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I have been a SAHM for a little over 4 years. I feel like all my ideas/activites are tapped out. I appreciate the daily preschool busy book post! My 4 year old seems bored with the daily activities and misbehaves accordingly. I can only give her my full attention during my 18 month old's nap. Otherwise, I try to offer suggestions of activities for her to do or get something out like play doh. She won't do many activities on her own and I feel like she just waits around until I'm available to give her my full attention again. Weather permitting, I try to take the girls to the park in the morning for an hour and out in our yard in the afternoon for 1-2 hours. They seem happiest when they are outside so I try to do that as much as possible. She goes to preschool 2 times a week and it is the highlight of her existence.
Having said that, what are your suggestions of different activities for a 4 year old? She has a short attention span for crafts and other art activities.
Things we usually do:
Drawing w/markers & crayons
Practice letter writing
Reading
Painting
Play Doh
Stencils
Crafts - cutting & glueing, making jewelry, foam stickers
Sidewalk chalk
Blowing bubbles
Puzzles
Games: Dora's ABC, Diego's treasure hunt, Candyland
I Can Spell, lift a flap book
Leapster
Dolls (you name them we probably have them)
Dinosaurs
Dress up
Mega Blocks
Legos
Answer:
Puzzles
Story hour at the library
Sidewalk chalk
Marble painting
Nature walks
Websites that offer games like mylittlepony.com
Answer:
Most kids love water play of any kind. They can play in the sink with some toys or cleaning coins or such. My son likes painting with water while he's outside. I just give him a big bowl of water and some large paint brushes and he paints (cleans) the outside toys and etc.....
What about making cards and such to send to loved ones. Then show her how to address the envelope and then do a mini field trip to the post office. Have her help you do the grocery shopping...... Kids love to help!
Answer:
try something a bit further advanced ...... If you give dd something that might nake her think a bit more it might keep her interest - try typing in home schooling into yahoo and it will bring up loads of age related activities and excercises )
just an idea
GOOD LUCK
Answer:
She sounds bored, I would up the level of her actitivies. Try enchantedlearning.com or discountschoolsupply.com for supplies. I would create more complex art projects with several steps to build her attention span. Try harder puzzles (100 pieces if you aren't already) and games. Try going to teacher supply stores for ideas, or try homeschool prek curriculum like 5 in a row or . If nothing else works, you could up her preschool to 4 days a week.
Answer:
Swimming
Gymnastics
Ballgames
Take a long walk
Roller skating
Learning to right a 2-wheeler
Scooter
Miniture golf
Bumper Bowling
Dance
Yoga (Gaiam has some great DVDs)
Answer:
Sorry ... that's ...
Learn to RIDE a 2-wheeler
Answer:
I know how you feel, my oldest is 4 and I have a 2 yr old and another on the way in a few months! My son also wants my "full" attention most of the time and is constantly asking me to play a game or do things with him. He will play independently (or somewhat with his sister) but much more prefers me to do things with him. A lot of what you've talked about and what others have mentioned are good ideas. Here are a few that I can come up with off the top of my head that would be good for her (and some that would be good for you to do at naptime together):
-Lacing beads
-Lacing cards
-Dress Up
-Make a tent/fort
-Bean Bag toss/Ring toss
-Cook something together (cookies, a cake, muffins, etc)
-Have her help you do things around the house (dust w/a swiffer, sweep with a hand held broom/dustpan, vacuum with a dustbuster)
-Plant/maintain a container of flowers
I'd do a search at your local library for books on ideas for preschoolers/pre-K or do some surfing on the internet. Also mabye try asking your daughter's preschool teacher for some suggestions, things they do with the kids that they enjoy or resources they use to come up with activities.
Answer:
I am in the same boat as you except i have a 3 year old. She goes to preschool 3 days a week for 3 hours each day. She is SOOOO bored at home. I find it personally very hard to do house work and play with 2 kids. My son is 16 months. this summer there is no school, so I think I am going crazy. Keep the ideas coming!!!