you are looking for educational or developmental activities for your 3 year old we have an entire list that will help teach and entertain your child throughout the whole year! 

Be sure to check out our activities for 2 year olds as well! 

Activities for 3 Year Olds

1. animal sounds.

Kids love animals, in fact, they probably point out every animal they see to you as you drive by them or while they watch a show. Use this time to ask your child what sound the animal makes. 

By doing this it helps develop cognitive skills and increase memory. 

2. Animal Walk

If your child loves animals, then pretend to be animals! You can name out an animal and have your child act it out. This could be as simple as a dog, or you can have them use their imagination as to what a unicorn would do. 

Kids will learn coordination, hopping, balance, and galloping as you play together. 

There is no better way to educate a three year old than to read to them. Make it a habit of reading with your child each day or night for at least 15 minutes. Use this time to snuggle. As you read talk about what is happening in the story. Ask questions and get them to cognitively think about the outcome. 

I love to have books available and out so they can always grab a book and “read” on their own as well. 

The development of fine motor skills is crucial in three year olds. Sit at the table and draw with them. Give them a variety of colors. Have them draw pictures, have them practice tracing their letters if they are interested. All of these things will strengthen those fine motor skills. 

Cutting is another skill that might scare any parent! If your kids are like mine, they might have given themself a haircut or even cut an important document that they thought was scrap paper. So keep the scissors up high and bring them down when it is time to cut. Have them practice cutting on lines and also cutting out objects. The more they cut the stronger their skills will be. 

6. Play Hide and Go Seek

Hide and go seek is so fun at this age because they are actually hiding and starting to understand the concept of the game! Not only will you giggle together and have fun, but this game teaches patience to your kids as they have to find you even if they might find it hard as well as patiently wait while you find them as well. 

With three year olds, you can start to introduce some harder puzzles to the mix. We love to have a bunch of 24 piece jigsaw puzzles on hand for them to work on. As they do puzzles, they will learn concentration, patience, and the satisfaction of a job well done when they complete the puzzle. 

8. Outdoor Scavenger Hunt

Three year olds are explorers! So take them on an  outdoor scavenger hunt . Here they can explore nature, look for things big and small, and practice their observation skills. 

9. Sidewalk Chalk

On nice days, go outside and do various  sidewalk chalk activities . Have them trace around you and you trace around them. Have them practice writing their letters and numbers and a variety of other fun activities. 

10. Talk to them!

One of the best ways for your kids to develop educationally and developmentally is to talk to them. Have conversations with them. Answer your kids why questions 5000 times a day. You will be surprised at how well they are listening and soaking every word in that you are saying, even the ones that make you cringe when they repeat them, so beware!

11. Stickers

Stickers are another great activity. Have them grab the sticker off the sheet (which helps with those fine motor skills) and have them place them on the designated paper. Remind them that stickers only go on certain locations or you might end up with stickers everywhere! 

12. Play Soccer

If you want to help your 3 year old with coordination, go outside and kick the soccer ball with them. This will help them with hand-eye coordination, following directions, and help them stay active.

When in doubt, dance! Turn on some music and watch your kids dance! This helps relieve energy and helps them have fun and gain a love for music. Over time your kids will start asking for their favorite songs and asking you to turn off songs that they don’t care for. 

14. Sensory Bins

Create a fun sensory bin for your child to play with. These are relatively inexpensive and help with your child’s development. Have them look for certain things in the bin or create certain structures as they play. 

There is no better time to start counting with your child than now. Count together as you drive in the car and while you are sitting waiting for an activity to start. If you are giving your kids a candy treat, then count each object individually. This is the very beginning of basic math development and number recognition.

16. Finger Paint

Kids love to make messes. So put on some old clothes and let them finger paint. They will love using their fingers to create their very own masterpiece. 

17. Shaving Cream

Another fun activity with three year olds is to play with shaving cream. Place a big black trash bag over the table and on the floor and then add shaving cream. Let your child smash it, spread it, and squish it! 

18. Puppet Show

Create a puppet show with the kids. Make your own sock puppets or buy some puppets and play. Let your child take the lead on naming the characters and what will happen in the play. This is a great activity to develop creativity and develop their imagination. 

19. Build with Blocks

If you want another creative activity that uses their imagination as well as helps with fine motor skills grab some blocks. Here they can stack them on top of each other, build houses, and a variety of other fun structures. This is a fun activity to get on the floor and do with them through parallel play. 

20. Playdough

Make a big batch of playdough and give them some basic kitchen tools and let them play playdoh. Your child will spend hours each day playing with playdough. 

What other activities for 3 year olds would you add to the list? Share in the comments!

Check out these other great posts! 

15 Fun First Day of School Activities for the Little Ones

10 Smart STEM Activities for Kids

How to Make a Paper Airplane?

5 Cool DIY Water Balloon Launcher Ideas

How to Build a Catapult for School Project?

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Preschool Activities For 3-Year-Olds: Writing Practice, DIYs, Sensory Play, Art Projects, Counting Tasks, And More

April 15, 2024 //  by  Eileen Zajac

Whether you’re planning for a full term or just a week of curriculum, we know the challenge of preparing activities for your 3-year-old preschoolers! We also realize that finding learning experiences that meet the different abilities of your kiddos takes a lot of time and energy. Implementing three to four 15-minute activities is the perfect way to hold your little learners’ attention. Use this list to find a few activities that can be easily integrated into your lessons, or used throughout the day during mini-breaks and transition periods. Let’s dive in!

1. Rainy Names

Did you know that learning and understanding names can boost confidence and build community in the classroom? This activity has your students paste raindrops with the letters of their names in the correct order. It’s perfect for a rainy day and for enhancing your students’ name recognition, pre-writing skills, and much more! 

Learn More: Instagram

2. Baby Tub Time

Your little ones will adore using dolls to improve social skills in this engaging educational activity! Hands-on activities like this one where they’ll wash and care for their doll will help your children gain a better understanding of how to treat others appropriately. 

Learn More: The Imagination Tree

3. Letter Fishing

Engaging and challenging activities for your preschool children that also enhance their letter recognition skills? Where do we sign up? Use a basket or fill a tub with water and let your little fishermen start casting for letters! This fun learning experience will engage even your most lively kiddos.

4. Counting Caterpillars

Your kiddos will love practicing their motor skills and number recognition by building little caterpillars! Draw some circles to create a caterpillar and then write a digit from 1 to 10 in each circle. Your preschoolers will match these to numbered dots on other circles that you have made from construction paper. 

5. Building With Magnetic Tiles 

Get your hard hat ready and start building with magnetic tiles! This activity helps develop your children’s motor skills and creativity, and is simply a lot of fun! Use MAGNA-TILES (or blocks) and have them either copy your creations or create their own designs! 

6. Kids Busy Boxes

‘Busy boxes’ will be a definite game changer for your preschool classroom! For this quick activity, fill individual compartments of plastic containers with items such as markers, dried cereal, or anything else that will keep busy little hands and minds occupied! You don’t need to get fancy – even a shoe box will work! 

7. Mini Pies

Preschoolers love being outside! Outdoor play gives your students the space to observe nature while they test out their skills! Imaginations will soar as they make mini pies by filling muffin tins with natural objects like black walnuts, dirt, and a sprinkle of grass to top it off! Just hope they don’t expect you to try their creations!

8. Color Sorting

By preschool, kids are usually pretty skilled at recognizing different colors, but that doesn’t mean this toddler activity shouldn’t be practiced. Have your children sort colored objects into matching colored dishes to learn critical thinking and organizational skills. This is a great activity to supplement lessons focused on categorization. 

9. Obstacle Courses

There’s no doubt that building motor skills is extremely important for childhood development.  This fun obstacle course activity will be a hit with your youngsters! It will also help them develop muscle strength, balance, problem-solving skills, sensory processing, and coordination – all essential components of motor skills! 

10. Name or Letter Recognition

You’ll love this activity that requires little prep and has multiple uses! Whether your kiddies are working on building names or identifying letters, these colorful sticker dots will spark their interest and enhance their recognition skills. Get them to match the letters with those on paper or use the stickers to practice building sight words.

11. Boo Boo Counting

Boo Boo Counting is great for developing math skills and for practicing empathy. Your young mathematicians will relate to matching numbered band-aids to the owie spots on a cardboard cutout of a child. Consider laminating the cardboard and using velcro to make this activity last longer – it’s a keeper!

Learn More: Toddler Rat Play

12. Logical Sorting

Add this one to your week of activities focused on logical sorting. Your little ones who are ready for a challenge will love using a grid to sort colorful little houses into categories to match both the house color and the roof color!  This activity will go a long way in helping them understand the relationship between different patterns. 

Learn More: Teachers Mag

13. Arrow Matching

This is an adorable hands-on learning activity that will develop motor skills and increase your children’s curiosity about nature. They’ll love matching arrows to create paths for a caterpillar on its journey to become a butterfly and for a spider to get to its web! 

14. Elephant Ring Toss

Any animal activity is sure to spark even your most difficult students’ interest. Use a recycled box to create a cardboard cut-out of an elephant’s face with a 3D trunk. Next, construct three cardboard rings. Have your children help paint the elephant before they start the ring toss game! 

Learn More: Pinterest

15. Swing Painting

This was one of those activities that couldn’t be left out of this list!! It combines two activities that are particularly calming for children – swinging and painting. Have them hang from a swing, paintbrush in hand, and let their creativity shine! This art project is a super way to vary things up if you’ve got kids who struggle to stay focused all day! 

Learn More: Homegrown Friends  

16. Splitting Hairs

Scissor skills are pretty vital as your preschoolers move on to kindergarten and elementary school! They’ll love using scissors to cut the hair of little paper people in this fun activity that builds their motor skills. They can build up to more wavy or zig-zag lines as their skills develop.

Learn More: Facebook

17. Dot Puzzles

This one will be a good challenge for your little ones! Create a paper puzzle and puzzle pieces with a colored dot pattern and let your preschoolers work independently or with a partner to place the pieces over the matching part of the puzzle. This can be tricky so encourage them to ask for help if they need it!

18. Bubble Wrap Popping

Number recognition and bubble wrap? Now this sounds like a good time! Write numbers on the bubble wrap; the bigger the bubbles, the better! Next, read out a number and your children will pop the bubbles with a toothpick or even just their finger! Remember to mix up the numbers and spread them out when creating this exciting resource to boost their recognition skills.

19. All About Me Process Art

@art.is.smart All About Me process art with 3 year olds! #preschoolteacher #artissmart #teachersoftiktok ♬ Colors of the Wind – Instrumental – Vesislava

Sometimes slowing things down is the way to go! Have your kids participate in an artistic mini-portrait experience that focuses on the process of art more than the finished product. This project is great for getting them to understand the steps in making art, while also discovering different techniques, materials, and tools. 

Learn More: Tiktok

20. Playdough Shapes

@planningplaytime 70+ pages of Preschool Fun #preschoolmom #preschoolteachers #toddlermoms #preschoolathome #preschoolactivities #learningthroughplay #playtolearn ♬ Cute – Bensound

Everybody loves playdough, but using it for educational activities is a surefire way to get your class excited about learning! There are benefits to playdough free-play, but this tactile activity will also reinforce your kids’ knowledge of shapes. Simply print this template and watch your students mold their dough to match the shapes. 

Learn More: TikTok

21. Artsy Preschoolers

@carreyme Preschool teacher thangs. 3 year olds are amazing! Artist study 👩‍🎨 #pietmondrieaanstyle #preschool #preschoolteacher #preschoolactivities #earlychildhoodeducation ♬ Kyoto Flow – Official Sound Studio

Do you have an old art history book lying around? If not, track one down to inspire an early love of art in your preschoolers. Show them one of the masterpieces, open the fingerpaint jars, and let them get to work on creating their own interpretation of the painting! 

22. Spaghetti Play

Who doesn’t love a little spaghetti play? Add some different colored slimy ‘spaghetti’ noodles to your activity table and watch your students as they use their tiny hands to play with different tools to cut their noodles! They’ll have the time of their life with this super sensory activity!

23. Dancing Corn

@byemilylawson This is the number one preschool science idea on my blog for 5 years now #stemforkids #preschoolstem #prekstem #prekactivitiesathome #toddleractivitiesathome #activitiesfortoddlers #keepingkidsbusy #scienceismagic #scienceforpreschool #fallactivitiesforkids ♬ original sound – Emily | relatable mom life

It’s never too early to start experimenting with different science projects. This dancing corn demonstration is sure to be a hit with your preschool students! Place corn in a clear cup and then add baking soda and some vinegar to have your kiddos jumping with joy when the corn starts to dance! 

24. Painting Ice

@littlebirchpreschool #ice #preschool #earlyyears #tufftray #tufftrayactivities #heatwave #playingandlearning ♬ Ice Ice Baby – Vanilla Ice

This activity is great for a hot summer day; the combination of ice cubes and paint is the perfect mix to cool little hands! Add plenty of ice and paint to your activity table, and have your students use paintbrushes to explore the melting ice and the changes in the water’s color! What a cool activity!

25. Race and Paint

@daynursery Racing the cars while making marks! #makingmarks #preschoolactivities #activityideas #fyp #viral #trending #earlyyears ♬ Roary The Racing Car Main Theme (From ""Roary The Racing Car"") – Geek Music

On your marks, get set, paint! Your kids will have a blast dipping plastic cars into paint and letting them race to the finish, creating beautiful streaks of color in the process! Whether you have them race each other or just drive the cars around,  this activity will surely result in smiling faces and some eye-catching artwork!  

26. Alphabet Practice

@bigcityreaders #abcs #alphabetactivities #readingteacher #teachersoftiktok #teachertok #momtoks #preschoolactivities #preschoolathome #preschoollunch #preschoolmom #StJudeDadPhotos #fypシ゚viral #learningtoread #3yearoldbrain #alphabethack #letters #letterssong ♬ Face Dance – Funny Tok

Make learning the alphabet more fun with missing letters! Write part of the alphabet on a strip of paper, but cover a few of the letters with sticky notes. Then start singing the alphabet song and either have your children write the missing letter or let them reveal it by uncovering the hidden letter! 

27. Patterning

@play.inspire.grow Hands on patterning #earlymaths #simplemaths #preschoolmath #preschoolactivities #prek #teachermom #homeschool #earlyyearsideas #kindergarten #learningisfun #canadianmom #montessoriathome #learningthroughplay ♬ FEEL THE GROOVE – Queens Road, Fabian Graetz

Get creative by starting a pattern for your kids to practice ‘what comes next’! This activity uses a range of objects like stickers, dot markers, and manipulatives to teach them more about this important skill. Your little ones will love the variety in this task as they work to identify patterns and create their own!

28. Dressing Dolls

@mrs_burland Dress the dolls activity, encouraging children to strengthen their hand muscles and develop their fine motor skills. Also, encouraging independence. #earlyyearsactivities #finemotoractivity #earlyyearspractitioner #preschoolactivities #eyfsactivities #handandeyecoordination #finemotorskills ♬ Low Down – venbee & Dan Fable

Playing with dolls is always a great opportunity to help your students better understand themselves and others. You can gather a variety of small dolls and let your kids get creative by dressing them up! The small size will be more challenging for their little hands, making this the perfect practice for developing fine motor skills.  

29. Listen & Do

How good are your kiddos at listening and copying? Have them point to the body part they hear you say to increase movement and develop active listening and cognitive skills. Playing this game daily or a few times a week will reinforce important vocabulary and is a perfect break to get your active kiddos moving! 

Learn More: YouTube

30. Shake Your Sillies Out

Preschoolers have A LOT of emotions and brain breaks are vital to creating a positive learning experience. Your little ones need the time and space to express their feelings and  ‘Shake Your Sillies Out’ is the perfect song to make that happen! Play this video and let them go for it!

31. A Hole In the Bottom of the Sea

Are you planning a lesson about the food chain? This song is absolutely adorable, and the animation of the video provides a great visual for your little learners! They’ll love the repetitive lyrics that will help them better understand and remember the concept of a food chain.

32. Sight Word Surprise

Providing consistent exposure to letters and sight words is essential throughout the preschool years. This online learning game offers your kiddos this practice, and gives you the flexibility to use it for either in-person or distance learning!

33. Beginning Sounds

Your learners’ oral language development starts with an understanding of different sounds. This online phonics video is a great way to introduce initial letter sounds to them! Make this even more fun by projecting the video onto your whiteboard and having your children use magnetic letters to identify the beginning sounds of words. 

34. Guess the Fruit

By preschool, your students are probably familiar with many different types of fruit. This video can be used to assess what they already know while also giving them a chance to learn about some new delicious examples! Even your shyest kids will love showing off their knowledge on this topic!

Learn More: Youtube

35. Where Will It Land?

Making predictions in the early years is a great way to prepare your little ones for studying STEM subjects in elementary school and beyond!! This exciting activity introduces them to the concept of friction and to skills like problem-solving. Fast-track their interest in STEM by incorporating this into your preschool curriculum today!

36. Finger Painting

Foster creativity and sensory development with this messy art project! Give your students non-toxic paint and large sheets of paper, and let them use their fingers to create anything their heart desires! You can always rely on finger painting for a wonderful and relaxing tactile activity that enhances fine motor skills.

Learn More: Raising Children Network

37. Animal Yoga

No, it’s not yoga for animals! Your children will adore transforming their bodies into the shapes of different animals in this fun movement activity. It’s a playful way to promote physical activity, and flexibility, and introduce mindfulness and relaxation techniques to your young learners.

Learn More: Mother Natured

38. Puzzle Time

Puzzles never get old and are a perfect down-time activity! They’re a fantastic way to help your preschoolers develop problem-solving skills, hand-eye coordination, and persistence! Offer a selection of simple puzzles with large pieces and let them explore this challenge individually or in small groups.

Learn More: Amazon

39. Nature Walks

Take learning outside by going on a nature walk with your kiddos! Encourage them to observe their surroundings and collect leaves, stones, or sticks to use for art projects in class. Not only are these walks fun, but they also promote physical activity, observation skills, and an appreciation for the environment.

Learn More: The Artful Parent

40. Story Cubes

These story cubes are made with pictures and are perfect for your younger learners! Have them take turns rolling the dice to create a story based on the image shown. It’s sure to spark imagination, enhance language skills, and if done in a small group or whole class setting, increase collaboration skills!  

41. Playdough Creations

Playdough is an excellent choice for fine motor development and creative expression. This fantastic resource includes 16 activities with playdough to engage your preschooler in some hands-on fun! Your kids will love squishing, rolling, and molding playdough into figures, animals, and abstract shapes! 

Learn More: My Bored Toddler

42. Water Play

This activity is guaranteed to make a splash with your little ones! Set up a water table or fill a basin with water and add cups, sponges, and toys. It’s sure to be an enjoyable and soothing activity to introduce them to concepts like volume, buoyancy, and cause and effect.

Learn More: Kildare County Childcare Committee

43. Sensory Bins

This activity is a great addition to your preschool toolbox! Grab a few bins and fill them with items like rice, beans, or water beads, add scoops, small toys, or natural elements like twigs and leaves, and you’re good to go! Have your kiddies feel the items to explore textures and calm their active minds. 

Learn More: Sheeking Out

44. Rhyming Games

Engaging your preschoolers in rhyming games is a fantastic way to boost their phonemic awareness! Choose songs or storybooks to recite and identify rhymes, or have them create their own for an added challenge! Not only are the rhymes delightful, but they also serve as an important step toward developing reading and writing skills. 

Learn More: 20 Great Rhyming Activities for Preschool

45. Collage Making

Collages are an excellent way for your preschoolers to express their ideas in a visual way! With safety scissors, glue, magazines, and construction paper, your little artists will explore textures, colors, and composition. Have them share their stories about their creations to gain insight into their thinking and to give their oral language skills a boost! 

46. Obstacle Course

Obstacle courses can be tailored to any skill level, ensuring an inclusive experience for all! Design a course using cushions, ropes, and hoops to encourage movement and problem-solving. Your kiddies will navigate by crawling, jumping, and balancing to improve their gross motor skills. Watch as they overcome obstacles – both literally and figuratively! 

47. Dress-Up Play

A box full of costumes, hats, and accessories is a treasure trove for imaginative play! When your little ones dress up and start role-playing, they’ll delve into the world of make-believe, fostering creativity, empathy, and social skills! This activity will lead to spontaneous storytelling performances that will certainly showcase and celebrate your kids’ unique ideas.

Learn More: Healthline

48. Letter Hunt

Transform letter recognition into an adventure by hiding foam or magnetic letters around the classroom! Your children will love practicing their gross motor skills by reaching and stretching on their hunt for the hidden letters. This is a dynamic way to reinforce alphabet knowledge in a context that feels more like play than instruction!

Learn More: Hands On As We Grow

49. Parachute Games

Bringing out the parachute always sends the excitement sky-high! Your kids will love working together to lift and lower the parachute to make waves, bounce balls, or billowing mushroom shapes.  Games like this are not only fun, but also enhance teamwork, coordination, and gross motor skills. This activity is bound to captivate their attention!  

50. Bubble Popping

There’s something irresistible about bubbles! Blowing and chasing bubbles engages your children in a playful pursuit that enhances their hand-eye coordination while getting them to burn off some energy! They’ll soon tire themselves out trying to pop the bubbles before they float away!

Learn More: Red Ted Art

51. Matching Games

Matching games that use cards or objects are excellent cognitive exercises for your littlest learners. As they match pairs based on color, shape, or theme, they’ll be enhancing their visual perception, memory, and concentration. This simple social game encourages cooperation while also laying the groundwork for them to develop some more complex problem-solving skills.

Learn More: PBS Learning Media

52. Salt Tray Writing

It’s not just a tray of salt, it’s a tactile and sensory-rich experience for your preschoolers! You can guide them to use their fingers or sticks to practice writing letters, numbers, or shapes in the salt. This is a super way to encourage experimentation and reduce the pressure of perfectionism by having them just shake the tray to “erase” any mistakes! 

Learn More: Happy Hooligans

53. Balancing Beam

A balance beam is a great tool for developing coordination. Have your little tight-ropers walk across a real beam or a line of tape on the floor to practice controlling their body movements and strengthening their muscles. You could also integrate it with other learning, such as counting or reciting the alphabet while taking steps.

54. Homemade Musical Instruments

Creating musical instruments out of household items is a dual-learning activity! Your students will use their fine motor skills and creativity to craft their instruments, and use them to explore sounds, beats, and rhythms!  Have your mini musicians fill bottles with rice, or string rubber bands across a cereal box and start jammin’! 

Learn More: Playgroup NSW

55. Shadow Play

Shadow play is a totally captivating activity that blends art, science, and storytelling! Using a flashlight and a blank wall, let your children explore the properties of light and shadows by creating shapes and figures with their hands or with cutouts on sticks. This magical form of play invites them to use their imagination like never before!

Learn More: Koko Tree

56. Bean Bag Toss

This simple game is a great way to get your kids playing all together! Set up the targets and give them some bean bags for throwing; it’s a simple way to develop their hand-eye coordination and gross motor skills. Focus the play on cooperation or switch things up by adding some healthy competition! 

57. Gardening

Grow your little ones’ wonder with this hands-on activity! Have them plant seeds in cups filled with dirt or in a garden plot and watch their enthusiasm grow as they tend to the new sprouts! Along with learning about the life cycle of plants, this activity is a simple way to let them experience a little bit of responsibility.

Learn More: Baby Sparks

58. Cooking Simple Recipes

Get cooking with hands-on learning in the kitchen! Introduce your children to essential skills like following instructions and measurement using simple recipes to make sandwiches or fruit salads. These easy kid-friendly recipes are perfect to get them excited about cooking and they’ll love tasting their creations!

Learn More: Good To

59. Alphabet Fishing

This is the perfect activity to get your kiddos excited about the alphabet! Write letters on small squares with a paperclip attached, then have your learners use a fishing rod with a magnetic cast to reel in a letter! Fishing for the alphabet is a fun way to reinforce their learning around letter recognition and helps develop focus!

Learn More: First Palette

60. Mask-Making

This fun activity might result in an imaginative play or an outrageous costume party! Let your children make masks using a variety of materials like paper plates, feathers, sequins, and glue. Their creativity will come to life as they explore the world of make-believe and develop fine motor skills.

Learn More: Artful Parent

61. Puppet Shows

Puppet play is a great way for your preschoolers to explore drama and storytelling! They can use soft toys or even make their own puppets from old socks or paper bags. They’ll delight in the magical play and storytelling of puppetry that encourages creativity, language development, and even sharing their feelings!

62. Lacing Cards

These adorable cards will help your littles learn how to lace! This tricky skill makes for a quiet and calming activity that is also excellent for developing fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and concentration. Get going by printing these cards, cutting the holes, and gathering some old shoelaces! 

63. Recycled Material Building

No need for fancy materials with this creative activity! Collect recycled materials like boxes, tubes, and cartons, and have your little ones start building their structures. They won’t even notice that they are learning about physics and developing their creativity and problem-solving skills in the process!

64. Sorting Games

Sorting activities will help your kids to develop their foundational math skills like categorization.  Gather common items like coins, playing cards, and different types of beans and pasta, then challenge your learners to sort them by their shape, size, quantity, or category.

Learn More: Keep Toddlers Busy

65. Ice Cube Melting

This sensory experience is perfect for a hot day! Give each of your students an ice cube to hold and have them watch it melt; it’s a great way to teach them about temperature, states of matter, weather, and seasons. You’ll be surprised at how this simple activity can lead to such engaging student discussions!

Learn More: Stir The Wonder

66. Sticker Stories

This activity incorporates a little learning into your kiddos’ love of stickers! Give them some sheets of stickers and paper and let them go crazy!  Foster their creativity and narrative skills by encouraging them to create scenes or stories with the stickers. They will also practice fine motor control as they master peeling and placing the stickers.

67. Hopscotch

Sometimes classic games are just what you need and hopscotch is certainly one that never gets old! Draw a hopscotch grid with chalk outside or use tape indoors for a rainy day brain break. It’s a timeless game perfect for your little ones that promotes number recognition, balance, and coordination!

Learn More: WikiHow

68. Bubble Wrap Stomp

Your kiddos will love this activity if they can contain their excitement! Lay out a large piece of paper on the floor and set up some trays of paints. Next, wrap your little learners’ feet in bubble wrap and let them stomp out a colorful masterpiece! 

Learn More: Mess For Less

69. Shadow Tag

This fun twist on the classic game of tag is the perfect way to engage your children in an outdoor movement activity! Instead of tagging each other with touch, they’ll have to step on each other’s shadows! What a fun introduction to the concept of light and shadow! 

Learn More: Joyful Parenting

70. Kinetic Sand Play

Your learners will love this amazing sensory experience! Kinetic sand is less messy than traditional sand, but is still moldable; so they’ll still be able to make creative shapes and structures! This is a great way to encourage creativity while also keeping your classroom a little cleaner!  

Learn More: Access and Inclusion Model

71. Story Stones

There are no fancy materials required for this activity; just some stones! Have your children paint pictures on stones or do this yourself, and then encourage them to use the stones to tell stories. This fun activity encourages their creativity and is a great way to explore sequencing events. 

Learn More: Early Impact Learning

72. Color Mixing

Experimenting with paints is a sure way to hold your preschoolers’ attention! Provide primary colored paints and let them mix their own colors on paper or in containers, and use this printable sheet to record their results! It’s a hands-on way to learn about colors that can also feel like a magical experiment.

Learn More: Little Bins For Little Hands

73. Marble Run

There’s a reason marble runs have been around for generations! They help develop problem-solving skills, creativity, hand-eye coordination, and spatial awareness. Have your littles build a marble run using tubes, boxes, or a pre-made set. They’ll love predicting the path of the marble as they learn a basic understanding of physics principles like gravity and momentum.

Learn More: HABA USA

74. Stomp and Catch

Test out your kiddos’ stomping ability with this fun game! Create a launching board out of a wooden plank and a strong cardboard tube, then load it up with a beanbag on the end. Next, let your preschoolers stomp down, and then try to catch the beanbag as it’s thrown up into the air before it hits the ground! Is their hand-eye coordination up to the task?

75. Memory Tray

This fun activity will test your students’ memorization skills! Place several objects on a tray, let your children observe them for one minute, and then cover them with a cloth or piece of paper. How many objects can they remember?  

Learn More: Play To Learn Preschool

76. Nature Collage

Complete this collage activity after you’ve taken your class for a walk outside! Have them collect leaves, sticks, and flowers that they’ll use to create a beautiful collage. This is an artistic activity that ends up being a wonderful tribute to our wonderful planet!

Learn More: Mama Teaches

77. Alphabet Bingo

Shake up the classic game of Bingo by playing it with letters instead of numbers! Your children will love practicing letter recognition by identifying the letters they hear them called out and the excitement of calling out Bingo when their card is full! It’s a fun group activity that encourages active listening. 

Learn More: New Horizon Academy

78. Dance Party

There’s nothing like watching your little ones get their wiggles out by dancing to a good tune! Play some upbeat music and let them dance freely; we’ve even found the perfect playlist to get you started!  Dance parties are a simple way to encourage physical activity and rhythm, and to foster a little bonding during a joyful group activity! 

Learn More: Miss Nina

Alphabet Worksheets A-Z – Plus Ideas and Activities for Teaching the ABC’s!

Alphabet worksheets a-z for your beginning reader - perfect for young learners of the abc's.

Grab all 26 of these FREE alphabet worksheets a-z while you can! I want to keep them free for a while I can - and I would LOVE feedback if they work for you. 🙂

Each worksheet has been fashioned to practice each letter after you have taught it through tracing, coloring, finding the correct letter, and connecting it to picture. I recommend that you teach the letter in an active way, using all the sights and senses of your child through tactile learning activities, motor activities, and other sensory ways (songs, videos, etc).

And then, after you have taught the letter, you can grab these worksheets that you have printed out, and use them for practice. The link to the printables can be found in the form toward the bottom of this post. Enjoy!

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. You can learn more about that here .

• Preschool worksheets

Always remember that using preschool worksheets is about reinforcing letters, sounds, and concepts that your child has already been taught. Be active and engaging when you actually teach the alphabet and all the letters and sounds, but then you can move on to worksheets for practice.

And be choosy when you decide which worksheets to go for. Even though you DO want your child to copy and trace the letter to learn it, if you can find worksheets that also engage other senses, you've found a winner.

One great type of printable preschool worksheet to look for would be in the form of games! These days, there are printable games for the alphabet that you can download from websites on the internet. 

Once you print out the game, you can laminate it for play over and over, and that is a great way to get the mind working in different ways to explore and practice the alphabet - through play!

Here's a fun little game from the website Playdough to Plato . And, you can find lots of other great alphabet games there as well.

• Alphabet handwriting worksheet a to z

You may need to have worksheets for your child to practice all the letters of the alphabet in one setting. I've found a few (I think mostly free, but you'll need to double check at each link). 

Free Uppercase and Lowercase Worksheet by supplyme

Handwriting Worksheets A to Z by wkndr.co

Capital Tracing Letters by lizasatthepalace

Have you tried Abcmouse with your beginning reader? I did an Abcmouse review you can check out here , or you can also try it out for 30 days free !

• Alphabet tracing worksheets for 3 year olds

3 year olds are still really working on those fine motor skills. Get the hands-on type when you pick worksheets. Alphabet tracing worksheets for 3 year olds can be just the same as for other ages, but go the extra mile and keep the hands busy on things other than tracing as well.

Your child can cut out pictures that begin with the letter you are working on from a magazine, glue correct letters onto their match, or trace letters with shaving cream or sand.

Sure, you can use one of the tracing worksheets above, but it might be more fun to lay in the grass on a spring day and trace imaginary letters with your finger pointing up to the sky with your child. The bonus here is that you are outside and learning, too! (Being outside is GREAT for kids) 🙂

• Printable alphabet book pdf

One incentive to getting your child to complete a weekly worksheet for each letter is to put them all together into a little book to take home and show off, plus continue to read and review.

You can do this easily by just stapling all the sheets together once they are complete, or you can even go a little more fancy with binding or just tie it together with some cute ribbon!

• More Letter Pages to Check Out for Activities, Crafts, Worksheets, Printables and More Great Ideas..
• Alphabet tracing book

Even though kids learn REALLY well through kinesthetic and sensory learning, at some point you gotta put pencil to paper.

Here are a couple of the highest rated alphabet tracing books that I found for you on Amazon. These are a great idea to add to your alphabet curriculum for extra practice.

• Alphabet video for kids

A great (passive) way to teach kids the alphabet is through videos and songs. Here are a few alphabet videos for kids that can help your learner that I found on YouTube and with the help of Google. 

There were tons of them! If your child gets tired of these, you can find a lot more on your own. But meanwhile, you can check out these ABC videos:

And here's another one from Bounce Patrol - the ABC's in song!

• Free printable alphabet worksheets a-z

Ready for your worksheets? If you've read this far and gotten a few ideas for teaching the alphabet first, your kiddo should be ready for some practice.

Have a wonderful time teaching the letters to your beginning reader. Instead of charging $$ for these, I ask that you leave me a comment below letting me know how they work for you, or just to say hi. Thank you!!

Table of Contents

15 Replies to “Alphabet Worksheets A-Z – Plus Ideas and Activities for Teaching the ABC’s!”

Thank you so Much!!!!

Thank you!!! I teach k-2 autistic support and my students will benefit greatly from these!! A million thanks.

Thank you very much

: ) Thanks for the free ABC worksheets. It’s very helpful for my kid.That’s what I’m looking for.

Thank you so much for providing such an amazing alphabet tracing site. It must be very helpful for kids and parents both.

You are welcome! 🙂

can I get the free printable alphabet worksheet where I can download all at once.

I love the worksheet . Barbara Thompson

Hi Barbara – I’m glad you like the worksheets! Yes, I just added a link to a single .pdf at the bottom with all the letters. Hope that helps! 🙂 Amy

Thankyou! I am a special needs teacher and my class will love these

You are welcome! Hope they work well for you and the class! 🙂

Thank you for the free ABC worksheets. I think they will be a perfect compliment to my SPED curriculum.

You are welcome! I truly hope they do help. I enjoyed making them! 🙂 Happy teaching!

This printable looks really exciting. I love the information and pictures. Good resource for Kindergarten. My only concern, for the writing practice, all the letters are not on the lines. Since they need to copy the letters, I would make sure the example stays between the lines. Hope that helps.

Thank you Laura for the feedback – I did go back several weeks ago and fine-tune all the letters to make sure everything is accurate. 🙂

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• Math for Kids
• Parenting Resources
• ELA for Kids
• Teaching Resources

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How to Teach One to One Correspondence To Kids: 4 Easy Steps

How to Teach Odd and Even Numbers in 4 Easy Steps

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15 Best Learning Activities for Your 3 Year Old Preschooler

5 Fun Developmental Activities for 3-Year-Olds

5 indoor activities for 3-year-olds, 5 engaging art activities for 3-year-olds, how educational activities transform kids’ lives.

Toddlers are very active and always on the go! As a parent, it can be tough to keep up with their energy levels. However, it’s important to find ways to keep your toddler occupied and engaged and learning!

Math & ELA | PreK To Grade 5

Kids see fun ., you see real learning outcomes ..

Watch your kids fall in love with math & reading through our scientifically designed curriculum.

Here are 15 activities for 3-year-olds that are both fun and educational:

1. Recognizing Letters and Sounds

Learning activities for 3-year-olds are most fun when they are dressed up as family games, pretend plays, or become parts of our daily activities and observations. Recognizing letters and their sounds is one such activity that can be done in several ways.

Things you need:

A whiteboard or chalkboard, some colored markers or chalk. You can also use letter cards, board games, or online games for kids .

How to play:

You can play games where you write a letter on the board and teach your child to read it. Preschoolers can start learning both uppercase and lowercase letters . If they get it right, give them a point. If not, give them a clue and let them try again.

You can also play the “sound it out” game. Write a letter on the board and ask your child to make the sound it makes. Again, if they get it right, give them a point. If not, give them a clue and let them try again.

Pointing to letters written somewhere as you go about your day—a cereal box, a signboard, a magazine, etc.—is also an easy activity to help your child learn to read them. Children can also trace letters with their fingers on the sand, match uppercase and lowercase letters, erase letters on a chalkboard, etc. 

If you are busy, play some alphabet songs for your toddler to dance or let them play some online English games .

Skills your preschooler will learn:

Letter recognition, phonemic awareness, letter sounds

2. Reading with Your Child

Reading books with your child is one of the best things you can do for their development. Not only does it improve language skills, but it also helps them learn sight words, develop their imagination, and understand the world around them.

Books that are appropriate for your child’s age and interests, such as picture books, easy readers, etc.

Sit down with your child and read a book together. You can take turns reading the pages or have your child read the whole book to you.

Books for toddlers should be short and have many pictures supporting the story. This will help keep their attention span, and they will be more likely to understand the concepts in the book.

Read word by word, pointing to each word with your finger, and ask inferential questions based on how, why, what, when, and where to encourage the thinking skills in kids .

Language skills, sight words , attention span, comprehension, memory, imagination

3. Making Up Stories

Children love to listen to and tell stories, and this is an activity that can be done anywhere, anytime. It’s the perfect thing to do in a car while traveling, at bedtime, or even while waiting in line at the grocery store.

None! Just your child’s imagination

Have your child make up a story, either on their own or with your help. Encourage them to use their imagination and be as creative as they want. If they get stuck, you can prompt them with questions or ideas. You may also correct their grammar along the way, but it’s important to let them be creative and have fun with this activity.

If your child is stumped, set an example by asking them for three or four words and make a story that uses all of them. For instance, if they give you the words “cat,” “green,” “ball,” and “tree,” you could make up a story about a green cat that climbs a tree to fetch a ball.

Eventually, you can give words to your child and have them make up a story using those words.

Creativity, imagination, storytelling, communication

4. Playing a Number Game

Offline and online, math can be fun for kids if it’s taught interactively and creatively. Playing the number sense games is one such activity that will help your child learn numbers, counting, and basic arithmetic operations in a fun and engaging way.

A whiteboard or a chalkboard, some colored markers or chalk. You can also use games focusing on numbers and counting, such as board games, card games, etc. Online math games are also available.

There are many games that you can play with your child to help him learn numbers and math concepts. One such game is the “guess the number” game. Write down a number between 1 and 10 on the board, and ask your child to guess it. If he gets it right, give him a point. If not, give him a clue and let him have another try.

You can also play the “greater than or less than” game. Write down two numbers on the board, such as 3 and 5, and ask your child which number is greater. If he gets it right, give him a point. If not, give him a clue and let him try again.

Numbers , counting , and basic arithmetic operations include addition , subtraction , multiplication , and division .

5. Sorting Activities

Sorting is a fun activity that helps children learn about different attributes such as size, shape, color, etc. It also helps them develop problem-solving skills.

Various objects can be sorted according to size, shape, color, etc. You can use blocks, balls, toy cars, berries, buttons, etc.

Let your child choose a few objects and ask him to sort them according to size, shape, color, etc. For example, they can sort blocks by size or toy cars by color. As they sort the objects, help them identify the attribute they use for sorting.

Sorting, categorizing, and problem-solving.

Check out the best sensory activities for 3-year-olds you can try!

One of the favorite preschool activities for 3-year-olds is drawing. At this point, the artistic skills of a child are not really important. Drawing is a fun activity for toddlers to express themselves, work on their fine motor skills, and have fun!

Paper, crayons, markers, colored pencils

Sit with your child and encourage them to draw whatever comes to mind. You can also give some drawing ideas to kids , such as “Draw a picture of your family,” “Draw a picture of your favorite animal,” etc. You may make a drawing and ask your child to trace it or copy it.

Creativity, fine motor skills, imagination, attention span

7. Building with Blocks

One of the easy, no-mess activities for 3-year-olds at home is to let them build with blocks. It is amazing how much fun and creative they can be with this simple activity.

Blocks are also a great way for children to learn about shapes, sizes, colors, and patterns.

Blocks of various shapes and sizes

Let your child play with the blocks freely or give him or her some challenges, such as “build a tower as tall as you can,” “make a house for your favorite stuffed toy,” etc.

Creativity, imagination, problem-solving, eye-hand coordination, shapes, colors, patterns

8. Paper Cutting with Safety Scissors

Children feel empowered with a tool in their hands. And they are so proud of themselves when they can cut the paper!

Paper, safety scissors, craft supplies like pom poms, googly eyes (optional)

Give your child a piece of paper and let him or her cut it any way they want. If you like, you can also give some challenges, such as “cut out a circle,” “make a snowflake,” etc. You can help your child decorate the cutouts with craft supplies if desired.

Fine motor skills, creativity, imagination, attention span

*Please note that only safety scissors should be used for this activity. Regular scissors are too sharp for little ones.*

9. Doing Daily Chores

You’ll be surprised at all the things your toddlers can do if only you let them try. Giving them some simple chores to do not only helps them learn some valuable life skills but also makes kids feel proud and accomplished.

Chores that are appropriate for your child’s age and abilities, such as making their bed, dusting furniture, setting the table, etc.

Choose a chore that you would like your child to help with. Then, show them how to do it and let them try it themselves. Some of the chores that a 3-year-old can do may require some assistance or supervision, but it’s important to let them explore their capabilities and try new things.

A toddler can easily be overwhelmed with too many chores, so it’s important to start small. Choose one or two simple tasks that you know your child can handle. As they get older and more capable, you can give them more chores to do. Remember to praise them for a job well done!

Daily living skills, responsibility, independence, pride, satisfaction

10. Role-playing

What’s funnier than seeing a tiny toddler acting like a fat aunt or an old grandpa? Role-plays are one of the best activities for 3-year-olds as they help them learn about different emotions, people, and situations.

None! Just your child’s imagination. A few props like a walking stick, a hat, a lady’s purse, or a wig could come in handy to help set the scene.

Have your child choose a character that he or she would like to play. It could be anyone—a family member, a friend, a cartoon character, an animal, etc. Then, encourage them to act out the part. They can speak differently, use props, and do whatever they want to bring the character to life. Children learn to observe people around them and understand their emotions in this way.

Creativity, imagination, emotional intelligence, communication, problem-solving

Check out the best outdoor activities for 3-year-olds here!

11. Playing Dress Up

Dress-up games are not gender-specific. Most children love them! This activity helps 3-year-olds use their imagination, learn about social norms and roles, and have lots of fun!

Old clothes, hats, scarves, jewelry, etc., can be used as dress-up items. You can also use old sheets or towels to make capes or skirts. You can also use actual costumes if you have them.

Let your child choose what they want to be, and then help them get dressed in the appropriate clothing. If you like, you can also act out a play or story together with your child in their new costume.

Creativity, imagination, role-playing, problem-solving

12. Making Music with Household Items

This is one of the fun activities for 3-year-olds that can be done with items that you already have around the house. It’s a great way to introduce your child to music and help them develop a sense of rhythm.

Household items that can be used as musical instruments, such as pots and pans, plastic containers, wooden spoons, etc. You can also use actual musical instruments if you have them.

Let your child choose what he or she wants to use as an instrument. Then, encourage them to make music with it however they want. You can also sing along or dance to the music!

Music skills, sense of rhythm, gross motor skills, creativity, imagination

13. Making Art with Thumb , Hand, or Foot Impressions

Most toddlers do not know how to go about making an art piece. But they love to play a role in helping make one! This activity allows them to do just that, resulting in a beautiful piece of art that you can hang on your fridge or wall.

Non-toxic paint, paper, and something to use as a stamp (such as potato, carrot, or eraser)

Let your child choose what paint color he or she wants to use. Then, help them make a thumbprint, handprint, or footprint on the paper. You can also make patterns with stamps by carving a shape into a potato, carrot, or eraser. Once the paint is dry, you can hang up the artwork!

Creativity, imagination, fine motor skills, color recognition

14. Creating a Collage

A collage is a great way for toddlers to express their creativity. They can make amazing birthday cards with photo collages, make wall-hanging art, or have fun tearing up paper and gluing it back together!

Paper, safety scissors, glue, and any other materials you want to use for the collage (such as tissue paper, construction paper, feathers, buttons, ribbons, etc.)

Let your child choose what they want to use for their collage. Then, help them cut out the paper or other materials into small pieces. Once they have a good pile of pieces, they can glue them down onto another piece of paper. You can help them with this if needed.

Creativity, imagination, fine motor skills, color recognition, pattern-making

15. Drawing with Chalk on the Sidewalk

If you live in a safe neighborhood, your children can display their artistic skills outside the home by drawing with chalk on the sidewalk or driveway. This activity is great for gross motor skills and allows you to teach your child about shapes, colors, and patterns.

Chalk in various colors

Let your child choose what color of chalk he or she wants to use. Then, help them draw a picture or make patterns on the sidewalk. You can also join in and create your own chalk masterpiece!

Educate children about different cultures where making art to decorate entrance gates and doorways is a tradition. Indians make rangoli, Chinese make a dragon or zodiac animal drawings, while in the Philippines, it is common to see people painting on bamboo mats called banig . In this way, you can introduce your toddlers to other cultures.

Creativity, imagination, gross motor skills, shapes, colors, pattern-making

A study on Chinese children found that organized extracurricular activities (EAs) are strongly associated with early reading, math, and social skills. Another study indicated that the involvement of parents in preschool children’s learning activities at home during the COVID-19 pandemic was beneficial to kids’ learning behavior and emotional health. 

These studies seem to suggest that any activity that encourages learning, socialization, and creativity would benefit our little ones and shape them into more confident, woke, and aware individuals. 

Some benefits of educational activities for 3-year-olds are:

• They help develop cognitive skills, including problem-solving, memory, and attention span.
• EAs also nurture social skills such as cooperation, empathy, and communication.
• These activities can also boost self-esteem and confidence in children.
• Fun and educational activities are also great for developing gross and fine motor skills.

So go ahead and try out some educational activities with your 3-year-old today! You might just be surprised at how much they enjoy it—and how much they learn from it too.

Explore more online educational resources for kids to aid their learning experience.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How to choose a good educational activity for my 3 year old.

When choosing an activity for your 3-year-old, it is important to consider their interests, abilities, and attention span. You also want to ensure the activity is developmentally appropriate and safe. If you are unsure whether an activity is appropriate for your child, you can always consult their pediatrician or a child development expert.

How can I get my toddler to sit still and focus on an activity?

This can be a challenge for many parents! One tip is to try to find activities that your child is interested in and that they enjoy doing. Also, make sure you provide plenty of breaks during the activity so that your child doesn’t become overwhelmed or frustrated. Finally, praise your child when they display good behavior so that they know that you are pleased with their efforts.

How to help my toddler express their creativity?

There are many ways in which you can help your toddler express their creativity. One way is to provide plenty of opportunities for them to explore different materials and mediums, such as crayons, paint, clay, etc. You can also encourage them to sing, dance, or act out stories. And finally, make sure to praise their efforts and creativity, no matter what the outcome may be.

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Free Toddler and Preschool Printables for Year-Round

 Inside: Looking for free toddler and preschool printables that work all year long? This collection contains printable activities that build a variety of skills for home and school!

Here is our collection of free toddler and preschool printables that can be used all year long.

This collection includes:

• color recognition
• dramatic play
• classroom lists

Playdough Counting Mats

Dot Numbers 1-10 Pages

Counting Bears 1-10

Tractor Counting Puzzles

Tow Truck 1-10 Counting

Rocket Ship Counting Activity

Woodland Animal Counting Puzzles

Farm Count and Clip Cards

Farm Animal Counting Puzzles

Symmetry Puzzle Cards

Fine Motor Ideas Printable List

Pets Left-to-Right Fine Motor Activity

Race Car Left-to-Right Fine Motor Activity

Forest Animals Left-to-Right Fine Motor Activity

Farm Animals Left-to-Right Fine Motor Activity

Follow the Path Animals Activity

Scissor Practice Page

Uppercase Dot Pages

Lowercase Dot Pages

Alphabet Cards

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? Circle Time Props

Dramatic Play

Post Office Dramatic Play Signs and Labels

Pet Shop Labels

Bakery Sign and Labels

Color Recognition

Car Color Matching

Dinosaur Egg Color Matching

Color Sorting Activity (English/Spanish)

Rainbow Fish and Bowls Color Matching

Paint Brush Color Sorting

Dot Shapes Activity

Fine Motor Shapes Activity

Shape Matching Cards

Shapes Match and Clip Cards

Symmetry Shape Matching 

Rectangle Shape Matching Cards

Circle Shape Packet

Square Shape Packet

Triangle Shape Packet

Matching Activities

Construction Tools Matching Puzzles

How Do You Feel Today Packet

Table/Circle Time Activities

Put the Animals in the Barn

Car Color and Number Props

Spanish/English Career Cards

Spanish/English Color Sorting Activity

Circle Time

Circle Time Basket Printable

The Itsy Bitsy Spider Printable Props

Airplane Props

Picture Cards

Farm Picture Cards

Centers Labels

Classroom Labels

Centers Time Planner

Binder Covers

Music Notebook Cover

Setting Up the Classroom

Setting Up the Classroom Printable List

Birthday Banner Printable

Color Sheets

Transportation Color Sheets

Construction Color Pages

Forest Animals Color Pages

House Template

Star Template

Fire Flames

Barn Template

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Home › Activities

41 Fun Learning Activities for 3-Year-Olds

By Karo @ CraftsyHacks.com

on Dec 01, 2022, Updated Nov 09, 2023

This post may contain affiliate links: full affiliate disclosure .

Three-year-olds are like sponges and constantly looking for something to get their hands on! If you’re a parent or caretaker, these learning activities for 3 year olds will keep them busy.

Even better, these fun activity ideas are all constructive and beneficial educational tools to help young children continue to grow.

All of these fun ideas are accessible enough for little hands, or there are sufficient easy modifications to supplement yourself to help anyone complete the fun activities.

Let me know if you try any of these educational activities or what your favorite of these engaging activities is down below!

1. Pom Pom Water Sensory Bin

First on this list of activities is a great sensory and fine motor activity that’s rolled into one, and the best part is that it’s reusable!

The best way to do this great activity is to make sure to dry your pom poms between uses by squeezing out excess water and letting them dry on a towel.

Fill a big enough container with water, add the poms, get some of these scoops or grabbers and have a ball!

This is one of the best hands-on kindergarten activities .

2. Brushing Teeth and Reward Chart

Kids so easily rebel at any age that sometimes it takes effort to ensure they understand just how vital some concepts are.

A great way to help form habits and important skills is to start with a daily activity like brushing teeth and introducing a reward chart.

Charts like this are a fun way to showcase how to build a habit that benefits you in the long run, but up front, there’s a small reward to incentivize the follow-through making it so much fun.

3. Balloon Rocket Science

Kids love science experiments–especially the ones where they can see the effect! You’ll need string, a straw, a balloon, and tape.

Secure the string across the room from you and back up, thread the straw onto the line, and add a piece of tape or two, but leave the tails unattached.

Blow up the balloon as much as you’d like–don’t tie it, just pinch the rear as you go, then place it under the straw and tape the tape to the balloon’s body.

Once prepared, let go of the tail and let the balloon fly across the room via the string-straw line!

4. Pattern Sticks

A pattern stick is great fun and only involves pom poms, a few markers of corresponding colors, and popsicle sticks! Color any sensical pattern on each popsicle stick, followed by three black circles.

The circles are intended for the continuation of colors by pom poms. If you need anything for the activity, I love these popsicle sticks , mini daubers –in place of markers, and course, poms !

5. Phonics Activities

At this time in a little one’s life, it’s excellent to start regularly practicing phonetic activities! This interactive game will really help their oral language development.

Don’t worry about where your child is either; everyone learns at a different pace, and this post is a great starting point for anyone.

Regular practice of these different activities really helps too!

6. DIY Stethoscope

I’m a big believer in teaching children about the real world in small moments, and this stethoscope is no different. It’s a natural way to teach about the body while having fun doing it!

Grab two smaller funnels– these work great, a paper towel roll, tape, and decorate–if you’d like! Tape one funnel on either side, and you’re ready to roll!

7. Printable Letter Crafts

A really fantastic way to teach all things alphabet and endless examples on the internet to buy, download, or inspire!

Do this as everyday activities, or whatever works for your schedule, and talk about the corresponding image that matches each letter.

8. Letter Colouring Pages

These would be great to work in conjunction with the printable letter crafts! You’ll need some bingo daubers to get the job done.

There are so many pages out there for an activity like this! This website has some fun and seasonal pages.

9. Printable ABC Worksheets

These ABC worksheets are a variation of the previous letter sheets, where you can practice hand-eye coordination, cognitive skills, gross motor skills and writing letters. 

Enjoy more ways to keep kids busy and learning with these large group activities for preschoolers !

10. Alphabet Letter Banner

If the crafty alphabet project isn’t your speed, again, there are many options for material for alphabet work. Check out sites like Etsy, Teachers-Pay-Teachers, or even Amazon for materials like this.

Everyone should be able to find something that works for their budget!

11. Oobleck Slime

Your first question may be, “What’s Oobleck Slime?” And it’s nothing scary or pricy; it’s just a Dr. Seuss reference from one of his stories and a great indoor activity for sensory play.

It’s one of the most straightforward slimes–the only ingredients needed are cornstarch and water.

Play around with the amounts, but add the water into the cornstarch slowly; we’re looking for something like a gak consistency.

If you’d prefer a colorful slime–add this food color ! Your kids will love trying new things with this sensory activity in many different colours.

Check out these other fun weekend children activities .

12. Popcorn Counting

This counting idea is an exciting activity for any kiddo that loves popcorn for a snack! This popcorn counting page is very easy to aid in counting numbers.

Don’t worry if you’re not a popcorn house; with a bit of googling, I’m positive there’s a counting snack page for most snacks.

13. Alphabet Scavenger Hunt

A favorite rainy day activity or an excellent impromptu game to play while out and help little ones stay occupied if they start to get bored.

Downloadable on the web or create one yourself; they can be as easy or complex as you need.

Making a blank document so they can find their own answers to fill in and one with household items they have to search for is a fantastic way to keep this hunt exciting!

You could even laminate the fill-in one, so you save paper! This is a good way to still have physical activities on a rainy day!

14. Rainbow Ten Frame Matching

Ten frame matching games are life-changing!

This rainbow one gets very loved in our house, but again, there are so many ones out there, find one with a favorite character, a season, or anything that will help entice your little one to stay engaged.

15. Flashcards in Spanish

Experts say that younger brains are able to learn multiple languages easier than adult brains.

Kid brains are growing and absorbing anything around them while adult brains have developed to completion, and a little harder for us to pick up a new skill.

So, whatever language you speak–try a new one out with your child, even if it’s just the alphabet.

We decided to pick Spanish and wrote the alphabet out on note cards–one letter to one card–and the phonetic sound on the backside. Have them practice as much as they’d like!

16. ABC Dot Marker Printable

These free ABC dot marker sheets are fantastic for practicing more fine motor and hand-eye coordination! You’ll need bingo daubers, pom poms, or another item to fill in the circles in each letter.

17. ABC Spanish Bingo

We’ve paired this ABC Spanish Bingo sheet with our practicing of Spanish! It’s all letter based, easy to read, and has become a staple!

Take a look for any alphabet bingos online, or make your own! Grab a ruler to make those lines are straight.

18. Interactive Alphabet Book

A project, but completely worth it– this interactive alphabet book ! The book is a great conversational tool to practice phonetics, order, and so much more.

If you’re not in for the craft, check your local library or bookstore, they’ll have great recommendations for you.

19. Colour Mixing Activity

Paints will work best for this experience– these are great and washable . A great trick for our messier pals is to add different colors into small zip locks so they can still see the effects but not have a major cleanup.

Grab or make a worksheet with the idea that (color one)+(color two)=(new color/color three).

20. Construction Sensory Bin

A sensory bin has proved to be a beneficial learning tool for children mentally, physically, and emotionally.

Pair a container with a book with different tactile accessories to be able to ask a child questions while reading together.

Recently one of my friends did a construction-themed one for her little one, and it was such a hit as they read a book about construction.

21. Alphabet Flash Cards

Like the Spanish cards, English flashcards are a stellar way to practice any letter-related concept. Make your own, or grab these super cute affordable ones !

22. Ice Cream Summer Craft

Counting activities are fun year-round! This ice cream template is a great one to break out and maybe pair it with a scoop of ice cream post-exercise; we’ve done it, and they loved it.

Each sheet has a certain amount of colored dots on the side. The child’s job is to count the dots and add the corresponding amount of scoops, and bonus, if they get the pattern right too!

23. Catching Bubbles Motor Activity

Bubbles are endless entertainment, frankly, for almost anyone at any age! A cool way to use bubbles to teach how to control our fine motor skills is by catching a bubble without it popping.

Whether it reaches the palm of their hand or re-attaches to the bubble wand, showing children how to be gentle through bubbles is fun. This is one of the best outdoor activities.

Keep enjoying the outdoors with these free outdoor activities for kids !

24. ABC Magnets

The fridge can be a great place to work on easy concepts like communication skills, and memory skills like matching and letter recognition.

You’ll need a set of alphabet magnets like these for these simple activities, a sheet of paper to trace them, and either tape or magnets with a sticky backing.

Trace the alphabet letters on your piece of paper with a marker and cut them out. Put them onto the fridge with either the magnets or tape, and then let your little one practice matching!

25. Baking Soda and Vinegar Process Art

As a mixture of an art project and a science experiment, these hands-on activities are more for exploration than anything else.

You will definitely need baking soda and vinegar, but you’ll also want to do this in a cleanable area with cleanable accessories.

Add food coloring to the vinegar and let your kids drip, pour, spray, etc., to the baking soda. Use any household items like straws, extra eye droppers, etc.

26. Numbers Playdough Mats

You can make your own placemats with someone practicing numbers, or grab these free mats and print em! Have your child practice the number on the mat by making a Play-Doh version by hand.

27. Stacking Cups Stem Challenge

One of the easiest Stem activities out there for youngsters is building a tower for a small toy to stand at the top. Plastic cups, thick popsicle sticks, or long strips of cardboard–whatever you have on hand.

The goal is to build the highest they can go without tipping the structure over and to place the toy on top.

28. Rainbow Cookies

Rainbow cookies are a sweet way to showcase intentional organization and practice order of operations.

There are many recipes out there with all dietary needs met; Google what you may need, and feel free to share pictures if you try this one out!

Looking for more fun things to do with your preschool aged girls? Try the preschool games for girls !

29. Don’t Break The Ice Alphabet Game

For this activity, you will need this game –which is a great time, I promise! Label all the cubes with a different letter of the alphabet and some alphabet flashcards.

Let the games begin!

30. Geo Board

If you’re unfamiliar with a geoboard, they look like a peg board with raised hooks to attach rubber bands to. It’s a practice in fine motor and picture matching if they work from a flash card.

They work wonders for dexterity too. If you’re looking for one, this one is great to start practicing.

31. Lion’s Mane Cutting Activity

Cutting exercises are a staple in early childhood education.

There are downloads available online, but a pretty simple way to accomplish this activity is to grab a paper plate, a sheet of yellow or orange construction paper, glue, and some coloring utensils.

Draw lines across the paper for your kid to cut on the line, and adjust the size as needed.

After, have them glue the strips to the backside of the plate going around the circle and then help them draw their lion face or let them color their own lion face.

32. Letter C Craft

Talk to your little one about what starts with the letter “C” for the letter C craft. Once they’ve shared the word, draw the picture together (or print it out) and glue it onto a big bubble letter C.

You could do this for any letter, or you could make this into a name activity.

33. Colour Sorting Eggs

This sorting activity is egg-cellent for fine motor and, of course, matching for any student! You’ll need pom poms, corresponding colors in felt or paper, and some grabbers.

Have them pick up a pom, sort it into the corresponding color area, and continue until finished.

34. Feed the Shark Ocean-Themed Learning

This shark printable is excellent if you want a more advanced sorting option! There’s a smaller opening in the mouth that the sorter has to be a little more intentional about placement.

The shark option does require some assembly, but making the acceptable motor activity a little more complex as the user gets better can only help as the kiddo learns!

35. Lego Dumping Sorting

I’m not sure how anyone else feels, but I feel like little kids love dumping anything onto the ground, and if you can’t beat ‘em, why not join ‘em?

If you have a dump truck toy, great; a big enough bowl to pretend that it’s a dump truck is also great–whatever works for you all.

Grab a handful or two of Legos and put them in your container, bring them to the child and do the whole bit–make the beeping noise, dump the entire thing dramatically, and have them get to work.

Have them sort them into bins or just group them in color piles, if the sorter needs it, corresponding colored bins or signifiers to place colors in specific spots.

This sorting activity can be as structured as it needs to be for your learner.

36. Ice Cube Colour Mixing

Another exciting and hands-on experiment that takes a bit of time to complete is ice cube colour mixing.

You’ll add water to an ice cube tray and drip a few drops of different dyes into each square, make sure to mix well.

Once the squares have frozen, add contrasting colors to separate glasses–two different colors each. Have your kids record the colors in each cup and their guesses for when the two colors melt together.

37. Math Bites

Snack time, as mentioned above, is an excellent time for teachable skills; math is the most common one to try out.

Grab some math mats online or make your own and try some simple equations the next time you break out the snack foods!

38. Squishy Colour Sorting Sensory Bag

Sensory time is so absolutely important in a young child’s life. Their brain starts to observe and collect knowledge in any way possible.

Sensory activities help refine all the senses in different but essential ways to support reasoning, problem-solving and more. A bag form is mess-free and can be taken on the go too!

Color polka dots on a paper sheet and slide them into a ziplock along with buttons and hair gel. Tape the whole thing shut and let your little one match at home or anywhere else!

39. Oil and Water

Another cool experiment that the kids will love! We’ll need disposable clear cups, oil, water, and food dye.

Fill an ice cube tray with water, add food coloring to each square, and stick it in the freezer for a couple of hours.

Once frozen, have them add two colors to each cup and let them record or take guesses of what the combinations will become.

A great way to record data is to leave sticky notes in front of each cup. Write down the original color combinations and the guess of the final color below!

The purpose of the exercise is to evoke critical thinking and questions. Cater this experiment however you see fit for your children!

40.  Umbrella Counting and Colour Sort

There is a little assembly required here, but the results are super adorable! You’ll need a few different colors of construction paper, pipe cleaners, scissors, and glue.

First, we’ll cut the umbrella shapes out. Feel free to print something out and trace it; I did a rough free hand on cardstock and used it as my stencil.

After you get all the umbrella tops traced and cut out, you can write, use stickers, or any other method to put numbers onto the paper.

Then, we’ll want to attach the pipe cleaners to the umbrella backs–tape may work better here. Finally, cut out the coordinating amount of colored shapes to each umbrella and its number.

41. Salt Writing Tray

As simple as it sounds, grab a tray and some salt (or any other bulk material you’re good with using). Pour the salt into the tray and use flashcards to practice writing letters.

This idea is a very lowkey but exciting way to practice and includes some bonus sensory to boot!

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3 Year Old Preschool

Overview of preschool learning stages.

Early childhood education is vital for a child's overall development. Teachers focus on broadening children's knowledge and skills in various subject areas, aiding their understanding of interconnected topics. This is achieved through discussions, practical activities, and research projects.

Breakdown of Learning Stages

Optimizing Preschool Learning

Using the curriculum as a guide, playful learning experiences can substantially enhance preschoolers' cognitive development . Using preschool worksheets can be a fun and educational activity.

Table of Images 👆

• 4 Year Old Worksheets
• Preschool Worksheets 3 Year Olds
• 2 Year Old Learning
• Preschool Worksheets Connect
• Animals and Preschool Worksheets
• Preschool Shapes Tracing Worksheet
• 3 Year Old First Day of Preschool Sign
• 3 Year Old Educational Activities
• 3 Year Old Preschool Worksheets
• Preschool Worksheets - Draw Shapes
• Animal Heads Tracing Lines Worksheets For 3 Year Olds
• Big And Small Worksheet
• Same Or Different Preschool Matching Activity Sheets
• All About Me Preschool Worksheets
• Back-to-School Preschool Worksheets For 3-5 Year Olds
• Letter A Worksheet Preschool
• Ladybug Counting Worksheet
• Dinosaur Preschool
• Identify And Color Shapes

Best Preschool Worksheets

Select worksheets that cater to a child's developmental level and necessities, focusing on early learning skills such as letter recognition, counting, shapes, and colors. Use worksheets that engage the child with hands-on activities and visual aids.

• Line and Shapes Worksheet: Helps children learn basic shapes.
• Big or Small Worksheet: A tool to teach children about the concept of size.
• Animals Worksheet: A way to learn about different animals and their characteristics.
• About Me Worksheet: Helps children understand their personal features. Visit here for a template.
• Tracing Worksheet: Useful for developing handwriting and reading skills .
• Numeracy Worksheet: Teaches children basic mathematics operations like counting.

Basic Lessons for Preschoolers Overview

Preschool education broadly encompasses reading, writing, math, and science. Each area is designed to stimulate the child's learning and interest.

1. Reading Lessons

• Alphabet Recognition : Introducing letters through songs, games and visual aids.
• Phonemic Awareness : Activities that focus on language sounds.
• Read-Alouds : Regular reading sessions to increase engagement and comprehension skills.

2. Writing Lessons

• Pre-Writing Activities : Activities for developing fine motor skills.
• Name Writing : Guiding children to write their names.
• Letter Formation : Various activities to introduce proper letter formation.
• Drawing and Storytelling : Activities to stimulate creativity, language development and early writing skills.

3. Math Lessons

• Counting : Teaching counting skills through various methods.
• Number Recognition : Various techniques to help children recognize and identify numerals.
• Sorting and Classifying : Activities to help understand patterns and relationships.
• Patterns and Sequencing : Introducing simple patterns and sequences to children.

4. Science Lessons

• Nature Exploration : Activities that engage children with nature and the environment.
• Sensory Experiences : Opportunities for children to experience and understand different senses.
• Basic Concepts : Introducing the basics of science through age-appropriate books , experiments or visual aids.
• Cause and Effect : Activities and experiments to develop early scientific thinking and pique curiosity.

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Recent Comments

Nov 21, 2022

I found these 3 Year Old Preschool Printables to be a helpful and engaging resource for my little one. They are simple yet effective in developing key skills. Thank you!

Aug 23, 2022

These 3 Year Old Preschool Printables are a great addition to our learning routine! They provide engaging and age-appropriate activities that keep my little one entertained while building essential skills. Thank you for making learning so much fun!

Jun 18, 2022

Great printable resource for 3-year-old preschoolers! It offers a variety of creative activities and educational worksheets for their age group. Thank you for providing such valuable resources!

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75 Everyday Activities For 3 Year Olds

What are your favorite activities for 3 year olds? These simple activities aren’t just for 3 year olds, they are great activities and preschool learning games for older kids too! Don’t miss my new book Everyday Preschool , it’s the best book for parents who want to make sure their child is learning every day.

Finding the right activities for 3 year olds should be easy… but it isn’t. This summer my daughter and I have had a lot of time to play. Extra time in fact because she decided when she turned 3 to give up naps. With her brother home from school for the summer, my attempts at forcing the issue have been met with refusal. I am going to try again in a month when her brother returns to school but in the meantime, she has quiet time, earlier bedtimes and lots of simple activities like these peppered throughout the day. For more specific games for 3 year olds check out our post here with our favorites! If you have a younger child check out our similar list of 75 TV Free Activities For Toddlers . These 3 year old activities have been the bulk of what we’ve done this summer. Big projects are fun but day in and day out this is what we do.

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Fun Activities for 3 year olds

• Playdough sculptures with dry spaghetti.
• Fill a table with books and read, read, read.
• Play doctor with dolls.
• Take a walk and hunt for colors.
• Play with puzzles.
• Look at family photos together.
• Create with peel and stick jewels .
• Read through catalogs.

Need more preschool learning games and fun? Keep Reading!

• Eat lunch outside.
• Play in a box.
• Paint with watercolors.
• Play with stickers.
• Play sports in the yard.
• Play-Doh and sequins.
• Play Simon Says.
• Make a balance beam out of painter’s tape and walk it!
• Play in a kiddie pool.
• Water some plants

What are some easy things to do with a 3 year old? Keep reading!

• Play with a light table ( easy DIY here ).
• Play with cold cooked spaghetti.
• Cook together.
• Play with the hose.
• Dress up some dolls.
• Take silly pictures together.
• Play hide and seek.
• Play with stamps.
• Paint your toenails with kid-safe nail polish .
• Run Through the sprinkler.
• Write in a journal with markers, stamps, and crayons.
• Go to the beach.
• Learn about emotions with Mr. Potato Head.
• Go to the library.
• Read with a sibling.
• Call Grandma ( or Aunty, Uncle… you get the picture.)
• Help clean.
• Play dentist with dolls.
• Finger paint.
• Draw with chalk on black construction paper.

What are the best activities for 3 year old ?

• Play dress-up.
• Take markers and paint onto the porch for art outside.
• Play School
• Mix sidewalk chalk and other toys for pretend play outside.
• Scrap paper collages. All you need is some paper and glue!
• Jump in puddles. I don’t know of a better activity for a 3 year old than this one!
• Build a tower out of recycling.
• Wash the car.
• Backyard nature hunt. Tape painter’s tape sticky side out on a window or wall and have your child stick what they find on it.
• Take some pictures.
• Have a tea party.
• Practice cutting with playdough!
• Make a ramp with cardboard and drive matchbox cars down it.

• Play-Doh with pipe cleaners.
• Wash push cars, scooters, and bikes.
• Go for a hike.
• Play airplane or train with your kitchen chairs.
• Wash windows with water and vinegar.
• Turn snack bars into shapes and practice using a knife at the same time.
• Play alone. Yes, it’s more than OK, it’s incredible to let kids play alone . Let your 3 year old think up their own activities. We don’t need to entertain them 24/7 !

What is your family’s favorite everyday activity? Not listed? Add it in the comments and tell us why your kids love it!

Need more activities to do with  3 year olds?

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76 Comments

August 6, 2013 at 9:08 am

Thank you for the fun reminders! Sometimes it’s easy to fall into similar patterns and it’s nice to mix it up with simple, but different fun activities.

July 9, 2020 at 7:26 am

This is so great I am going to be running a camp soon for 4 little girls that are toddlers and I am 13!

Pragmaticmom says

August 6, 2013 at 12:56 pm

What great ideas to keep toddlers busy!

June 26, 2020 at 12:13 am

72 is an everyday lately and I didnt even teach her to do that. Kids and their natural fascination with choo choo trains.

To add to the list, how about build a castle out of blocks

April 19, 2024 at 3:51 pm

We take a pail and go outside and have a scavenger hunt. Bring the items in the house and use them for a decoration or make a picture.

Kirstylee @ Moms Have Questions Too says

August 6, 2013 at 12:58 pm

These are so great. I often get caught up in the big projects and forget to do the simple things like these. Plus, this is a great list to turn to when netflix is getting tempting. 😉

Allison McDonald says

August 6, 2013 at 3:57 pm

Exactly! My 3 year old is watching Ni Hao Kailan right now , every day isn’t always perfect and that’s OK.

September 18, 2019 at 11:28 am

Great post. Thank you very much. I’m not a big fan of TV, so this compilation should definitely help us a lot as a family to have lots of fun away from TV

Liisa Direen says

August 6, 2013 at 3:22 pm

That’s a great list, thank you. I’d like to share of my favourite activities with my 3 yr old son. I have a container of junk I have collected, scraps, bottle tops broken toys etc. and we set it up as rubbish tip. He loves getting his toy Rubbish truck and moving the junk around and taking it to the pretend rubbish dump. Simple and entertains him for ages 🙂

June 12, 2016 at 11:29 am

I love this idea!

Peggy Carbajal says

December 9, 2020 at 7:44 am

I have empty boxes of various sizes that I have taped shut. We use to stack and topple over. Also can be used to sort from smallest to largest , shortest to tallest.

Lori Morales says

August 6, 2013 at 4:03 pm

Luv the of handy fun! We play with shaving cream quite often on paper, a tarp, cardboard or even the tub. Adding food coloring and sponge brushes if we feel like making it rainbow fun.

August 6, 2013 at 4:09 pm

Balloons and noodles

OneMommy says

August 10, 2013 at 7:22 pm

Terrific collection of ideas! Definitely sharing this!

Naveen Jain says

November 14, 2013 at 11:42 am

We do beans/rice/pasta in measuring cups to teach about volume

January 11, 2014 at 9:01 pm

This is a great list of activities for 3 year olds. I particularly like the one about playing dentist with dolls. Never thought of that one. I put something similar together on my website http://www.excitedkids.com

Feel free to use any of the ideas their for your website.

Danielle says

February 14, 2014 at 11:02 am

My 3yrs old likes to paint the exterior of the house with water and a paintbrush

October 19, 2014 at 6:49 am

I used to do this for hours when I was a kid! So much fun!!

EMMA ASTILL says

March 4, 2014 at 4:02 pm

Dishwashing liquid some food colouring and a straw. Blow Bubbles above the height of the container then place a piece of paper over the top to make a cool bubbly picture.

Suzanne says

March 28, 2014 at 2:50 pm

Allison, this is an amazing collection of activities. I have been doing a series of everyday activities and the different developmental domains. I just had to add a link to your activities to the end of my post on Cognitive Development. Of course, I have pinned & shared on fb, & twitter, too. Thanks for all the work that went into this post.

March 29, 2014 at 7:19 pm

What a great idea or series. So often we get wowed by the big shiny complicated things when really the basics are what kids need the most.

Caitlyn says

April 6, 2014 at 8:51 am

Thanks for the creative Ideas I have a 3 year old brother and it gets hard to think of different things to do with him when I watch him!!!!!

Kellie says

August 24, 2014 at 8:03 pm

I just stumbled across your blog via Pinterest, but I have to comment! This is a great list of everyday activities to do with a preschooler, but my favorite part about the list is that it isn’t activities for “girls” or “boys”. It is just a great list of kid friendly activities! Thanks so much for sharing!

August 25, 2014 at 9:28 pm

I have a hard time labeling children. I know and respect why some lists are like that but I prefer to just say kids.

June 12, 2016 at 11:32 am

That’s great! I got boys that love to play with dolls. No need to label kids. They all love to have fun!

Susan Morris says

August 9, 2016 at 1:52 pm

A hard time labeling kids? Since when did calling a girl – a girl – and a boy – a boy – become labeling? It’s what they are!?!?!?! What is wrong with you people???

August 11, 2016 at 8:28 am

I am referring to labeling an activity as something a boy would like vs what a girl would like. I don’t do lists like that – I have taught far too many kids who have busted all gender specific activities for me ever to write something like that and feel like there was any girth to it.

Richie says

January 27, 2017 at 7:18 am

Me and my daughter see how many clothes we can get on until we’re big and round.

January 27, 2017 at 7:46 am

This is my favorite comment ever 🙂

Gabriella Taylor says

April 22, 2016 at 11:37 am

Well, she did start this off saying these are activities with her 3 year old daughter. Yes, a lot of the activities don’t depend on the child’s gender, but there are girl specific ones in there. Unless, of course, you’re raising a boy on dress-up and dolls, although that would be unorthodox.

May 4, 2016 at 5:11 pm

So Barbie’s friend Ken and GI Joe aren’t dolls? When children play with dolls it’s an opportunity to discover how they interpret the world. Nothing unorthodox about that.

Melissa says

June 10, 2016 at 7:08 pm

My son has trucks, planes, duplo, Batman, an Elsa doll, multiple Disney figurines ranging from Buzz Lightyear to Cinderella…toys are just toys until we put a gender label on them.

RILEY! says

October 20, 2020 at 7:39 pm

i personally like the last one!

September 2, 2014 at 5:27 pm

Great ideas! My girls love when I hide a surprise (a toy, utensil, sock, etc) in a pillow case and they have to stick their hand in and guess what it is without being able to see it.

December 31, 2014 at 7:09 pm

When my son was little I would roll out butcher paper onto the kitchen floor and tape it in place. Then he would paint all over it and we’d use it through out the year for wrapping presents. You could use plain brown paper as well. Stores sell it in rolls. We also used to go for a hike in our local park and turn over rocks and look for lizards and snakes! we used to make Christmas ornaments together too. He’s 25 now and we made some together this year. Good memories:)

Natalie says

October 16, 2016 at 5:53 am

Love the idea of wrapping Christmas presents in the butcher paper! I have a little artist that’s just waiting to create some wrapping paper. Thanks!

Sharon Chastain says

February 9, 2020 at 7:03 pm

When my brother and I were little, we used to roll out a big sheet of butcher paper and then draw an aerial view of a city complete with roads. We used to use his little cars and we would drive all over our city. The maps got bigger as we got bigger. I did this again with his grandson and we spent hours deciding what to put in our city. We had a library, a Starbucks Drive through, a school, a fire station you name it! We had a park and we had our homes. We built our houses out of blocks right on top of the city. Perfect for a 5-8 year old. Entertains for hours!

January 9, 2015 at 3:24 pm

Sometimes it’s a lot of fun with my niece to take different colored construction paper, kids scissors, and a glue stick and just let them cut out different shapes and glue it to another piece of paper, they can also color it. If you’re worried about a mess, you can use a plastic table cloth. Also fun to have a mini chalkboard and paint with water and a paintbrush 🙂 going to some place like a park with ducks and feeding then is always a lot of fun. I’ve also had a lot of fun making bread with them and letting them dump ingredients in and watching it rise. Always fun to put food coloring in too

January 20, 2015 at 10:34 pm

Its really great to see so many activities. all of the are fun learning activities.

July 30, 2015 at 11:46 pm

My stairs are carpeted. I put a single bed (foam) mattress on them. Kids have GREAT fun sliding down it! You could also use an open cardboard box.

March 20, 2020 at 8:02 am

Or a mummy sleeping bag I did this all the time as a kid in the house I grew up in!

August 2, 2015 at 5:10 am

This is brilliant! I have a three year old niece and all she ever wants to do is play doctors with me. As much as I love her, I absolutely hate playing doctors now. This list should keep us busy and hopefully distract her from the doctor game

When I was younger, we used to get a glass of washing up liquid and food colouring, blow bubbles through a straw and put a piece of paper underneath, keep blowing until the bubbles overflow and you get a lovely picture xx

November 23, 2015 at 9:39 am

My 3 year old has always loved tying knots in a 2 foot length of rope- tying chairs, trees, back of the seat in the car…keeps him busy and QUIET for hours! At some point I will get him a book of knots to see if he can follow the instructions.

April 8, 2016 at 7:24 am

Thanks for the tips!! Duly noted! A simple game my kids have enjoyed since they were babies is you screw up a piece of paper and put it in one hand. Then you pass it quickly from one hand to the next and then suddenly stop with the paper in one of your hands and turn both your fists down. The child then has to remember which hand the paper ended up in. It’s great when you’re out and about and need sudden entertainment.

August 20, 2016 at 11:15 am

If you have long-ish grass (clover works well), you can tie the end(s) of a blade of grass into loops and loop them together into a chain. With my three year old, I tie the knots and let her loop the next one in. After you get a long chain, you can decorate yourselves or a chair or a tree with the chains. When she gets older, she might be able to tie the knots herself.

Yogini says

December 8, 2016 at 9:48 pm

What about ball games. There is no mention of that.

December 9, 2016 at 12:31 pm

Theresa says

December 23, 2016 at 10:56 am

This is very cool but i wish it had more details and had more games rather than crafts. Thanks anyway.

February 9, 2020 at 7:54 pm

Pick up some used small tennis rackets at a second hand sports store. Get some big nerf balls or pressure-less balls and then go out to a local tennis court. Forget about the net. See who can hit the most balls. Teaches hand/eye coordination. Older kids can get a point every time the ball goes over the net. Let it bounce as many times as needed or even let it roll. Have fun and run and hit. See who can hit the farthest or play follow the leader.

Sandhu says

October 8, 2017 at 12:18 am

My 2.5 year old baby girl like cycling. She has a tri cycle. Water paints and colouring is also favoriout hobby.

Frankie says

March 18, 2018 at 11:46 pm

Love the ideas it should keep my bunch busy no matter what the weather is. Thank you

Deb Gillmore says

May 20, 2019 at 5:03 am

Walk around your local streets and look at all the different letterboxes

June 5, 2019 at 3:24 pm

We used to cut potatoes into shapes and use them to make paintings

Gina B says

June 17, 2019 at 5:34 am

Plant a garden with your kids. My kids absolutely love pulling carrots up, and will eat tomatoes and mint leaves right from the garden-only if they plant it though;). Also, worm digging and ant watching is hours of entertainment;)

Kim Bierma says

July 9, 2019 at 10:44 pm

My 3 year old grandson loves to: 1. Use a blunt Fiskars scissors to trim the bushes with me, or clean up weeds in the back patio. Cut cut cut. Also cuts pieces of construction paper and puts them in a cup.

2. He like to play his guitar (my ukelele) while I play my big guitar and Paw Paw joins us to sing familiar song, IE muffin man. He’s big into doing things “toGETHer” w Grammy and Paw Paw.

3 Each planted a lily. He had plenty of freedom during that tine to find worms, use his growl to dig, and water things to his heart’s content.

October 4, 2019 at 7:06 am

yo waddup this nice

March 22, 2020 at 6:08 pm

How about: In your house or apartment, find everything you can that is blue. Which is biggest? Which is smallest?

Make up a silly story about one of the things.

Shannon says

April 23, 2020 at 2:02 pm

My daughter loves to play kitchen! she watches me cook and she likes to do it, too… or at least she pretends too!!

July 22, 2020 at 6:33 pm

I think these are great Ideas for kiddos! Thank you for being so thoughtful and sharing. I have a small round table in my kitchen and I have a box of scratch paper in my home office that had a printing error or something on one side and blank on the other. I took them and taped them together overlaying them together, tucking them under the table and taping them under as well. I gave them markers and crayons and they just colored or drew all over it. I would leave it out for a week or so as a table cloth. One of my granddaughters drew all over one with me and it was a lot of fun. My grandson came over a couple of days later (after she had left) and we had to stay in because of sheltering in. It so happened it was his birthday a few days later and we added a few things to our colorful table cloth with extra drawings and said he had a very special birthday table cloth that was left by his cousin. It was a good time.

Nana Edwards says

August 19, 2020 at 10:06 am

Thanks for the nice list and the great ideas in comments also. This Nana has grandbabes who are 8 mo, 11 mo, 3 1/2, another 3 1/2 (one month apart), and 6 yrs old being home-schooled for kindergarten. Yep, we’re busy especially during the coronavirus isolation protocols. Two sons and their wives are ok with me just being around their two families. Anyway, here’s something that used to keep my 3 kids entertained for hours 30 yrs ago. They each got a ball of crochet yarn, tied one end to a doorknob at different places throughout the house, then walked around and wrapped there yarn ALL OVER the entire house looping around doorknobs in every room, table legs, bedposts, shower curtain bar, etc….not too tight as to pull things over and not too loose and drooping…so that for the day we all had to step over yarn or duck under yarn to get around. It was crazy fun! This didn’t happen too often, but on a weekend or icy snowy day it was perfect.

October 4, 2020 at 10:16 pm

I just came across your blog via Pinterest, but I’ve got to make a statement! Here is a wonderful list of day-to-day events for preschoolers, but my favourite part of the list is that it’s not “girls” or “people” events. It’s such a wonderful list of child fun events! Thank you so much for sharing it!

Andrea says

October 19, 2020 at 9:24 am

great help to get ideas for my college assignment. love the ideas all very fun.

Melissa Aldrich-Welch says

October 22, 2020 at 12:05 pm

use a cookie sheet with sides and allow child to play with Magic Sand using different objects like toy cars, plastic animals, etc. My grandson likes to bury the cars and use the animals to rescue them. Provide a small plastic spoon and fork to “dig” with. Take turns hiding the objects in the sand and have the other try to find it. Magic Sand is great because it never dries out. You can even mix the colors to make new colors.

December 4, 2020 at 12:12 am

It’s an amazing 75 lists of activities. Would love to bookmark for the future. Ting!!!

February 13, 2021 at 8:49 pm

My grandson loves to cut up sheets of craft foam because it’s so satisfying to cut through the spongy-ness! Great scissor practice! He just cuts and cuts at this point and really isn’t interested in doing anything with the bits.

February 13, 2021 at 8:54 pm

Forgot to say… my (Canadian) grandson also likes to pretend he’s a member of American “marching bands.” We use everyday objects to represent instruments and march around and around the house, in time to great American marches…. Stars and Stripes Forever on the computer is his favourite! A short curtain rod that he found in my sewing room has become a trombone, we use a chopstick for a piccolo, two pot lids for cymbols. You get the picture! Lots of fun for Nana and Papa too!

August 4, 2021 at 6:50 am

Excellent!!! Looks like I will try this activities with my niece.

Sam Hood says

August 20, 2021 at 5:16 am

Thanks for writing this will surely help us to get engaged in activities. Keep Sharing.

Amanda Torres says

September 23, 2021 at 1:16 am

My cousin is 4 years old and this will give her great company and time. Thank you for sharing.

Percetakan Murah Jakarta says

February 26, 2022 at 10:29 am

Great article. Keep up the good work!

Steve Smith says

July 1, 2022 at 8:18 am

I work with Head Start children 0-3 years old. One of the things I think is so important is the everyday aspect of learning. There are countless things in our world that fascinate children and they can use to learn and imagine. Thank you for all 75, PLUS! the comments. You miss out on some great ideas if you don’t read those, also. I still think its so funny and instructive to adults when children unwrap gifts and then end up playing with the boxes!

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