Not doing activities - normal for 5 year old?

[EllieQ]

Is it normal for a child to refuse to take part in activities/ crafts at home? DD is 5, and I’ve noticed that she is reluctant to do things like baking or crafts even if she is enthusiastic when I’ve suggested them. So I suggest baking something, she’s happy about the idea, but then will only measure one thing out or stir the mixture a couple of times before saying that she doesn’t want to do any more or she’s too tired. Same with any activities at events (in the pre-Covid days) - E.g. if we went to story time at the library, she’d refuse to do any of the colouring in sheets afterwards.

I assume she’d grow out of it as she got older, but she hasn’t. Today DH wanted to carve a pumpkin for the (online) school pumpkin contest, and while DD was very excited about it, she refused to do any of the drawing or cutting. I expect that most of the pumpkins will be done by the parents anyway but it’s puzzling and frustrating that she won’t get involved.

I know that she does do craft activities at school and at holiday club, though her teacher has said she can be slow to join in, but not at home. Anyone else have this?

[1940s]

What does she want to be doing instead. Is it an attention span thing that she just flits from one activity to the next? Or is she genuinely tired or lazy and just wants to sit and watch tv?

[EllieQ]

Her attention span is good - she likes to play pretend with her toys and doll house, and can spend 20-30 minutes playing on her own or with me/ DH (usually me as DH ‘doesn’t do it right’ to quote her).

At home, she probably would prefer to be playing pretend, or watching TV or playing on the iPad, if I’m honest (the usual story of too much screen time over lockdown). Sometime she will get out paper and felt tips and draw independently (ie: without me suggesting it).

I think there is a bit of laziness there, and a reluctant to try anything that’s difficult - noticed this while home schooling.

We used to go to a kids cinema club that had materials for drawing and colouring in (like print outs of film characters) for the twenty minutes before the film, and she’d look sad about not joining in, but won’t try even if I offer to sit with her.

I am reluctant to take her to any Halloween/ Xmas events (pumpkin picking/ Santa’s village etc) as I can see her just being unimpressed and wanting to go to a playground instead (her favourite thing since they reopened).

I just want to know if this is normal, or if there’s any way we could encourage her to do more/ take part more!