Ideas for 3 yr old please

Check out your local library. Most of them these days have activities for kids such as story time, which usually include singing and dancing as well as books. They often have toys in their kids area too, not to borrow but to play with while you are there. Take a picnic lunch to try to stretch it out a bit too, or meet some friends there.

Thanks guys.

In terms of outings she is at preschool 3 mornings, playgroup one morning and outing with grandparents one morning. So she has something 5 days a week.

TV she watches 1 -2 hrs in the morning becoz she up sooo early. And often another 1 hr in the late arvo when I'm cooking tea and too tried to care. I agree that this is too much and is contributing to the behaviour.

To be honest we have done a lot of what is listed. I can't be bothered setting up water play or glitter or anything of that nature because she only plays for a few min's and then whines as I clean up. I think she does a lot of this activity at preschool anyway. Her and you 1 yr old sister also get into fights over this kind of thing too. Not sharing etc.

So is it too lazy of me not to bother with these 'craft' like activities?

I like the bike riding idea. And we have access to a school playground and fields after 3pm. I am going to make an effort to go there a couple of afternoons. The only thing that stops me is have the 1 yr who climbs everything and often gets hurt.

As I write I feel like the problem is me and not her.

Thanks for the library suggestion - my DH is a librarian and we know all about the activities they offer =) Seems the times clash with other activities thou. As the wet winter sets in she will go to storytelling with the grandparents coz they usually take her to the beach.

As I write I feel like the problem is me and not her.

Look, its so easy to feel totally swamped with everything you feel you have to do! 1 is a very busy age and so is 3.....

When the kids were this age (they are now 4 and 2) I started trying to organise dinner in the morning or at least sort out what I was having the night before. The slow cooker was invaluable, or making meals in bulk and freezing them for later when I was too exhausted to get my brain to come up with something.

The kids probably won't share at that age. Life is still all about them. They can benefit from guidance in this area. Have you sat and played with them with this sort of stuff?

Some people just don't play with their kids, they find the play tediously boring and would really rather do something else. If thats the case, then maybe you can find things that you enjoy doing that the kids might as well.

Maybe you can try a different playground that is suitable for your 1 yr old as well as your 3 yr old. Some of the playgrounds are designed for much older kids so they are just too big for that age group.
One thing I have discovered is if you find the right size playground - if you let your 1 yr old play on it, they will be really good, really quickly. I let my dd2 go on it as she wanted to copy her sister and she was running around on it and climbing safely while other parents were still telling their kids they were too small for it. Its just because she was able to practice. Mind you she could climb the back door before she could walk. Just see how they go. Then you will have more fun at the playground when you don't have to worry so much!

Anyway, even if you have tried activites before, try them again in a different way. What a kid likes one day, she might not the next and vice versa.

All the best!

Thanks guys.

In terms of outings she is at preschool 3 mornings, playgroup one morning and outing with grandparents one morning. So she has something 5 days a week.

TV she watches 1 -2 hrs in the morning becoz she up sooo early. And often another 1 hr in the late arvo when I'm cooking tea and too tried to care. I agree that this is too much and is contributing to the behaviour.

To be honest we have done a lot of what is listed. I can't be bothered setting up water play or glitter or anything of that nature because she only plays for a few min's and then whines as I clean up. I think she does a lot of this activity at preschool anyway. Her and you 1 yr old sister also get into fights over this kind of thing too. Not sharing etc.

So is it too lazy of me not to bother with these 'craft' like activities?

I like the bike riding idea. And we have access to a school playground and fields after 3pm. I am going to make an effort to go there a couple of afternoons. The only thing that stops me is have the 1 yr who climbs everything and often gets hurt.

As I write I feel like the problem is me and not her.

Try leaving your 1 yr old in pram with favorite toy or books while you play with her. So big. Sister can ride her bike.