3.5 year old still can't sit through cartoons

[SebastianTheCrab]

Just after some advice. My DS started watching animated nursery rhymes when he was about 18 months and is obsessed with them.

I thought he'd grow out of them by now and would transition to stuff like Paw Patrol, Peppa Pig, Doc Macstuffins etc but he is just absolutely uninterested/unable to sit through anything that doesn't have songs and music. He just loses interest and wonders off.

Meanwhile other people's kids of a similar age are starting to watch entire films - we've tried showing him some Disney and Pixar stuff but he can barely get through 10 mins of Aladdin or Lion King before losing interest.

Is it normal or potentially something I should be keeping an eye on?

Normal.
That is very young to be sat in front of a screen for 90mins+

3.5 year olds sit through a whole film awake? I’d be amazed!

My 7 year old still can’t sit through a film !- unless it’s the cinema!

Thanks - I wasn't overly worried but then I went on Instagram (I know, I know) and saw Binkie from Made in Chelsea watching live action Chronicles of Narnia with her daughter who's the same age as my DS.

Is it normal to not even be able to sit through 11 min cartoons though? He's just started getting into Jake and the Neverland Pirates but most of the time I don't think he has any idea what's going on.

I don’t know why you’d want him to tbh. Encouraging sitting watching TV/screens for longer and longer periods isn’t a goal to aspire to for your children.

If he’s not interested don’t push it, it’s just not his thing. Take his lead. Go with what interests him.

It's normal and surely a good thing? Do something else instead or just let him play while it's on? For my kids one still can't sit through whole films as low interest, but can read whole books for hours - whatever engages them really.

@Smallsteps88

I don’t know why you’d want him to tbh. Encouraging sitting watching TV/screens for longer and longer periods isn’t a goal to aspire to for your children.

If he’s not interested don’t push it, it’s just not his thing. Take his lead. Go with what interests him.

Fair enough - I just see lots of kids his age watching pre-school shows and was curious whether he was unusual in not being able to concentrate for long enough.

(Also I want to watch Disney films with him).

She's not desperate to chuck him in front of the TV, she's worried about his attention span.

I wouldn't worry, OP, I think that is pretty normal. How is he with being read stories?

You want advice to get your three year old to watch films? Why? Is it important they watch films?

How is his concentration with more active stuff? Jigsaws or painting for example
Or playing with water or sticks and stones

You should have said you were worried about him being able to appreciate short theatre, OP

DS would never watch TV - probably started being interested about age 5 or 6? Only kids programme he would watch was Peppa Pig. I think it's normal.

Let him watch what he wants, stop pushing other stuff, and let go of the Disney wish.

Cbeebies was best for both of mine at this age, not the mad paw patrol/peppa pig/citv bullshit (with the exception of Ben & Holly). Just avoid cartoon shite, and try for real people talking at an age appropriate level.

@Ullupullu

It's normal and surely a good thing? Do something else instead or just let him play while it's on? For my kids one still can't sit through whole films as low interest, but can read whole books for hours - whatever engages them really.

he has plenty of off-screen interests that I'm happy to encourage. I was just curious, since he's the PFB and I don't have anything to compare to, whether it's normal for a 3.5 year old not to be able to sit through an 11 min cartoon.

I don't plan to chain him to a radiator and make him watch TV all day but it's also helpful to occasionally be able to put a show on to keep him occupied while I make him some food or throw a wash on. And the only thing he's interested in watching are 2-3 minute nursery rhymes.

My dd who is 4 is always 2 busy dancing if there’s a song or trying to copy what is happening on the tv to even know what’s happening. I don’t think kids ever sit still except when they are not with their parents that’s when they turn into little darlings.

I have an identical 3yo. He likes to sing nursery rhymes and dance along and the only non musical thing he can watch up to 10 minutes is Blippi!

Worried about his attention span too and looking into delaying his school start as a summer born.

Following with interest

I'd expect a child of that age to manage 5 minutes, max. Small children are programmed to be doing, not watching.

@formerbabe

You want advice to get your three year old to watch films? Why? Is it important they watch films?

Didn't realize I'd posted in AIBU. Also your reading comprehension is lacking.

I'm not trying to get him to watch films - I've noticed other kids his age watching films and was wondering whether he's the outlier or they are.

What's his concentration like for other things - will he sit and listen to a longer story?

Those nursery rhymes are very short and flashy/lots of changes of colour and sound, so maybe if he is used to them he isn't so keen to concentrate on something longer.

@CarterBeatsTheDevil

You should have said you were worried about him being able to appreciate short theatre, OP

I'll get MN HQ to change the thread title to "3.5 year old still can't sit through an entire reading of Proust - is this normal?"

DD was 5 when she watched the first full movie and she just started Year1.

I think the most was In The Night Garden if she managed a whole episode at all.

There will be lots of time to watch movies, no need to rush and only so much you are willing to watch the same one over and over again.

Sorry op, it was a bit snippy of me...I think a three year old sitting through a whole film is quite unusual...and not especially desirable anyway. My dd could concentrate for ages from a young age, unlike my ds and niece who move from one activity to the next.

@Grrretel

What's his concentration like for other things - will he sit and listen to a longer story?

Those nursery rhymes are very short and flashy/lots of changes of colour and sound, so maybe if he is used to them he isn't so keen to concentrate on something longer.

I think that's exactly what I was worried about.

He definitely can concentrate on things like Duplo, Play Doh etc for ages and also on longer kids books we read him, (although most of them rhyme too eg Julia Donaldson).

Too fast, how is he in general? Can you read a story to him? Do a simple game or jigsaw?

Maybe start on these and see how it goes. A decent attention span is helpful at pre school and school but there are lots of things you can do to develop it.