Ask Me Help Desk - Fun things a 4 year old can do to occupy herself

From 3-9 I'm pretty packed with school work, I usually give my 4 year old dinner by 5PM and by 6 I switch the t.v. on. I really don't like that the t.v. plays babysitter for three hours. By 9PM it's bed time.

I bought her a Lite Brite, that keeps her entertained for about an hour.

What else is there?

I also bought her bird houses and things to paint from the dollar store.

If you have any suggestions it'd be really helpful and great!

1) jigsaw puzzles (help her do an entire one -- border first, then fill in the obvious stuff, etc. then let her tackle some on her own with you checking in now and then)

2) Set up printer paper pages cut and stapled into a book form, and let her write her own books with illustrations (do one together first).

3) paint-by-number kits

4) Play-Doh

5) dolls with lots of clothes

6) library books

7) paper dolls

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wondergirl

1) jigsaw puzzles (help her do an entire one -- border first, then fill in the obvious stuff, etc., then let her tackle some on her own with you checking in now and then)

2) Set up printer paper pages cut and stapled into a book form, and let her write her own books with illustrations (do one together first).

3) paint-by-number kits

4) Play-Doh

5) dolls with lots of clothes

6) library books

7) paper dolls

You are WONDERful!

I used to be a pre-K teacher.

I have more ideas, but those bubbled up first.

Yes, I know that can be a busy time of day for families! One day, I let my 5 year old out in the backyard and set her up with lots of paint and art supplies. She happily stayed out there for about 2 hours, while I cooked, cleaned and took care of her younger siblings.

I think the jigsaw puzzles are a great idea too. If you are studying, maybe you could have her "study" too and give her a fun work book.

Quote:

Originally Posted by motherwriter

Yes, I know that can be a busy time of day for families! One day, I let my 5 year old out in the backyard and set her up with lots of paint and art supplies. She happily stayed out there for about 2 hours, while I cooked, cleaned and took care of her younger siblings.

I think the jigsaw puzzles are a great idea too. If you are studying, maybe you could have her "study" too and give her a fun work book.

I wish I could just send her out in the yard-- she would be there for hours. I can't because my office is complete opposite from facing the yard. Also my yard has that chain link fence and kind of faces a back road alley-way. I wouldn't feel secure to let her play alone, if it was a wooden fence then maybe. I also have three different gates and I can't see two of them from the window. :eek: My yard isn't very safe-- eek. I also have a pond so it would really suck if she fell in.

I've gotten her puzzles and basically everything Wondergirl mentioned--- it's been pretty good! But the more suggestions the better ;)

Thanks!

A few more ideas:

Crayon rubbings. Supply a collection of items with interesting designs/textures for her to make rubbings of. Doing coins is a good way for her to become familiar with the different coinage.

Save some large boxes and make a playhouse and let her decorate and dress it. Or a cardboard doll house if you need to work on a smaller scale. You can suggest a whole different theme on different occasions to keep her interested. One day she might make the boxes into a fairy castle, the next day it might be a boat and she can make mermaids out of her teddies to go in the 'sea' - a rumpled sheet will do for this.

Set up a little shop in a corner. Fill with little packets from the cupboard and supply a box for coins, whether you loan her some real coins or buy some play ones. Set dolls or teddies up in a separate area and tell her they all need taking shopping and ask her to take care of it. With a little help getting started she should soon have a good game going.

A dolls tea party. Let her make and decorate the food, whether you decide to go for real or use art materials or playdouch to make pretend. She can also dress them up all special for the party, and make them paper-chain necklaces, paper hats etc. She can decorate the cardboard playhouse or a little corner for the party.

If there is a birthday or such like coming up provide large sheets of plain paper and let her make the wrapping paper. Printing with potato shapes maybe.

Let her make,(with a little help where needed), decorate, and play with her own collection of musical instruments. Plastic tubs filled with dried beans to shake. Large buttons threaded onto string to rattle. If you can get hold of some little bells she can make a tambourine by tying them around the edges of a paper plate which has holes punched around it. A drum can be made by stretching waxed paper over a cardboard cylinder and attaching with a large elastic band. The bonus is it will have to be played reasonably gently! A xylophone can be made by lining up clean empty tin cans of different sizes, ones that have a prize-off lid so no sharp edges.

Secret pictures. Let her make drawings using a q-tip dipped in lemon juice. After it is dry hold it somewhere warm, such as over a toaster, or put in the oven on low, to see the drawing magically appear. (The lemon juice goes brown).

Cress men. Save empty egg shells. Let her decorate them. Pop in a ball of cotton wool and scatter a few cress seeds in. Keep moist and watch the green hair grow over the next few hairs. She can give them a haircut and put the cress in her sandwich.

Have a craft box on hand. PVA glue, cardboard tubes and tubs, paper shapes, pasta, tin foil,etc. Make a habit of saving greetings cards and bits of ribbon and anything that looks pretty or interesting. Save old magazine or catalogues to cut pictues out of. Paper to make a scrapbook or collage.