Hi,
My son is lovely and bright and has a great imagination. His imaginary play skills are very good indeed. He's inquisitive and likes to investigate things and test things. He gets bored easily.
I've always found it very very hard being in the house with him - he'd growl with frustration as a baby. He sometimes does play by himself but it's unpredictable and there are days that drive me nuts with requests to play, do things etc, and also compliance with things like popping to the shops quickly if he's really into a game. The tough days are whingy days and he will literally start climbing my legs like a bean pole. He's always also come out which new skills and interesting ideas just before bed, thus delaying bed. I know the times he needs to sleep and that gets tough to manage, but they're always really good ideas and it's bloody tough to say no. If he was messing about, that's fine; I find it hard to stamp on his curiosity!
Then I find things that seem to help but I get totally distracted myself!
Basically the house starts out a tip and ends even more of a tip due to all the distractions.
I'm sure it's normal 
and in many ways I don't want to stop his brainwaves!
The hardest thing is he isn't interested in sitting and drawing in the slightest. He wants totally proper 'boy art' - messy and explosive! And I have to facilitate that (though he's definitely improving his organisation skills!)
Please give me some strategies that aren't tv, gin or being totally ruled by a 3 year old. And tell me it's a phase?!
(Ps I'm a special needs teacher too. You'd think I'd be able to work it out 
)