3.5 year old driving me BONKERS

[belonna]

PLEASE can anyone suggest activities I can do at home with my daughter. She drives me bananas only doing things for 2 - 5 mins at a time then stops and then I have to find something else or she drives me up the wall. New ways of doing old things? HELP I CAN'T TAKE MUCH MORE!!!!!!!!

I can't afford much so expensive items aren't a good idea. She's very much into figuring out how things work, she is creative as most are but god I'm so tired of the same games. I really do feel like I'm going to flip out at times. I'm happy to cut out stuff, salvage things - whatever HELPS!

I WANT to do more with her but lately (well for about 4 months) I really don't do much with her as I'm out of ideas and almost out of patience with it all. I can see it's affecting our relationship and I don't want her to end up in a relationship like I had with my mother who did nothing with my sister and I - not even go to the park.

PLEASE ANYONE? I am honestly almost completely fed up and with a baby on the way it REALLY stresses me out that I will have to go through this all over again. I want to be a better Mum and I know that a lot of her little tantrums are due to my inability to cope with entertaining her. My frustration would be really obvious to her.

Funny though that I don't have this problem with children that aren't my own. I've always been great with other kids, I feel like a massive failure (and scared of being the same as my mother) because I can't do the same with my own.

[tootiredtosleep]

My 3rd old loves to play shops, get some food out of the cupboard and make some play money, or a bankcard. My DD1 is always the shop lady.

[cath]

Have you got her going on the computer? I started ages ago with my now 3.5 year old just typing numbers and letters in different colours and sizes. We then got started on the kids websites and now he can log on and play games on his own - he does great puzzles and plays bingo etc. - there are some great websites for kids. He was playing a game the other day where he had to match the colours from one side of a butterly to the other side. I thought it was great - quite complex and come of the colours were really close but he worked it out perfectly. Obviously you don't want her sitting at a computer all day but it definitely entertains them and is good for their development and hand-eye co-ordination.

[lizzymcfizzy]

check out the huggies website, become a member for free and you can search a HEAP of activities :)

[BoyCrazy]

sounds like my 3.5yr old!

just b careful with the computer! my ds has changed my password both here and on facebook lol

but i do agree...computer games keep him occupied while i feed ds2.

check out nickjr.com has great games & activities! :thumbsup:

[belonna]

Yes she does jump on the PC now and then for a play though I'm hoping for activities that I can do with her.

Some of the PC games for toddlers are great and yes she's done some awful things to my files in the past :P

[Poppetfish]

Why dont you be creative with her. You could try doing some basic lapbooks?

Do a theme day.

Start by reading a story book about pirates or fairies or something. Ask her to draw a picture of the pirates/ fairies whatever eating dinner? When she is done ask her to paint a picture of the pirates parrot/ fairies butterfly/ whatevers pet? Read the book again. Have a pirate picnic/ fairy picnic and do pirate/ fairy activities in the yard. Put some gold painted rocks in the sandpit and sift for them with a colander/ put a drop of birdseed on each flower on a rose bush ect. After lunch build something to do with pirates/ fairies whatever out of blocks. Make mini costumes to fit the theme and wear them together. Eg fairy wings or pirate hats and swords and an eye patch.

Play word games with her. Eg I like eating apples. Can you name a fruit? What colour is that fruit? What shape is that fruit? can you draw the fruit? what about another fruit?

Whay dont you make some hair-bands? and hair accessories? Teach her to knit? Get cooking? Or get some biscuits and get her to ice them and decorate them with lollies for her friends? Act out different animals? Make masking tape roads on the floor and drive toy cars around? Make a mini Olympics? Go to the op shop and dress up in funny clothes and hats? Paint a plant pot as a gift fro the grandparent? make a stained glass window using contact and cut up bits of celephane?

You cant half tell i used to work at a Vac Care.

[Poppetfish]

Also go to the playschool website. It has what activities they do on playschool for the next month and detailed instructions on how to do the crafty and cooking stuff. Reenact playschool at home.

[tyler's mum]

I wish i knew i could have done this thread myself.

Tyler loves craft stuff, making things, stickers, drawing, painting, colouring. She is into playing cards at the moment she has dora matching cards she loves them. She does get bored very easy and its hard to keep her busy. No matter how many different things i try to do with her never seems enuff:rolleyes: Half the time i think thats what her behaviour problems are. She acts out and becomes naughty bnecause she is bored.

Hopefully we both can find the answers to keep them busy:yes: