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Original poster

if you have boys, what do they play together?

64 replies

beclev24 · 30/10/2018 17:24

If you have more than one boy, do they play together and if so, what kinds of things do they play? Eg sports/ board games/ imagination games of pretend etc etc

I have 3 DS's ages 8, 5 and 10 months All my friends with girls of similar ages (at least of the older two) say that their girls play together for long stretches, often in pretend kinds of games- eg playing school/ shop/ princesses/ families etc etc. My boys don't play like this at all, or very rarely, and only if I play with them. Do your boys play imagination type games? How can I encourage this kind of play? These are some of my happiest childhood memories....

OP posts:
WaxOnFeckOff · 31/10/2018 21:13

Mine are adults/almost adult now but they played lots together (13 months apart) favourite games were with lego and having star wars battles with all the lego guys. they made a gang hut and spent days coming up with rules and roles, they would make up plays (usually battles) and video them. Nerf wars, they would play with imaginext sets (firemen etc). They would set up the tent and use it as a base and play star wars with lightsabers. They built an ant hotel in the mud outside, they would draw comics, play board games, platy computer games, set fires in the wheel barrow.....Hmm and yes, fight too!

MsMiaWallace · 31/10/2018 21:15

Mine are 6 & 3. They play Lego, playmobil, cars etc. Imaginative play they pretend to camp & build dens.
They pretend to run a cafe/shop
Etc. They're always playing silly games & giggling between themselves or scrapping & shouting!

mamaduckbone · 31/10/2018 21:15

Mine used to play playmobil knights, or pirates, Lego and build brio train tracks together. And wrestle - a lot.

Now they are older (9 and 12) it’s mostly computer games sadly, although they do play table football sometimes, and they still wrestle!

Both of mine are quite imaginative - I don’t think it’s gender specific - but they are 3 1/2 years apart so they’ve not often been into the same things at the same time.

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thenewaveragebear1983 · 31/10/2018 21:16

Playmobil is a good all rounder in our house (boys age 6 and 3)
Board games like orchard games (with adult help for 3 yo)
Lots of wrestling, chasing, tig, and ‘the floor is lava’ type games

confusedofengland · 31/10/2018 21:16

Nearly 10, 7 (ASC so mentally younger) & 4.
They play lots of things together, but rarely imagination games, except when dressed up or playing with their toy kitchen. They play:

Playmobil
Lego
Wooden trains & track
Cars
Hot Wheels
Board games (Orchard games, snakes & ladder, junior monopoly also things like pop-up pirate & kerplunk)
Drawing/stickers
Trampoline
Paddling pool in summer
Toy food & kitchen (Ds2 & 3)
Dressing up & play fighting/saving the world/being doctors etc

Shutityoutart · 31/10/2018 21:21

Mine are 3 & 6 and play together a lot. A lot of pretending to be a puppy or creature and looking after each other.
Then when they’ve had enough of that they then beat the crap out of each other.

WaxOnFeckOff · 31/10/2018 21:29

Mine also liked a garage and play mat and a pile of cars and train and track and the also had a basket ball net outside which they played with.

GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat · 31/10/2018 21:32

I think it’s a shame that so many of you see ‘beating the shit out of each other’ and so normal and acceptable. It’s no wonder they turn in to men who do it.

3boysandabump · 31/10/2018 21:34

My boys play let's try and kill each other on a daily basis.

They also play things like fortnite which it like a re-enactment of the x box game from what I can gather.

They'll also play board games together, Lego , hotwheels.

They're 8,7 & 3. Also have a 3 month old but he just watches from the sidelines at the moment

WaxOnFeckOff · 31/10/2018 21:36

I think it’s a shame that so many of you see ‘beating the shit out of each other’ and so normal and acceptable. It’s no wonder they turn in to men who do it.

Oh don't be so ridiculous.

My sister and used to fight with each other too. Neither of us has turned into a violent husband beater.

My DSs wouldn't harm a fly and in fact even when he was bullied my DS1 wouldn't fight back. Play wrestling is perfectly normal.

AudTheDeepMinded · 31/10/2018 21:37

Guessing you don't have more than one boy then Georgie? And a bit presumptuous to conclude parents aren't intervening?

Talith · 31/10/2018 21:40

Geometry Dash on their tablets. (8 and 11) or one watches whilst the other games. They both hunker up and watch Netflix things or YouTube. Outside arsing about with bikes or scooters or swings or whatever.

cheminotte · 31/10/2018 21:40

8 and 11

Nerf guns, water pistols
Sometimes playmobil, Star Wars games
Mostly play apart though or we go out and they play in park

GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat · 31/10/2018 21:41

Ahh now you’re playing it down. Some people said ‘play wrestling’, others said ‘beating the living shit out of each other’. Was that for comedic effect?

GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat · 31/10/2018 21:42

Aud and equally presumptuous to presume I don’t have more than one boy...

ChiaraRimini · 31/10/2018 21:44

Mine are 16 and 18 and get on great now although they couldn't stand each other a few years ago.

Shutityoutart · 31/10/2018 21:51

georgie it’s actually play fighting / wrestling whatever you want to call it. Me and my sister used to properly kick lumps out of each other. Now we get on great and neither of us have violent tendencies. So I’m not too worried!

GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat · 31/10/2018 21:54

Fair enough, it’s not something I’m bothered about enough to argue about it. It’s not something I have personally ever accepted in my house but I guess that’s true with most things and styles of parenting.

1busybee · 31/10/2018 21:54

Playmobil complete winner in our house and gave years of enjoyment!

AudTheDeepMinded · 31/10/2018 21:55

Blimey, what do yours do then, meditate? Georgie. Please tell me your secret wisdom so I too can produce some ideal children?

Nuffaluff · 31/10/2018 21:56

Mine are 8 and nearly 4. They play imaginary games all the time- it’s sort of lovely, but I wish they played with their toys more. It gets too raucous.
At the moment they play Olympic Winter Games speed skating round the living room and one of them always gets hurt.

AudTheDeepMinded · 31/10/2018 21:56

Ha, I don't accept it but it still happens! (Bit like Trump).

Shutityoutart · 31/10/2018 21:57

I read that it’s good for kids to play fight each other - particularly boys and dads - as they learn from each other and body language when ‘enough is enough’. I think it may have been in ‘raising boys’.
I’d rather mine played like that together than stared at screens all day.

Nuffaluff · 31/10/2018 22:00

Of course ‘beating the living shit out of each other’ was for comedic effect! It’s obvious.
Unless you’ve had a sense of humour bypass.

TowerRingInferno · 31/10/2018 22:10

Dcs 10 and 12. They don’t do anything together (except bickering and winding each other up) and never really have. They’re chalk and cheese. I hope that this might change as they get older.