Thngs for Kids to Do

Things you could do with 3 year-old kids

1. Play-dough
2. Paint –finger-paint or with brush – To make a “Master Piece”
3. Cook – Easy recipes
4. Clean mirrors – with squirt bottle of WATER
5. Count – Count everything- spoons, socks, pots, magnets on the fridge, popsicle sticks or even crayons.
6. Movie Time – have them pick a movie (one per child) and make popcorn or some snack WITH them to prepare for the movie.
7. Play mystery bag – Prepare four or five paper bags with one thing in each. Have them stick a hand and guess what’s in it. Write down the answers and then at the end, see who was right.
8. Organize the story books – Small, Medium, Large size piles/shelf/baskets. During that time, they might want you to read some of them.
9. Play alphabet game – Pick a category (names of animals is the easiest I think, but you might think of another) Pass a ball among the players, singing the ABC song, whoever has the ball when you reach Z gets to say the name of an animal. No repetitions are allowed and the players have about 5 seconds (literally counting 1-5) to give the answer. Otherwise, he/she is “out”.
10. Make a line with all the toys of the house and have them pick which ones they are ready to part from to give to less fortunate. This one I’ve done with my daughter (now 4) and last week she actually managed to do it herself and filled a gift bag! (I then double check for the “favorite” ones not to go because then she has a fit if she doesn’t find it :P)

I'm sure you've done some or all of this but is what I could come up right now :)
M.

hi S. when my daughter was 2-3 i put her in a class that did a little tap ballet and gymnastics then i just observed and listened to her she seemed to enjoy the dancing more than gymnastic so after the first month we switched to just tap and ballet its something very good to get them into so they can have fun. so i would look for a place that will allow you to put them in multiple things and within a month you should be able to tell what each of the girls like and they very well might like different things which is okay. good luck steph

I wouldn't put them in anything really structured at that age. Preschool is coming soon enough. Put them both in Gymboree or something like that. My son loved it. They have a variety of different classes - music, just physical play, and art. They have scheduled times for free play too. They do fantastic birthday parties. It's a good chance for them to socialize. Have fun.

Many of the little gymnastics programs for this age are designed to be very development and so they keep things changing throughout the class so variety is built in. Also, many gyms/dance studios tend toward general movement type activities or combined dance styles over really focusing on any particular one which might offer options for both girls.

If you are looking for other activites beyond the ones you mentioned, have you checked your local library. Mine has a great program for little ones that basically starts at birth. It's broken up into little storytime sessions for different age groups, but the youngest group is for 0-18 months. They are very flexible with having older/younger siblings attend too which is helpful for me as mine are 17 months apart and sometimes fall just outside the same grouping. They do similar but slightly different age appropriate activities in each of the groups/sessions....lots of songs/poems, puppets, SHORT stories which increase as they get older, playtime with toys, and simple movement games (ring around rosie, head shoulders knees toes). It's free and a great way to let them be with other kids too. Before or after you can stop in the children's section to let them play/pick books to borrow.

You didn't mention where you live...The Pittsburgh Zoo has programs throughout the year starting at age 2. They are just litle 45 minute classes focused on different animals or types of animals. They make a craft, see an animal or two and learn something simple about them. If you are a member the price is reduced. Being members at the zoo (or just visiting occasionally) is great fun too - and something different. Your girls may be interested in different types of animals and you can take time to stop and visit both of their favorites. We love being members because we go often for short times. We don't feel like we need to stay all day to get our money's worth from the day. Usually we go around 10 and leave about 12-1230. It's the perfect amount of time for the toddler age I think (mine are 2 and 3). They have a nice little playground area in the children's zoo.

Just taking trips to the local park or to the mall play area on cold winter days is another different kind of activity.

Pittsburgh's Children's Museum also has a weekly storytime which is fun. Just going over the museum offers plenty of different kinds of activites. As you go from room to room, you'll certainly find things that match one or the other of your daughters' interests. The second floor is great because you can really see just about the entire floor at the same time so they can go off on their own to explore whatever they choose. They call it the "nursery" and it is designed for younger kids, but toddlers still love it - train table, rice and sand tables, jumbo light bright pegs.

I was blessed with twin girls of my own (at the age of 20)and the best thing I could tell you is to try to encourage them to choose for themselves.

With my girls, we let them take turns choosing the next activity and they seemed to enjoy that the most. Of course I let them know what the choices were: take a walk, play in the yard, have a tea party, color, read a story, watch a favorite movie, etc.

I am asthmatic so at times the choices had to be limited but still the effect was the same. They enjoyed the independence of getting to choose for themselves and I enjoyed that it wasn't some crazy idea out of nowhere. :)

If you ever have any "twin" related questions feel free to email me. My girls are 15 now and sophmores in high school. I think we've survived pretty much everything. :)

There are some classes that will teach at two years old. My daughter joined a ballet and tap class and this was the best thing I could do for her she loves it to this day. So I would try to look into some kind of dance class.