Ideas for "Quiet Time" for BUSY 3 Yr Old?

An hour is kind of long to expect a 3 yo to stay quiet and out of trouble. You have to train him to get to that point. Not impossible but it can be done.

Put him in his room for 15-20 mins and telll him he HAS to stay in his bed reading books or playing w/choses toys. When the timer goes off, let him know quiet time is over. then, add 5 mins a day and soon you willl get that hour or so break you need!

I used to tell my kid if he doesn't stay in his bed the whole time, he's sitting in a chair w/o any books or toys. He chose his bed when he figured out I wasn't kidding around.

Some children just don't require as much sleep. I would suggest doing 2 "quiet times" that are shorter rather than torturing all of you with an hour!

Puzzles
Books
Coloring
Playdoh
DVD of short cartoons

Oh- I don't get to chill out until after my boy is asleep! Then it's 30 minutes on the treadmill or I'm a crazy person the next day.

won't substitute for the nap you are after, but how about looking up "busy bags" on google. these are ideas for quiet activities that kids can do on their own, while you are occupied with something else. http://moneysavingmom.com/2011/08/busy-bag-idea-button-sn...

do they have toddler treadmills you can use to really tire him out?

Try taking him out for an hour like to a park or for a walk to tire him out. My son is the same way although he still naps, but sometimes it's tough to get him to go down. I invested in one of those monkey leashes that you can get at Target because my son will run if we go on walks. It has worked wonders so far. Also, maybe find a friend he can play with for a few hours to tire him out.

Hope this helps.

I ''Nuggle'' as he calls it, with him.

My youngest has a Sensory Disorder, so this is a must if I want to make it through the afternoon with him.

We have a special chair and everything. Sometime(and this is often for me still)he will fall to sleep....

So my suggestion is make a quiet place where he can relax, either with you or without...play soft music, have a noise machine...and even if it is only for ten or fifteen minutes...You have no idea the wonders that can do!

Puzzles and books are good options. Also, blocks or lego duplos so he can build and be creative, but it is something he can do sitting down and not running around.

Also, I sell Discovery Toys and we have a really neat game for three year olds that could keep him engaged for a long stretch of time. It is called "It's A Match" and you can buy the basic set, with two books, or the deluxe set, with four books. View it at http://www.discoverytoyslink.com/karenchao My four year old really enjoys it (and liked it when he was three, too).

Another great Discovery Toy is Playful Patterns, where he can make different mosaics with foam shapes. It is perfect for a preschool-aged child, because it helps form the basis for math and reading, plus helps build their thinking skills and fine motor skills.

The last one I'd like to recommend is actually our number one selling toy in the entire catalog - MotorWorks. It's a set with a car, motorcycle, and airplane that you can put together with a battery-powered screwdriver, then take them apart again. It's a lot of fun. I recently gave it to one of my son's friends and he played with it almost non-stop for three hours (pausing only for a snack).

K.
http://www.discoverytoyslink.com/karenchao (summer sale thru 8/21 includes Playful Patterns at 20% off!)

try a different show? Right now my go to if I NEED a bit of quiet is actually a PBS documentary about alligators and crocodiles and not a kids video!