What kinds of things can I do with my 3 year old during the day?

[proudpreemieparents2531]

I'm seeking things to do, outside of the home, during the day with my 3 year old. She's so active and always wants to go "bub bye". I'm looking for inexpensive things or things where I don't have to travel far due to the insane cost of gas. We've been to all of the parks in town and the library. She loves the park, but our library's books for kids are older than dirt. I swear they don't have anything pre-1980. I'm from a small town of 22,000 and there's no museum, zoo, or anything like that for kids here. We don't have a YMCA or kids group. My daughter will be attending preschool in the fall, but I'm looking for fun things to do with her over the summer. Ideas?? Also, there's no beach here and I can't take her to our pool since I'm allergic to chlorine. Help me please!She loves sidewalk chalk, but, again, I have to get in the car, waste gas, and take her somewhere to do it as we live in an apartment where sidewalk chalk isn't allowed.

[lillilou2701]

Get the big sidewalk chalks. Then make mazes, hopscotch type things, and challenges. For instance draw a little river she has to jump over, then circles and squares to jump to.You could also google on the Dolly Parton reading program. and get a free book sent each month.Sprinklers and umbrellas are fun too.Also tents.

[TruthSlayer]

Wow, where you live sounds like it sucks. Take her on small road trips to neighboring towns that have better libraries? What about large cities? Do you live near any urban areas?

[mouse_726]

If she likes animals, find a good pet store and take her there...my almost four year old twins LOVE going to the pet store.....it's like a mini zoo! Also, if you have the ability, get a pool for your backyard. It's not going bye bye....but it's something different. Also, if you are involved with a church see if there are any other parents who want to start a children's group of some sort. If you don't belong to a church....see if there is any church in the area that has a children's group. Barring that...start your own group! Meet at a local park once a week, advertise it with flyers at grocery stores and ask churches in the area to put it in their bulletin. Check with any local hospitals, some may have parent/child groups that meet once a month or so. Our hospital in NH had a multiples group (I have twins) and a parent/newborn group as well as a parent/toddler group. My boys LOVED going there, and so did I because I got to interact with grown ups. Talk to your library about starting a kid's program...maybe they don't have one because there seems to be no interest. Are there any McDs or Burger Kings that have play areas near you? Not the best food...but a different environment for her.A final idea, even though I know gas is expensive, plan one longer trip per month. I feel your pain living in a small town with not a lot to do. We have to drive 2+ hours to get anywhere that is more urban with stuff for kids to do, so we make the most of it when we do that drive. Find out where the closest good zoo or aquarium or something is and plan a trip there. Talk it up with your daughter for a week or so ahead of time; pack a lunch so it's a little less expensive; leave early so you are there when it opens and you can stay until she is done or the place closes!Hope these ideas help at least a little.

[skyler4463]

Do you have any friends have that young kids where you can have a play date? How about letting her play in the sprinkler or with bubbles. Also check with your church or pre-school sometimes they have mommy and me class's those are GREAT and cost almost nothing my sister lives in NY and she taked her son to it once a week and they charge 2.00. Hope some of these ideas help

[good2balive4616]

Check to see if the parks and libraries run special events; most of them do. Our library, for instance, has puppet shows a couple times a month and the park and rec department has various kinds of events going on throughout the year for families and kids. In a small town, they won't probably do as much as ours, which is a pretty big metropolitan area, but you can check their website or call the visitor's center to see.Check with visitor's centers with other towns near yours and see what kinds of things they offer or can recommend. Sometimes there are historical events or events put on by churches, too. (Ours just had an international festival.)If you have a Home Depot within a reasonable distance, check to see what kinds of classes they have for small children. They sometimes offer workshops for young children on building birdhouses and that kind of thing.At home: plant some stuff, either a small garden in part of the yard and teach your daughter about weeding, watering, etc. Or start plants in pots (or other creatively re-used containers). Make bird, butterfly, bat or owl houses and paint them. Start your own kids group by posting a note locally where there's a bulletin board (church, library, etc.); define the "rules" ahead of time and decide what you'll expect from other parents--for instance, they can't drop their kids off and come back; it's not daycare, and they should all contribute materials for activities, help clean up, etc. Then you can decide on themes for get togethers: making home made gift wrap (unroll brown paper and let them go to town with finger paints, walking on it, stamping with veggies, etc.); making or doing something for say the local nursing home or sending something off to needy kids in other countries or soldiers in Iraq/Afghanistan; making home made concoctions for slime, play-dough, and so on; tie-dying t-shirts (or other things). The other parents will probably have some good ideas, too. See if the library has good old-fashioned movies on reels and stand-up screens to rent or borrow. We used to do this for our kids and they loved outdoor movies in summer time! We do it still but with TV and DVD player and my husband calls it "Redneck Theatre"; we take pillows and blankets and snacks out onto the deck and watch a movie, with the breeze, owls hooting, trains in the distance, it's great fun!