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Original poster

Save my school holidays (what can DS7 play with)

32 replies

AllotmentTime · 22/07/2023 17:02

The first day has been very up and down, I would love help/ideas:

DS(7) is OBSESSED with the switch and talks constantly about his favourite game. Obviously we restrict it, way more tbh than we probably would do if he was less into it!! Feels like punishing him for liking it but there you go.

Consequently he gets on both our nerves. All the time he's talking about it, telling us what he's done or is going to do next, counting down to his next time of being allowed. It's incessant.

What else can we get him into that he will like and might distract him a bit? And that he can do himself?

He likes:
Mario Lego - but needs help
Board games - but he can't play those alone
Imaginary games - but wants a partner and DH and I are SO over that
Reading - but not enough to do it for ages, he's an early morning/bedtime reader mostly.

He's such a happy sociable little thing and so keen to please and I honestly feel bad for him that he's stuck in a house of introverts who have shit going on (DD (10) will play with him but not 24/7, DH is swamped with work and I'm about to start chemo). We do have him signed up for a few clubs but it's the time around those that's going to get us, I'd love to be able to buy him something engaging that he could get some real independent pleasure from.

Any help or toy suggestions or frankly any parenting advice welcome!!

OP posts:
tonystarksrighthand · 22/07/2023 17:06

Bless you. I hope your chemo goes ok.

Gravtitrax - posh marble run

As long as he gets out everyday for some fresh air, I'd go easy on the switch use. (Full disclosure DS8 uses it ALL the time)

jonahjones · 22/07/2023 17:08

does he have school friends or neighbours dc where he can go for playdates? I sympathise op as my 10 year old ds is switch and YouTube watching obsessed too and wants to do very little else that's suggested. I find with my ds nothing holds his attention for long.

NewNovember · 22/07/2023 17:08

Honestly I wouldn't restrict it in the school holidays nothing bad will happen if you don't.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

10 year olds 7 year olds Families
jonahjones · 22/07/2023 17:08

yes also good luck with the chemo op

IveHadItUpToHere · 22/07/2023 17:11

I'm sorry you're ill 💐

Parenting is hard work but tbh you can outsource some of the board game playing and Lego building to the 10-yr-old. Put some structure into the week eg Film Friday where you all watch something; Board Game Tuesday. Can you also invite a friend over for a playdate? Could you buy some little plants/seeds for him to look after? Sign him up for the Summer reading challenge so his reading is structured and go to the library once per week?

His life will be unbalanced just now because you're sick. He probably needs you and DH to spend more time with him. Lots of cuddles and reassurance. Maybe your hospital has a support group for DCs he could attend too?

AnotherDayAnotherUsernameForMeAgain · 22/07/2023 17:12

Does he like to draw? DS had a lot of fun drawing comic strips and pictures of his favourite characters. He had a cool projector style thing for copying character outlines.

Best of luck with your treatment.

gogomoto · 22/07/2023 17:14

Normal Lego? Big tub of mixed bricks, use imagination.

Crafts

Projects, ok not screen free but educational! My dd used to like to choose a topic on a Monday and on Friday she would present it to me by PowerPoint and handouts (with things for me to fill in!) she was 7 at the time as that was the 6 months she was home schooled. I know odd to choose to do it right through the holidays!

Does he have any friends who are only kids not in childcare? Could you have them over one day then swop, 2 kids might be easier than one.

Mumof1andacat · 22/07/2023 17:18

Look on facebay or gum tree for lego. A big box of odd bits. Maybe a toy castle with figures. Kinetic sand. The bbc bite size website has some great educational games. I really like the one about vikings which I enjoy playing!

decaffonlypls · 22/07/2023 17:30

Teach him patience and solitaire (card games😂)

Original poster
AllotmentTime · 22/07/2023 17:38

Thank you for all the suggestions!!

To answer the screen time point - we would (and have in past emergencies) let him have unrestricted screen time, but he will literally barely come off it to eat in that case. I'm okay at the moment (and thanks for all the good wishes 💐) but I know there's a fair bit of chemo plus more surgery to come, so I feel like we need to keep that option in reserve!!

Neighbours - good point, yes we are blessed with some super ones. I have bought new water pistols with them in mind 😁 however unfortunately we are mostly home when they are all away this summer.

Normal Lego has never really taken his fancy, though he is now getting into Ninjago on Netflix so maybe I should try it again. Will try that 👍

Gravitrax might work.... I'd looked at that ages ago and rejected as too expensive. But actually we've just cancelled a holiday due to my treatment so maybe it's time to throw money at this problem instead. Maybe I can get some second hand. Thanks for that one!

Most crafting/creativity leaves him completely cold unfortunately. That said, the projector thing might work as he is copying / tracing rather than having to do his own thing. I remember having one of those myself - if I could get a Mario one he might go for it!

gogomoto my DD might go for the projects idea 😁 DS wouldn't sadly!

Kinetic sand is something we've never tried 🤔 he did use to like playdough so I should probably look into that. Add to list..

decaff Ha! 😁 if I could teach him "patience" then I wouldn't need to post 🤣🤣

OP posts:
jonahjones · 22/07/2023 17:48

actually the one thing that does seem to occupy my ds for a short while is these. magnetic sticks and balls. we got them off amazon a 308 piece set for around £28. I think the brand is veatree.

Save my school holidays (what can DS7 play with)
Jfw82 · 22/07/2023 17:53

My ds is nearly 7 (also loves playing switch) and he is loving this to do How To Draw Cartoon Characters For Creative Kids: Gamers Edition amzn.eu/d/iv9M4m8

jonahjones · 22/07/2023 17:55

this is good too for the money. but my ds sometimes needs help with this and can get frustrated when the ball doesn't go the route he expects it too. there is an instruction booklet though if your ds is good at following those. mine doesn't often have the patience!

Save my school holidays (what can DS7 play with)
Merrilymerrilymerrily · 22/07/2023 17:58

You Tube drawing tutorials. Draw with Rob and Art Hub for Kids a great start. ThinkFun and SmartGames - logic games for kids, they puzzles get progressively harder. We love Rush Hour and the fox and rabbit one. Sticker Mosaic books. You tube science experiments (although might need help with these)

Daijoubudesu · 22/07/2023 17:59

Air dry clay
Activity books with mazes, dot to dots, colouring
Swing ball

Hiddiddleyho · 22/07/2023 18:04

Feel you, op. I just said to dh maybe we should say no screens after 9 and before tea. Maybe removing it altogether will stop them asking!

I've just sent Dd to make a bored board. She's listing out all the things she has, going through every box. Then she can stick it on the wall and refer to it for ideas whenever she's bored.

It's keeping her busy now, at least!

And I will also make an effort to bring a couple of things out every day and set them up slightly. I find they play with what they see.

It's not even hols here yet... 😂

renamedbutsame · 22/07/2023 18:06

summer clubs, nothing else will save you from nagging; apparently he is not able to sit by himself and self occupy

Wotwotwotwotwot · 22/07/2023 18:09

Magic painting books occupy mine for ages

8008less · 22/07/2023 18:14

Does he like collecting cards? My DS6 will sit and sort through his football cards for hours. I imagine Pokémon is the same.

But other than that we are really only having success with holiday camps and sports lessons/camps this summer.

JuneOsborne · 22/07/2023 18:32

Merrilymerrilymerrily · 22/07/2023 17:58

You Tube drawing tutorials. Draw with Rob and Art Hub for Kids a great start. ThinkFun and SmartGames - logic games for kids, they puzzles get progressively harder. We love Rush Hour and the fox and rabbit one. Sticker Mosaic books. You tube science experiments (although might need help with these)

Most of my suggestions are in this post.

Squirrels go nuts is a one player board game. It's very good. But there are others to choose from. They're the Smart Bands mentioned by @Merrilymerrilymerrily

There's also canoodle. Both very addictive! And portable.

Building on from that theres the turing tumble. More £££ though.

Also air dry clay. Or simpler painting by numbers. You can buy blank comic books. Even a puzzle book, mixed or sudoko, or crosswords, or whatever he likes.

Decent magazines, there's a kids newspaper, Nat go kids, that kind of thing.

You could surprise him. And paint a square of blackboard paint on the wall and let him draw on it with chalks.

I bet there's more, my brain is on a go slow.

willingtolearn · 22/07/2023 19:12

You need to let him adjust from school and get bored for a while. He's been used to constant activity and it will be good for him to wind down.

I agree with a previous poster - get him outside every day, for a walk, to the park, to the woods anywhere outside for an hour or two. Go on a nature hunt - google lists for things for him to find - also treasure hunts for the house - lots of lists about of normal household items to find.

Can he get involved in normal household tasks - going shopping, writing a shopping list for a meal that he can 'cook' or if he wants to hunt down a meal that he would like to eat/make. You can do a 'skills workshop' on things like laundry - make a list of small tasks for him to achieve (sort laundry/ pair socks/fold laundry/fill washer/ empty washer/ hang out washing/collect in washing ) - he can slowly achieve the tasks over the holidays to achieve a 'Laundry skills certificate' and small prize - can be done with other tasks e.g Room cleaning certificate/Master Baker certificate

Link activities to the game he loves - could he build /draw/make any of the characters? Could he write a story about them?

Hama beads went down well with mine - I always googled whatever 'thing' they were into - we have some terrific Mario kart characters that they made ten years on.

When he goes on about the game, for a moment enter into his enthusiasm about it 'you're really looking forward to playing that', 'what mission are you going on' etc. etc. You could then try to direct him to drawing/writing about it and tell him to come back and show you the picture/writing.

Try themed weeks - Sports week, nature week, Baking week, activities week, Pirate week, dinosaur week, art and craft week etc.

Original poster
AllotmentTime · 22/07/2023 22:26

You can get Mario Hama beads!!! I had no idea. I have a whole Christmas list here for him if we have any money left by then 🤣

I hadn't heard of any of these thinkfun type games, will definitely be checking those out. DD (and I!) would enjoy those too.

@jonahjones you've definitely got DS's vibe, i got a big batch of marble run stuff at a boot fair which he played with pretty much every day for the next three years. But he's definitely over it now. It's what makes me think Gravitrax would be good though.

Lots of good ideas here to which I will keep in mind for when DH and I do have the wherewithal to play with him. DS usually has a "can you do this with me" list already in mind but drawing tutorials, science experiments, treasure hunts etc would definitely ring the changes.

Getting loads of things to consider here! 😁😁👍

OP posts:
BoobsOnTheMoon · 22/07/2023 22:32

laser maze toy is excellent [[https://amzn.eu/d/bFqlf8v amzn.eu/d/bFqlf8v - I know it says ages 8 and up but DS got the set at 9 and found it fairly easy.

Potions kit made with little bottles of white vinegar mixed with food colouring, pot of bicarb, and some kids plastic test tubes. Litmus paper strips and goggles for proper scientist effect.

BoobsOnTheMoon · 22/07/2023 22:35

FFS bloomin links

This laser maze toy amzn.eu/d/bFqlf8v amzn.eu/d/bFqlf8v]]

MNHQ why have you changed the way to post a hyperlink?? I've been doing it 18 years and now it doesn't work!

coastergirl · 22/07/2023 23:02

He sounds a lot like my 8yo who absolutely loves his Switch and Mario. I don't restrict screen time much because he's autistic and it's how he relaxes and decompresses after the strains of school. I do take it away to make him eat though because he wouldn't eat given the choice. He knows that's where I draw the line though. Anyway, I digress. Does your boy like maths? Mine would play times tables rockstars on the laptop for hours, and I don't feel too guilty because it's educational. I've taught him sudoku so he does that too and other puzzles.