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Original poster

At what age could your baby / toddler entertain themselves for 30 minutes?

75 replies

Doonut84 · 31/03/2019 11:19

Really struggling with almost 10 month old. Moans constantly when we are in the house, doesn’t want to be put down but doesn’t want to be held either!
I struggle to get anything done eg house work or getting myself ready.

At what age could your child entertain themselves for 20/30 minutes so you could get ready or do a quick job?

OP posts:

eurochick · 31/03/2019 18:04

My 4.5 year old can manage 10 or 15 minutes occasionally but mostly wants us to play with her. I think you are being a bit optimistic!

beela · 31/03/2019 18:08

My 8yo can't, unless there is a screen involved.

My 4yo.... from about 2.

The problem is, even if they can it doesn't mean that they will, at least not at the time that you might want them to.

Ohyesiam · 31/03/2019 18:09

I think dd was probably about11 before Shea’s happily lentetyaon herself for half an hour .
Ds could from about 4.

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Oblomov19 · 31/03/2019 18:34

Both my ds's did it from a very early age, 5 or 6 mths? They were just happy, in their High seat, Walker, playing, watching tv. Both of mine would've watched tv all day if I'd have let them. I just pottered around, did some cleaning or ironing. They just played happily.

I'm surprised so many posters with older children have allowed this to continue. Surely children need to learn to amuse themselves from as early age as possible?

beela · 31/03/2019 18:44

It's because we're shit parents, Oblomov19.

Or maybe it's because all children are different?

One or the other, anyway.

BertieBotts · 31/03/2019 18:57

How do you make them entertain themselves if they won't? Like I said, my two are polar opposites. The 10yo is still incapable of entertaining himself without coming to give me an update every thirty seconds (unless it involves a screen and then he can be on it from waking to bedtime, if he was allowed) whereas my 7 month old has happily occupied himself from birth, frequently for 20 minutes at a time, today he did 40 with only the odd check to see we were still there.

I did try to encourage the older one, we've tried lots of things over the years. He is just very intense and seems to need company. I think I have one extraverted child and one introverted one.

Generationrenter · 31/03/2019 18:58

Once she started school.

HairyToity · 31/03/2019 19:30

My nearly two year old DS can. My 6 year daughter still can't, unless its screen time.

Bluetrews25 · 31/03/2019 19:42

From birth, I think.
I notice there have only been a few of us to say this. Probably all old school?

NerrSnerr · 31/03/2019 19:58

From birth, I think.
I notice there have only been a few of us to say this. Probably all old school?

Or maybe it's because not all children are the same?

user1471426142 · 31/03/2019 20:07

Mine (now 2y9m) could from an early age and quite often can get engrossed in something like playdoh or duplo and concentrate for an hour. But only on her own terms. It has to be an activity she’s chosen and wants to do. On the downside, I’m finding she’s more demanding now as her imaginative play is getting more sophisticated.

mossyroundhill · 31/03/2019 20:14

My 8 month old can, and has since he has been able to sit up. Happily play with toys, look at things, shuffle round the room since he's learned to crawl.

My almost 4 year old has always struggled to entertain herself and she has to be very engrossed to play alone for half an hour. I always have to either set her toys up for her or do one game before she will let me get on with other stuff and even then she'll constantly "check-in" with me.

BertieBotts · 31/03/2019 20:32

I am not at all old school. I am as woo and faddy as it gets when it comes to parenting. Still had one who has entertained himself alone from birth. I think he is just introverted TBH, far too early to tell of course.

beela · 31/03/2019 20:39

@BertieBotts I did some training at work recently about personality types and strongly recognised my two dc in the introvert / extrovert descriptions. I definitely have one of each. It gave me some reassurance actually.

DisgraceToTheYChromosome · 31/03/2019 20:40

DGS has been able to since about 8 months, but given his speed, agility and sheer recklessness, it's not a good idea to lose sight of him.

LtGreggs · 31/03/2019 20:44

Mine would probably have done 30 minutes if they were sat in bouncer or similar and I did a jolly narrative to them as I went about my jobs...

Popcorninapot · 31/03/2019 20:44

When they can watch tv 😬. Mine only got ti the stage where tv would guarantee 30 mins when they hit 3ish.

drspouse · 31/03/2019 20:44

7 year old can't, but 4 year old can!

Popcorninapot · 31/03/2019 20:46

But my two year old will entertain herself alone in her cot for literally hours. But she is a third child....

Cyw2018 · 31/03/2019 20:51

My 14 month old dd has managed it very occasionally from about 11 months (when I spotted her quietly stacking 3 wooden blocks), she probably manages it on average once a week, but not predictably or reliably so that I can plan to do anything much. But it gives me hope!!

sewinginscotland · 31/03/2019 20:57

I've been able to leave mine since he stopped screaming at 9 weeks... It started gradually, he would let me put him down for a few minutes at first. I'd always pick him up if he started crying, then the amount of time before melt down became longer and longer. He's quite happy in his bouncer/play gym/play mat for half an hour now, and would probably stay in the jumperoo all day if I let him.

However, he's only 6 months, so we've not been through the separation anxiety/crawling phase yet!

StarlingsEverywhere · 31/03/2019 21:04

My four year old can, but crucially never when I need him to.

Daisychainsandglitter · 31/03/2019 21:10

My four year old can- has always been very independent.
My 18 month old cant bear to let me out of her sight for a minute. It's like I have a permanent shadow with me when she's around.

vgiraffe · 31/03/2019 21:19

DD (2) has been happy to entertain herself for that length of time since she was tiny. Obviously due to my amazing parenting skills rather than sheer good luck...

BarmyLlama · 31/03/2019 21:37

DD did it when she was very little. We did a toy rotation thing too, which really helped. I think I stressed the independence thing quite a lot as we knew we were only going to have one DC and thought an only child would be more likely to be clingy.

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