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Original poster

7 year old picked on for playing with toys

54 replies

Thorpurpuk · 10/10/2023 15:54

My Y3 DS is apparently the only child in his class not into Roblox, Fortnite, Minecraft etc (he has a nintendo switch bought for him by grandparents but really has 0 interest in it), and nor is he interested in any type of sport (not for lack of trying on our part). Now, as well as getting picked on because he wants to read his book or play imaginary games at lunchtime instead of playing football, he is getting picked on for being a "baby" because he still plays with toys. This seemed to start because he had a playdate a couple of weeks back and the visiting child relayed back to the others in his class that DS not only has toys in his bedroom, he has a sea-themed room and has cuddly toys on his bed. And one of the other mums recently made the comment "it's so sweet he's still into toys at his age, isn't it" as if 7 was absurdly old for a CHILD to still be playing with toys!

Surely toys are perfectly age appropriate for a 7 year old? It's not like he's playing in a jumperoo, he plays with completely normal toys which IMO are appropriate for his age - lego, puzzles, marble runs, kinetic sand and so on.

OP posts:
Dinosauratemydaffodils · 10/10/2023 16:14

My ds is 8. He still spends ages playing with his Schleich and Papo dinosaurs and knights, playmobil and cars. He does like gaming/youtube, especially minecraft and plays fortnite with friends as well though. As far as I can tell his peers also play with toys as well as gaming. They all absolutely love lego and our gravitrax aways comes out for playdates as do the nerf guns. One of them has a jungle themed room and ds has massive dinosaur mural in his room.

Soft toys seem entirely normal too. Ds has his bedraggled jellycat bunny on his bed and has a squishmallow and various other soft toys lying around. I've been in the bedrooms of a few of his friends and they have soft toys too.

Batteredchicken · 10/10/2023 16:18

I have just re-done my 7 , nearly 8 year olds room. Guess what she wanted? Winnie the Pooh! So yes, we have bought Winnie the Pooh wallpaper, Winnie the Pooh curtains, a light. Still lots of toys! Loves teddies.
She’s very much still a little kid. I’m sure they’d think that was for babies too! But I don’t expect her to outgrow it for a few more years yet.
I watched Annie the other day, she’s 10 in film. First time in ages. I noticed how she suddenly seemed so young in comparison to 10 year olds today. But even when I watched it as a teen she seemed like a normal 10 year old playing with aeroplanes and general kid likeness.
I’d be concerned the other children aren’t being developmentally appropriate and may have issues down the line.
Let him play. Is there another school or group of friends, where he might fit in more?

Grushenka · 10/10/2023 16:21

My 9 year old plays with his toys. I think he’ll be an adult who plays! It’s just a different way of relating to the world. I wouldn’t worry about what other people say!

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7 year olds Behaviour & development Families Primary education
Original poster
Thorpurpuk · 10/10/2023 16:22

It's the insinuation that it's "odd" that a 7 year old plays with toys that I find bizarre. I mean fair enough if your own kids aren't into them but it is (or ought to be) completely normal for a child of that age.

OP posts:
Batteredchicken · 10/10/2023 16:25

Thorpurpuk · 10/10/2023 16:22

It's the insinuation that it's "odd" that a 7 year old plays with toys that I find bizarre. I mean fair enough if your own kids aren't into them but it is (or ought to be) completely normal for a child of that age.

Absolutely!! It’s weird for kids of that age not to play! I’d find it weird even if in year 6 they didn’t play. Year 3 they should be spending a lot of time playing still!
It’s so strange how playing is on the decline.

instantpotnoodle · 10/10/2023 16:29

My 7 year old loves toys - Lego, and he still plays loads with duplo and brio with his little brother. He has a room full of cuddly toys. I want him to play for as long as possible - at 7 they’re still so young. The other kids (or more accurately their parents) sound like they’re rushing to teenager, which is really sad!

RudsyFarmer · 10/10/2023 16:30

These friends don’t sound friendly.

Newuser75 · 10/10/2023 16:31

My 10 year old son will still play with toys and very much still plays imaginative games. He has a younger brother so this may be part of it but it's very sad if a seven year old is too old to play with toys!

MrsHedgewitch · 10/10/2023 16:36

My seven year old plays doctors, picnics, with Lego and board games, loves Uno/Dobble, plays with her Barbies. My son at that age was still playing. No way are they on Roblox! However, I know other children who can be very cutting about play as they are only on devices themselves. I just try to teach her we can all do what we enjoy whatever our age. Her twenty year old sister collects antique porcelain dolls, so she understands.

EducatingArti · 10/10/2023 16:39

I think the issue is not so much what various 7 year old do or don't do, it is that your son is being picked on for being different to the majority. I think you need to raise this with the school and ask that they do some PSE work around difference and it not being ok to make unkind comments.

llamaparades · 10/10/2023 16:41

We’ve just moved house and our 7 year old DS asked for a sea themed room. His favourite animal are turtles.

He has also circled loads of toys in the Smyths catalogue for his 8th birthday next month.

Bbq1 · 10/10/2023 16:42

BoohooWoohoo · 10/10/2023 15:59

Does your son go to a very small school where differences are magnified?
My children are older but played Lego and Minecraft at his age. At school they played chasing games rather than football. Their rooms weren't themed but themed bedding is normal at 7 ime.

Themed bedding is normal at any age!

Bbq1 · 10/10/2023 16:44

What a mean child the "friend" is. 7 is very young. My ds is 18 now but he loved imaginery games at 7 and played with tech decks etc. Op your ds sounds entirely normal, balanced and sweet.

Nicesalad · 10/10/2023 16:57

Thorpurpuk · 10/10/2023 16:12

I can't help but feel some of this is driven by parents who don't want toys scattered all across their house.

Yes, or who want their children to be "grown up".

sadaboutmycat · 10/10/2023 17:03

Withnailandsigh · 10/10/2023 16:02

I expect the parents who encourage screen based interests are just enjoying the aesthetics of their little perfect grey and white houses. Children who stare at an iPad all day don’t mark the walls or leave lego on the floor or scuff the skirting with flying hot wheels. It’s bloody ridiculous. Lego is completely normal until the teens even and at 7 he’s quite entitled to play with anything he wants. Those kids are being manipulated into little screen zombies for their parents convenience. You’re doing it right, not them. You know, your son’s development will be being helped by creative and imaginative tactile play and I’d bloody love a sea themed room too!

Perfect!

Stressfordays · 10/10/2023 17:14

My 7 year old only really plays lego or board games now when it comes to toys, he loves Minecraft and roblox. The cars and figures I've got rid of mostly because they weren't played with. He has an older brother though so is influenced by him. My eldest was certainly playing with toys at 7. Football/bikes/scooters are still playing though and my boys do that a lot. They are currently at the park playing football while I cook tea. My daughter is 5 and her room is full of toys so its not because I don't want toys in my house at all. The boys have their lego displayed and still have cuddly toys on their beds. Playing outside should be encouraged, we live in a very safe, rural area so playing on the park and out on your bikes is normal here.

Stressfordays · 10/10/2023 17:16

Oh and all 3 of my kids are into art, forever doing drawings. They use YouTube to learn to draw certain things and replicate them. I have a full set of each England player hand drawn by my boys up on the wall. Just because its not train tracks and figurines, does not mean they are computer zombies.

DappledThings · 10/10/2023 18:06

My 7 year old plays with toys. And plays with them with his friends. Mainly Pokemon figures and Bakugan stuff.

His friend was over before school the other day and they were playing with dinosaurs quite happily.

herownworstenemy · 10/10/2023 19:19

What business is it of anyone outside the family home what DC do? Bollocks to that, especially from some random playground mum.

My football hating 14 yo DS is very cool apparently according to friends, but he still plays with Lego at home and he wants more for his 15th. We have regular family board game night because the DC love them. DH (53) and the DC (14 and 17) were charging round with Nerf guns a few weeks ago the whole house was in uproar just the same as when they were 7. Sometimes my DC get a bit notstalgic and watch Peppa Pig together too.

Ignore the toyless joyless crowd with their identikit lives and tidy square eyed DC. In a few years when yours are at senior school you won't see those parents again, so don't let their suffocating nonsense affect your or your DC life now.

Airdustmoon · 10/10/2023 19:43

My 7 year old Y3 DS definitely still plays with toys - mainly Lego, transformers, and board games. He still has but doesn’t often get out now a huge box of cars, another one of dinosaurs and one of playmobil. He just decided to sell his Paw Patrol toys as that’s definitely not cool anymore.

He also loves cuddly toys and has literally over 100 of them in his room.

He likes Minecraft and all the Lego Switch games. I don’t allow Roblox as I think there’s some inappropriate stuff on there. When he has friends over they do often spend a lot of time on computer games, but they also build forts and play football outside etc. I think your DS sounds completely normal!

BettyOBarley · 10/10/2023 20:06

My 7yo plays Roblox and Minecraft but definitely still loves his toys! In fact he's gone back to wanting to play with much younger toys - wants me to re-buy him a toy kitchen! (We sold his old one a year ago).
I think it's great tbh, let them play for as long as possible!!
My 9yr old DD has only just stopped playing with her LOL dolls and tbh that was mainly due to her friends laughing and telling others similar to your DS. It's sad really.

notahappybunny7 · 10/10/2023 20:17

My 7 year old girl loves toys! Barbie, our generation. Loves her soft toys, her best friend will be round here Saturday and they’ll play babies, schools, dancing for hours. They’ll probably craft too.

She loves YouTube too but this whole Roblox , Minecraft etc I’m avoiding for as long as possible.

Mamagotmilk · 10/10/2023 20:24

This makes me so angry. There are kids in DC classes who think perfectly normal childhood stuff is babyish because their parents are failing them. 9 year olds playing grand theft auto, 7 year olds watching squid games. Girls banging on about boyfriends and exes in year 4.

Children get so much out of playing and it’s normal and healthy. Your child shouldn’t be forced to change so make sure he has opportunities to be around likeminded children eg clubs outside school it’ll be good for his self esteem.

nobrasfot · 10/10/2023 20:25

My year six and year 4 still play with toys. They go through phases where not so much then loads. they play with Roblox figures hot wheel cars, nerf guns ect. Their favourite pasttime is destroying the house making dens using all my pillows.

TheYearOfSmallThings · 10/10/2023 20:32

My son is eight and doesn't play with toys much on his own, but when his friends come here they play with light sabres, Superzings, marble runs, inflatable shark and dinosaur, remote control stuff.

I think some kids are looking to find fault. In this house it is the size of our TV - I have seriously contemplated getting a large ugly TV just so my son doesn't get labelled as a Small TV Weirdo Hmm