I Am Looking for Some Things to Do for a Active Soon to Be 4 Year Old.

Hi K.,

Have you ever thought about doing a themed week or theme based month? For example, you could do a farm theme for a week. You could check out as many books as you can find from the library and read them throughout the week. The library might also have a farm videotape for when you need some down time. Then throughout the week you could do a couple of farm art activities (for example making a chicken out of paper or watercoloring a stalk of corn) etc. There should be some themed based books at the library or there are some cool internet sites for stuff.

Hope that helps!
A.

I also would suggest the four year old Pre-Kindergarten. I had my daughter in a Pre-K program that was three days a week. She loved the teacher and met many other really nice kids. Her teacher was excellent and very resourceful.

Another idea is to let her play in the yard while you watch. Many times my daughter just wants me to watch her play with her chalk, collect acorns in the yard, blow bubbles, play in the sand, play on the swing set, dig in the dirt (if you have a dirt patch).

Playing board games, such as the memory game, puzzles, etc. is another option.

Baking together: This can involve many types of togetherness. Me and my daughters will make simple cakes, and I put together a simple glaze and let her decorate the cakes with mini m&m's and cheap tube frosting. Then we give it away to a neighbor or friend or have dad take it to work.

One more idea for you, always have an area where your daughter can have access to plain paper, colored pencils, crayons, some kid scissors, tape. Let her imagination take over. Many morning my daughter, whose is 5, will wake up and just grab some paper and start coloring, drawing, cutting, and taping her art work to the walls for our decorating pleasure!

Good luck! Let us know how it goes!

K.

Hi, K.,
I have a four year old daughter that loves to create things. One thing that she absolutely love to do is play with playdough. About once or twice a week I will lay down a plastic mat on the kitchen floor and lay out cookie cutters, plastic butter knives and a rolling pin and about 20 containers of playdough. My daughter will sit there for hours, creating things,and mixing different colors together to see what she gets. Sometimes she will bring me "presents" that she ahs made and we will take pictures of them.
I sometimes take this time to get things done, or to just relax for awhile, since she is so busy. Of course I also have a lot of fun playing along with her.

I hope this helps.

J.

Hi K.,

I noticed someone said they suggest preschool. My son is in the 4K program and it has done so much for his way of dealing with people and how much he has learned! I also have a 3-year-old and she is at home. They just recently got into puzzles. They do the 24 piece puzzles and they do them over and over again. Maybe pick one of those up.

Hope that everything goes well with your health. God bless!

Hi K.,

Best of luck with your health! Well, I'm an artsy kind of person and I love being creative. What about getting her into taking an instrument where she could practice at home. I've taught music lessons in the past to kids as young as 4. There are teachers who give lessons at your house. Another is have her practice her ballet or put on different kinds of music for her to listen to and draw pictures to. Play a song on the radio and have her draw something that she thinks of when she hears each song. I'm a stay at home mom myself with a 2 month old and she is so alert already she constantly wants to be entertained (just like myself and her father!):) I think the arts are wonderful for children of any age! KIT I'm sure I'll come up with more ideas!! Feel good!:)

I was raised by a mother (single) who went through a Kidney transplant when I was young , I did have a sister to play with, however I remember having a routine. We got to watch TV for a little bit in the morning, then we did work books/ coloring etc. Then snack and outside time...she would come up with games that kept us running but she didn't have too...Obstacle courses or some kind of timed race. Then we could have lunch, my sister was a napper so she would sleep and I got to stay up and watch TV. Then we had toy time (or that is what she called it) etc. You get the point...I think a routine is one of the best things you can do, she will know what is going to happen and you can scheudle things around how you feel and when you feel the best you can do more active things. Another idea would be to try and start a playgroup out of your house 1 day a week, other Mothers can bring thier kids over and you all can relax and let the kids play! As far as crafts, if you go to nickjr.com or disneyonline.com they have craft ideas or get the family fun mag. they have great ideas! Kids cook books are fun too...and she can do a lot of it herself and then have Dad try it when he gets home! Plus she is helping you! Hope this helps! Good luck with your health, you can get through this! And when your daughter gets older and knows what you went though she will see your strength and treasure that time she got to be home with you!

K.,
I just read your request and I truly feel for you. I have had bladder and kidney problems my whole life, which got significantly worse during pregnancy. I lived with a nephrostomy tube the last two months of my pregnancy with my second child and had a few stents placed in me. I have had about ten surgeries since her birth two years ago and I am no longer able to urinate on my own...I self-cath. I know how bad kidney pain can be and I am sure you are on lots of medications that make you very tired. I am on nine and starting to finally get off some of them.

I read the other responses, and I think like you must think, they would require some energy that you probably don't have. However, you may be able to do some of the stuff if you are able to rely on other people. I agree preschool is a great idea, but it sounds like you might have a problem getting her there. I would call a preschool and explain your situation. I am sure they could find someone to transport your daughter back and forth. Are you close with any of your neighbors? My neighbors always took my kids to play, especially on bad days and the never ending trips to the doctor and being admitted to the hospital way too much. As far as crafts go, look into Oriental Trading Company. They have so many craft supplies and kits for really cheap. They are an online store so you can have it shipped.

Best of luck, and if you ever need to talk or just vent about being sick, I understand.

D.

Hi Kim,

I get tons of craft ideas from familyfun.com or bhg.com,
they also have treats you can make together, even getting your
child interested in better eating habits and how to make the food presentable.

I also google ideas on the internet and it's amazing what you can find.

I think even Dinsey and Nickelodeon websites have ideas.

Check those out.
S.

Hi K., I may not be able to help much more than these people, but we have something in common. I am a mom of a 3 1/2 yr old girl and have just been diagnosed with kidney disease. Unfortunately my last pregnancy brought out the kidney disease and I lost my baby half way through my pregnancy. Dr says the kidney probs and high blood pressure had nothing to do with it, but I know it did. I am very frightened too. I am not as tired as you since I am not on meds yet, but do feel fatigued easily and have a lot of probs keeping myself hydrated. Maybe we could talk sometime or get together and let our girls play. A little support would be great for both of us. L.

Kim I am sorry to hear about your condition, that must be difficult and I feel for you! I have a 4 year old daughter as well, my advice would be to get her into preschool! Kids now need so much more in school than when we were kids. This will start her education off on the right foot, give her somewhere to vent her energy and get her creativity flowing! Since you're a stay at home mom and value that time with your child, you can do a half day 4K program at any daycare/school center. The social skills she learns now will be valuable in her future. My daughter starts all day 4K this fall and is so excited to go to "big girl" school!

Sounds like your daughter is imaginative. You should check out the local library. They always have reading groups, movie time, and arts and crafts schedualed. That would keep her active, its free, and it doesnt exhaust you too much. Or I like taking my boys to the park. They always find little friends to play with, and they stay in one area while you can sit and watch, or read. I also like to pack a picnic lunch and take a blanket.

K. A

K.,
I am a mom of three girls ages 9,6,and 4. I will be a stay at home with in the next few days. One thing that all of my girls like to do is called perler beads. It is plastic beads that you put onto a pegboard then you can Iron them and they stick together or my kids just dump the beads back into a bowl and start over again. My 4 year old loves to see what it looks like when she is done. We got it at Walmart in Elk River off of 169. We read together and play music. I am sure I will think of other things to do with her once I am home all the time. I hope this has helped.

T. C