Solo activities for 6 year old boy

[mumtumstill]

All he wants to do is watch tv or play iPad!

What else can I encourage him to do? Indoors or outdoors!

I've tried Lego, knex, drawing but he just wants to play board games with me which I love but can't get any work done ( he has no siblings and I have already arranged plenty of play dates)

I have tried teaching solitaire and clock patience card games which he liked

Any other ideas

Happy to buy stuff!

Painting by numbers.
Knitting/crochet.
Hama beads.
Jigsaws.
Marble Run.
Swingball.

I can't remember what the official name is ...Standing lots of dominoes up in patterns and over books etc and flicking one to make them all go.

Trick dominoes? domino run? I can't remember but I took it very seriously as a kid

At that age mine would not entertain herself for prolonged periods other than to watch tv. Can't you do your work after he goes to bed instead and take him out, at least for a couple of hours?

Think Fun has a lot of games that can be played alone. I have to say I would just say ‘you have books, toys, art and craft stuff, so Mummy will not be available from X time to Y time.’ And just say no to screen time. Boredom is great for kids, it makes them figure out how to be creative and entertain themselves.
(I was a single child and my parents really insisted on this- DS was an only till 5 and I refused to be his round the clock entertainment after a point so I got tough. It’s now made a huge difference- he reads a lot, draws, plays by himself, or with his now baby brother but on car journeys or long plane journeys is really self sufficient so it was worth doing. I still play with him a lot but not constantly).

Take him to a play centre and sit in the cafe and do your work? Loud but at least you can get something done.