[EssentialBludger]

My 3yo missed the cutoff for kindy this year by a couple of months. He's probably not quite ready anyway, but he's going to be bored sh*tless at home for another year. All the 3yo kindys around here are full, and we're not entitled to CCB or CCR so probably couldn't afford daycare at $90 per day.

So what does everyone do with their 3yos to keep them busy? He's a very social little thing, but all my friends have older kids at school, so he doesn't have a lot of friends himself. Would prefer stuff where he can interact with other kids, and not just me.

TIA!

[Preg_in_RSA]

Have you looked into Playgroups. Our council organizes a free playgroup in the park/local hall. Its a couple of hours a week with some craft activity, toys, story time, sing a longs etc. Probably very similar to what they do at Kindy but you stay with them the whole time and there is less structure. To find some local ones try http://www.playgroupaustralia.com.au/

Story time a the library is also good to get them into the habit of sitting and listening.

Good luck

[green apples]

I know a great, free playgroup near Melville way if you are interested. You don't need to join or commit, it's an open morning basically and all run and organised by trained early childhood teachers.
Let me know if you want details.

[EssentialBludger]

Thanks, I hadn't thought of playgroup. Melville is a bit far from me but I'll look for one around here!

We do story time sometimes but DS isn't really a sit still and listen type of child.

[beabea]

We spent a lot of time at museums around that age, too. There always seemed to be other kids his age and exhibits for that agegroup were common.

Science centre? (I'm not sure where you are or what facilities you have.)

But mainly just parks and playgrounds, I guess. And playgroup.

[trishalishous]

playgroup is always good, maybe look at the local pcyc and ymca and see if they have any programs?

[swimmingalong]

i joined a gym so I could put my kids in the creche for a couple of hours a day

Also, swimming lessons and jungle gym

[Wild Strawberry]

My 3yo this year will be doing 3 year old Kindy, Playgroup and Kindy gym. I also go to the gym so he goes to crèche.

At the same age my older boys also went to Mainly Music.

Otherwise we will go to parks, playdates and I bought my friend and I the Kidzabuzz (Perth based but might be similar in other states) voucher book so we can get out and explore Perth as it is our babies last year at home

[cb2]

Some suggestions:
Swimming either book him into regular weekly classes or take home yourself and have a splash and play

I second and highly recommend the Library storytime great for that age group with a story/maybe a song and a craft activity at the end it will be something he looks forward to each week
Art class

Like PP have suggested Playgroup, Music, Gymbaroo local parks,
Playcentre
Once a month go an an adventure such as a train ride, or other public transport, go out for lunch, go to a movie,

Google kids activities there are plenty of good websites which you can enter you state and they tell you whats available one in particular is very good but I am not able to say on here

[lifehacker]

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This post has been edited by lifehacker: 09/02/2013, 10:10 PM