To worry DS doesn’t watch TV?

@soiswitched you say you noticed he engaged strangely with a toddler toy. How so? What looks strange to you is just play to our ND crew (unless he was trying to insert it somewhere amongst his person in which case I’d explain about privacy and there being special toys for that use only 🤣).
Kids play is weird. That’s what makes it so wonderful. It’s dynamic, toys and household items acquire skills and purpose you never dreamed possible.
Embrace the madness. My eldest is 17 and has lost most of this 😢

You misunderstand me.
I do think (some) 4 year olds sit and watch films. I just doubt they have the sort of understanding of the subject matter that you seem to think they do.

From what you've described, he's clearly able to sit and concentrate in other situations, so I can't see anything to worry about. Not liking to watch moving pictures on a screen because you'd rather be doing something else is not a problem.

The rule of thumb for children's attention span is 2-3 minutes per year of age. That's just 8-12 minutes for a 4 year old. Will he concentrate on things (doesn't matter what - imaginary play, listening to a story, building with blocks ...) for that length of time?

I’ve got a 13yr old ASD/PDA profile, ADHD. I don’t think he’s watched a children’s programme ever from start to finish. They don’t hold his attention (unsurprisingly because most of them are rubbish). He’s a pacer, or a hangerupsidedowner, or a balance on an indoor surf board type of guy. He can watch a programme that way on the family tv.
Any new movies or series he likes to watch alone on his iPad first. We can then watch together on the tv but it’s a bit like going to the movies with Tigger.
Oddly,on the 3 occasions he has been to the cinema he didn’t more a muscle! 😂

My dd is 15 now and has never been a TV watcher. She was just never interested, she had a brief thing for my little pony when she was small but other than that TV has never held her interest. She is perfectly normal in all other respects, doing well at school, has lots of friends, TV has just never been her thing.

Really? Have you had discussions with 4 year olds after watching films like Home Alone? Do they really follow the whole plot line and understand who all the characters are (I'm an adult and I've watched it many times, but I'm not sure I could successfully describe most of the characters beyond Kevin and the bad guys and Kevin's mum)? or are they just finding the slapstick type humour funny? I think a 4 year old who was genuinely following the plot might get upset that Kevin was all alone. Does this happen?

This is on a par with people who insist their 4 year olds have read the whole of Harry Potter - there is a difference between reading or viewing and understanding.

DS1s never actually seen Home Alone, thanks for popping it into my head...it might be a good film to watch Christmas eve in the evening (DS2 will be asleep by then hopefully).

DS1 (8) couldn't concentrate on a film at 4, but could concentrate fine on building a train track for ages and could also concentrate fine (but was a bit fidgety) at school. He probably started enjoying films at around 6?

DS2 (almost 5) has a 'calmer' personality and will happily watch a film at 4, but he's not interested in non-animated ones yet.

Surely it's good that he's not interested in screens?! Hopefully he can spend more time on other activities which are better for his development - making things, reading, playing, arts and crafts etc?!

Mores the pity, stuck in front of the television. Read them a book. If you are genuinely worried see a professional, don't diagnose something unfounded with Home Alone as your reference point.

When my daughter was 4, she went to watch her brother (6) in his Panto. As parents had occupied all the toddler seats, she got to sit in the front row next to the Headmistress. She was absorbed and sat perfectly still watching well.
At the end the Headmistress commented on how absorbed she'd been.

I tell you this not to make you feel bad but a) because it was so unusual
*b) because yesterday as an adult she received an ADHD diagnosis
*
Your son just sounds like a lively boy.
Also parents do lie, I'm not convinced that many of those 4 year olds really follow a long film.

Is he your oldest vs other 4 year olds you know who have older siblings? 4 is v young to expect full concentration on a feature length film.

Sounds normal for 4. My dd had no interest in films or Disney. It's only been in the last 6 months she suddenly interested in watching films. She is 8. She preferred to play with small world toys or draw.

Is he your first child, OP?

TV is mostly boring rubbish anyway.

He wouldn't follow it because he's 4.

He sounds like a normal 4 year old. I also don't think you can equate sitting and watching a screen with being able to follow a plot, characters and story.
Does he follow the stories in books?

Wriggling is really normal for children at that age, especially boys. You need to stop worrying.

Home alone at 4 seriously. You're worried about that.