How did you entertain your sons at age FOUR?
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Permalink Reply by Cynthia - The Good Enough Witch on -
Lots of wrestling here too. Found a park over the weekend with a tire swing...did the "airplane' thing for at least 20 minutes!
Candes said:My son will soon be 4 next month. He LOVES art projects. Loves to cut paper and glue stuff. He's really good at sports so we make up games that involve kicking or hitting a ball or whatever's close at hand.
We wrestle but not like he does w/ Daddy. We also screw around on the swings and pretend we're airplanes out of control.
Can't wait to pick him up from school now!
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Permalink Reply by Cynthia - The Good Enough Witch on
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Hula hoops! Those keep crossing my mind and then I space...got to get me some hula hoops. Got jump ropes a couple of weeks ago...good fun.
Shelley said:other things I've found to keep my child busy: two hula hoops. I've got two, one bigger and one smaller for him. He's still trying to learn the whole hula hoop concept of making it go round, but the other day I was trying to teach him to 'jump rope' with it. He'll also place them on the floor and see if he can jump from one into the other. Or.... Nana and Pappaw bought him a fishing pole for Christmas. It came w/a plastic fish to tie onto the end and he'll go fishing in the hoop.
IKEA has inexpensive train tracks and we can spend hours just trying to come up w/different layouts. We bake a lot. Color pictures for the grandparents. Oh... we'll also turn on the radio, or ipod. He'll hear a song and I'll ask him to draw a picture about it. Sort of like a Pictionary/Win, Lose or Draw. His favorite so far is Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire."
One other thing, if it's in the budget and you've got the space for it... I was able to find a 7'x7' bounce house on clearance at KB Toys (w/an Entertain book coupon) was around $100 or so... and he'll spend 20-30 min in there about 3-4 days/wk. It really helps to have on rainy days or in the winter time.
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Permalink Reply by Kirsten on -
Mine is an only child as well. Don't know where you live, but if you have a state park, nature conservancy, or hiking trails nearby, that is an awesome thing to do together at this age -- especially because it's a completely unhurried and 'un-organized' activity. Dress for the weather and head out!
We live near a nature center with several rustic trails, and we can choose to hike down to the lake, through meadows, or by ponds that are home to lots of ducks, frogs, turtles and tadpoles, depending on the season. I usually take a small backpack with snacks, a flashlight, and a magnifying glass. I'm always amazed at what he notices and takes interest in, and you can always depend on a little boy to find the coolest stick in the woods or neatest rock lying on the beach. Some of the nicest times we spend together are when we're wandering around -- we once spent about an hour just lying on a dock in the sun, watching tadpoles swim around! But beware, if your boy is like mine he'll want to stuff everything, including bugs and caterpillars, into his pockets and take them home!
When he was 4, I also bought a bunch of those refrigerator magnets that have multicolored, large plastic clamps on them. If I need him to entertain himself for a little while, I take a sheet or blanket and clamp it to dining room chairs or onto something outdoors and he plays happily in his 'fort' 'till I tell him to take it down!
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Permalink Reply by Kat on -
my son is four yrs too. but he has 2 older brothers that he is always playing with
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Permalink Reply by Sue Rodman on -
the shaving cream comment made me remember that my boys LOVED the shave in the bath. We'd take popsicle sticks as razors and they they'd use the bubbles as the shaving cream, but you could use actual shaving cream. It makes great pictures too. In the summer when it's hot, something just getting in the tub for an extended period is great. I'd also make tub paints, put them in an ice cube tray and let them paint. I can't remember the recipe, but if you go to familyfun.com you can probably find it. I love Family Fun. It has LOTS of great ideas and you don't have to be Martha Stewart to make them.
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Permalink Reply by Dinnetta Powell on -
I know it's not inexpensive, but I send my son to "daycare" but really it's a summer camp at his Karate school! Of course I work all day during the day (hopefully by the end of the year that will all change!!) but they take the kids to the Duck Pond, to the movies, to animal parks, swimming, and then they have Karate in the afternoon from 4:30 until 5. *whew* It tires me out just thinking of the full day that child has! But I wouldn't have it any other way!
My son is 5 (6 in September and I can't BELIEVE how big he is!) but he's pretty active! On the weekends, we typically go to the duck pond and throw hundreds of bread balls at the birds and turtles, or we find a free activity that is happening downtown, or he'll go swimming. Sometimes he just sits in his room and plays his Wii (which is only allowed 2 times a week for no more than 1.5 hours each time!!).
He's an only child too I might mention. It's tough to keep him occupied sometimes!
Some free (ok super cheap) things that he LOVES to do...?
Army men! He loves to set up battles. He'll pretend for literally HOURS on end (Dollar Tree - 4 bags of Army/Police/Cowboys&Indians - $4)
Scissors. Glue Stick. Construction Paper. 'Nuff Said.
Remote Control Cars. I can't tell you how many times I've walked into the kitchen only to have a car raced at me with a boy who's been waiting patiently for the right moment to attack...
Help me with housework. Believe it or not. It works. Get your son his own little Mop (Toys R Us - $4.99) and a dust vacuum Cleaner (like a Shark or Swiffer type thing - maybe you have one in your house already!!) and let him have at it. Lucian LOVES to find dirt and sweep it up and it helps me out....
Just some ideas!! :)
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Permalink Reply by Wendy Polisi on -
Cynthia,
I have a 4 year old named Alex too!!! :) (Actually 4 1/2)
Alex is very into his toys. Legos, bionicles, transformers, bakugans, star wars, hotwheels (with trick tracks), cars cars, you name it.
He loves to play on the computer which I know I a lot of parents don’t like. I keep him to educational sites and overall I think it has helped him tremendously with reading and math. I have noticed that he got a little aggressive when my husband would let him play on sites intended for older boys.
He also loves his Leapster and Tag. We are in the car a lot and both are lifesavers.
He is happiest when he can get some good time outside. Sometimes we play “tennis” where he uses my old racket ball racket and I pitch him the ball. He also likes to play golf with his little (plastic) clubs and baseball. He will run as long as someone will chase him. (Fortunately for me he has a brother who is 14 months younger)
Other big hits are sidewalk chalk, and outdoor (washable!) paint.
Some of the most successful things to entertain him are the simplest. Making tents with sheets and books is always a big hit on a rainy day. He loves to dig in the dirt and help plant flowers or a garden. He loves to help in the kitchen—washing veggies, stirring, putting the silverware up. (Unfortunately the desire to help doesn’t transfer to putting up toys…)
He isn’t big into drawing inside, but his 3 year old brother will spend hours writing his ABC’s. Little brother will also read books for hours. They are so different!
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