Any inventive toy ideas for a 3 year old boy?

[yeknomyeknom]

I would like my son to have some variety to his play. He loves being read to but otherwise just plays with a big box of tiny matchbox cars. He examines them in detail then drives them off the end of the sofa. The end. He has a tunnel, doesn't go in it. He has a post office, not interested. He doesn't sit still for crafty things. Drawing keeps his attention for under three minutes. He likes to throw the pencils. Blocks and Lego again keep his attention for under three mins. He likes throwing them too. I would love him to have some variety. Does anyone else have a child like this or any ideas?

[Convex]

have you got a train set?

otherwise all sounds familiar. big into cars and trains here, plus lego but tends to still want us to play with him. likes jumping off the sofa way more than any toys!

[yeknomyeknom]

His cousins have trains and he just throws them. Lol. I would love to play Lego with him. Oh well.

[Loigal]

How about some age appropriate concentration games like big jigsaws (of cars!) and also playing matching and snap type games? Djeco do good puzzles for toddlers. I have a boisterous little one but find that when he's the mood those puzzles can entertain him for a certain period of time.

[Pickle]

Personally I'd say just roll with it. At 3 my now 8.5 year old was obsessed with toy cars, nothing else, he would sit for ages turning the wheels, driving them along a stripe on our rug to the point that he wore a hole in it!

As he got older his interests gradually broadened. He still loves his cars, but equally Lego, role play, all things history related etc.

Chances are if you try to move his focus you'll just make him more determined to play with his cars :)

(My 3 year old girl is currently obsessed with pulling all her clothes out of the drawers, and rolling them up like sausages. Keeps her entertained for hours!)

[yeknomyeknom]

Thanks everyone. Good to have some ideas and to know it won't be like this forever. I'd much rather cars than clothes in sausages!!! So I feel much better.

[Sonners]

What about car related play which engages other sensory play? E.g. get cars muddy and then have a car wash in a soapy washing up bowl; drive them through paint for paintings; freeze inside ice blocks which he can chip out or pour warm water over to release etc.

That said, I sometimes set up activities for my 2.5 year old and more often than not she abandoned it after 3 minutes! Although "washing up" seems to be a firm favourite and offering me soup from the washing up bowl. Although it's about to get trickier now that it's getting cold in the garden...

[lulu1]

Used to be able to keep my son entertained for ages with a washing up bowl with bit of water and soap, brush and lots of plastic animals. He would wash them all and then dry them all. Took forever :-) . Also, had a shoe box with all sorts of everyday items; empty cellotape rolls, wine/champagne corks, small bits of string, lids of milk cartons, sea shells etc.. Really, just about anything that was safe for his age (must have been nearer 4) and that wasn't a 'toy'. He loved it, there were always new things in the box and it really promoted imaginative play.

[yeknomyeknom]

Thanks. Sonners, I love your ideas. My son gets upset if his cars get muddy or wet!!! But, you did inspire me. He sometimes watches a YouTube video where they have cars encased in playdough that they crack open. So I am trying that today.

[catgirl]

That's reminded me that around that age mine all loved 'painting' things outside. Get a bowl of water and a big paintbrush (the kind you paint walls with) and put them in the garden and let them 'paint' the shed, garden furniture etc. hours of fun!

[Sonners]

I saw this and thought of this thread... http://kidsactivitiesblog.com/72341/car-play-deas

[yeknomyeknom]

This is great! Thanks for thinking Of us.

[esme]

Polydrons - they are robust magnetic shapes they can make things with. I also have a hyper little boy (now 5) who has loved these since he was about 2 or 3 years and they last, albeit they are pricey.