At-home play for 3-year-olds! Let’s play freely with materials you have at home.
Three-year-olds are full of energy.
Even on days spent at home, they get bored if there’s nothing to focus on—and mom and dad end up exhausted.
At times like these, try adding some at-home play ideas that kids can enjoy using materials you already have at home or items from the dollar store.
This time, we’ve gathered ideas that don’t involve complicated prep or steps.
If you enjoy them together with your child, at-home play can transform into a fun time!
Use this as a reference for those moments when you’re wondering, “What should we do today?”
Play-at-home fun for 3-year-olds! Enjoy free play with materials you have at home (1–10)
Stringing accessories with straws
Let’s try making accessories using straws! All you need are straws in various colors and either twine or yarn.
First, cut the straws into small pieces about 2–3 cm long.
Once you’ve cut them, thread the pieces onto the twine or yarn, adjusting the length to match the accessory you want to make.
If you’d like to add decorations along the way, prepare some construction paper cut into your favorite shapes and thread them wherever you like.
After you’ve added enough pieces to match the length of the string, tie both ends of the thread together, and you’re done! Kids can use what they make themselves, or it’s also a great idea to give it as a gift to a parent or guardian.
[Using an egg carton] Bubble Art
![[Using an egg carton] Bubble Art](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Scrgoo11JNY/sddefault.jpg)
Let’s enjoy bubble art using egg cartons that are easy to find in any household.
It’s an activity where you draw on construction paper with bubbles.
First, cut out as many egg cups from the carton as you need for the number of colors.
Dilute paint with water and mix in an equal amount of dish soap.
Cut a straw to a comfortable length, then use it to blow bubbles in the colored mixture.
Once it’s foamy, press the bubbles onto the paper.
Repeat to complete your artwork.
It looks cute as is, and it also works well as background paper for drawings.
Educational puzzle with plastic bottle caps
Let’s make a handmade educational toy using items from a 100-yen shop.
First, buy a plastic case with dividers that’s just the right size for plastic bottle caps to fit into.
In addition to plastic bottle caps, you can use caps from energy drinks or canned drinks, but be sure to cover any sharp edges with vinyl tape or similar to prevent cuts.
Prepare stickers with various pictures or photos and stick them on the bottom of each compartment.
Then, stick matching stickers on the bottle caps so they form pairs.
The game is to put each cap with the matching sticker into the compartment that has the same sticker.
Making Slime with Potato Starch
Let’s make slime using potato starch that is safe even if children touch it or put it in their mouths.
If you add 170 cc of water to 200 g of potato starch, it will have just the right consistency: it hardens when squeezed, but turns runny when you release your grip.
Once you reach that point, add food coloring to dye it.
You can color it red, blue, and yellow, and then experiment by mixing those three colors to see what new colors you can create.
Because food coloring can be hard to remove from clothing, you may use paint for coloring if the children are old enough that there’s no risk of them putting it in their mouths.
Bold doodling with stickers and pens
Drawing helps improve children’s concentration.
So here are some handy items you can use for drawing.
If you buy them at a 100-yen shop, they won’t cost much.
First is roll paper for drawing.
Since it’s like a scroll, kids can draw pictures with a storyline, and if you only unroll the sections you’re using, it doesn’t take up much space.
Glitter pens are also great—when you smudge them with your finger, they create a sparkly base that looks beautiful.
Friction pens that you can erase later are convenient, too.
Having several types of stickers from the 100-yen store will add contrast to the pictures and make kids happy.
Finger painting is another technique that’s popular with children.
[With Cardboard] Bag Making
![[With Cardboard] Bag Making](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ZcAOKsNUhOQ/sddefault.jpg)
Let’s make a tote bag for pretend play using thin cardboard.
First, fold the gusset sections.
Adjust the width of the gusset to match what you’ll put inside.
If you want to add patterns, draw them at this stage.
After drawing the patterns, cut slits into the gusset parts and tape them together.
Once it’s taped and box-shaped, attach handles with ribbon.
Consider the ribbon length based on how you plan to play.
If you make it longer, it can be a shoulder bag.
[With water-based pens] Color water play
![[With water-based pens] Color water play](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/BBzTHhunDx8/sddefault.jpg)
Here are some at-home activities using water-based markers.
First, tear up some paper towels and color them with water-based markers.
Put the differently colored pieces into a cup of water and stir—they’ll create colorful water that’s fun to look at.
Next, stick plastic wrap onto a clear file folder and color circular shapes on it with water-based markers.
Apply glue over the colors and let it dry to make colorful stickers that can be stuck to and peeled off windows or glass.
Finally, draw any picture you like on a paper towel with water-based markers, place ice on top, and let it melt—the colors will blend into a beautiful dyed picture.
Be sure to have adults join in the fun too!
