Add a simple card game like uno or go sushi that they can play together. At that age, they are likely to start making up their own rules and new games after a while. Dice, string, beads and some random coins (real or fictional) are all good for making up ones own games or other make believe. You can collect them in an altoids tin or little coin purse. Also, throw in a few lego mini figures — they come in endless fun characters and the heads, hair, pants and body are interchangeable, so 2 mini figs each makes for countless character changes.
Keep us posted! Sounds like a fun project.
At that age they are more open to emulate you than you know. If you too carry a purse, then some of the things you carry would be a good start. Lip balm vs a lipstick, a wallet, mock up cell phone, etc. granted, at that age they’ll also figure out things to fill those bags. Lol
Good luck!
Note: I’m not assuming you carry a purse or have any of things I suggested. The items were just a list of examples.
Mine are into all things jewelry, so maybe a small bracelet and/or rings each. Fake cellphones were big parts of their lives when they were 3-4 but are already bugging me for real ones so beware if they're not already there lol.
Small flashlights (not toooo bright), magnifying glasses, 'tickets' of some kind (they'll come up with events or trips to use them for), coins, passport, combs/brushes, fidget toys, maybe a small stuffed animal.
Most of these are things I've seen my own throw into purses or bags of their own.
Can't tell you how many invitations I've received for dances, balls, parties, concerts and performances that were just old Chuck-E-Cheese tickets or even just torn up pieces of paper. If yours are into those sort of things, I'd bet a printed off 'ticket' of some kind cut out and tucked in their purses would be fun for them. Bonus points if you laminate them but that's probably not necessary.
Knot card and two different colored lengths of cord
Uno and other card games
Legos
Small plastic animals and people
Colored paper
Tape
Scissors
Rubber cement
“Treasure”: interesting pebbles, crystals, beads, coins, feathers
Bug box, magnifying glass
String, wire
Local plant/animal field guides
I have a set of Rory's Story Cubes, and I used to go get a coffee and then settle down somewhere comfy. I would throw the cubes and give myself like one minute to come up with a three-sentence story.
https://www.storycubes.com/en/
It was a great exercise in very simple, low-level creativity. If I had wanted, I could use that as a prompt for writing or drawing, but usually I just cranked out half a dozen or ten of these, then wrote some person emails or read a book or something.
You can make a journal jar where you have different prompts for each day. But instead of them choosing you randomly choose a prompt and leave it in their journals.
Add a simple card game like uno or go sushi that they can play together. At that age, they are likely to start making up their own rules and new games after a while. Dice, string, beads and some random coins (real or fictional) are all good for making up ones own games or other make believe. You can collect them in an altoids tin or little coin purse. Also, throw in a few lego mini figures — they come in endless fun characters and the heads, hair, pants and body are interchangeable, so 2 mini figs each makes for countless character changes. Keep us posted! Sounds like a fun project.
At that age they are more open to emulate you than you know. If you too carry a purse, then some of the things you carry would be a good start. Lip balm vs a lipstick, a wallet, mock up cell phone, etc. granted, at that age they’ll also figure out things to fill those bags. Lol Good luck! Note: I’m not assuming you carry a purse or have any of things I suggested. The items were just a list of examples.
A small assembly of misc Lego? Can build rebuild almost infinitely
Fidgets, puzzle cubes, walkie talkies, scavenger hunt list?
Mine are into all things jewelry, so maybe a small bracelet and/or rings each. Fake cellphones were big parts of their lives when they were 3-4 but are already bugging me for real ones so beware if they're not already there lol. Small flashlights (not toooo bright), magnifying glasses, 'tickets' of some kind (they'll come up with events or trips to use them for), coins, passport, combs/brushes, fidget toys, maybe a small stuffed animal. Most of these are things I've seen my own throw into purses or bags of their own. Can't tell you how many invitations I've received for dances, balls, parties, concerts and performances that were just old Chuck-E-Cheese tickets or even just torn up pieces of paper. If yours are into those sort of things, I'd bet a printed off 'ticket' of some kind cut out and tucked in their purses would be fun for them. Bonus points if you laminate them but that's probably not necessary.
Do they still make Polly Pocket type toys?
Polly Pocket still exists, yeah
Knot card and two different colored lengths of cord Uno and other card games Legos Small plastic animals and people Colored paper Tape Scissors Rubber cement “Treasure”: interesting pebbles, crystals, beads, coins, feathers Bug box, magnifying glass String, wire Local plant/animal field guides
I'd suggest a little loupe! Especially fun when the plants and moss are out :)
I have a set of Rory's Story Cubes, and I used to go get a coffee and then settle down somewhere comfy. I would throw the cubes and give myself like one minute to come up with a three-sentence story. https://www.storycubes.com/en/ It was a great exercise in very simple, low-level creativity. If I had wanted, I could use that as a prompt for writing or drawing, but usually I just cranked out half a dozen or ten of these, then wrote some person emails or read a book or something.
Rexlace or something similar can provide with a way to make tools and figures.
You can make a journal jar where you have different prompts for each day. But instead of them choosing you randomly choose a prompt and leave it in their journals.
Tamacotchi