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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To ask how long your child spends playin with toys

15 replies

blukite · 01/07/2017 06:48

Just curious, my 3 year old has a lot of toys and outdoor ones but you'd be hard pressed to get him to play with them longer than 5 minutes. I was thinking of getting him an outdoor playhouse but don't want to spend hundreds for it to be unused. Is he in he minority? (keep thinking there's something wrong with him!)

OP posts:

Believeitornot · 01/07/2017 06:50

Is it because you want them to give you some peace? Fewer toys might help.

Mine liked playdoh, drawing, messy play at that age. And company.

tinypop4 · 01/07/2017 06:57

Dd would play for hours quite young.ds is 2 and plays with things for about 30 seconds before proceeding to wonder around the house aimlessly looking for trouble :-) sounds normal to me their attention spans are pretty short still.

Original poster

blukite · 01/07/2017 06:57

Peace would be nice but I fear a thing of the past as I have a 4 month old. He does have a lot of toys but they are mostly scattered and rotated around the house. Playdoh isn't allowed in our house, drawing he just breaks he crayons. Messy play haven't tried tbh

OP posts:

bigchris · 01/07/2017 06:58

Do you mean he follows you around instead ? Maybe he's rather help you cook etc

Or do you mean he doesn't play but wants the iPad, tv all the time?

Original poster

blukite · 01/07/2017 07:03

He does follow me around a lot but it's more of I open the door for him to go out the back so I can feed my dd within minutes he is back in, same with his room he will just come back down. Luckily he doesn't know what an iPad is and I'm one of those because I restrict tv time

OP posts:

FittonTower · 01/07/2017 07:03

One of my children will play for hours with toys and the other has never been that bothered. It depends on the kid and the toys I think - and I find less is more, I like to put stuff away so they are more focused or have to select something specific.
My daughter (who doesn't play with toys much) does a lot more imaginative play and role play. She's 4 and plays at being a My Little Pony a lot at the moment - that does require input from me but I find I can sit and have a coffee or get on with stuff while periodically being a pony that sends her on missions!

Mamabear14 · 01/07/2017 07:05

Mine is 2 later this month. She has a kitchen she likes playing with, and loves her outdoor water table. She has to have company for that though as she likes someone to pour water on her arms. She ignores a lot of her toys but give her a sticker book and she will sit quietly for a bit. She loves a sticker!

ocelot41 · 01/07/2017 07:05

My DS is very late to playing with toys - it has only really happened in the past year. He is 7.

Pickerel · 01/07/2017 07:08

My DS1 never played with toys much but DS2 would play with his lego and football figures for ages.

Fitzsimmons · 01/07/2017 07:09

It sounds like he just wants to be close to you. It's a big upheaval for him to have a new sibling. My DS was the same when DD arrived. Can you read to him whilst you feed? DS is nearly five now and has only recently started playing with toys for longer than a few minutes.

1lov3comps · 01/07/2017 07:10

I've 2 DC, DD is nearly 9 and still struggles to amuse herself unless she's watching tv/iPad. Has never really been interested in toys unless someone played with her, I've reached a point of acceptance that she just will probably never amuse herself.
DS in the other hand is great, he's 3 and will happily play with cars/sandpit out in the garden easily for 30-45 mins on his own. He might then call me or DH to show us something but will then carry on playing. I remember when he was about 1 and DH and I were amazed that he was actually playing with his baby toys as she'd never bothered so we thought that's what all babies did!

CocoLoco87 · 01/07/2017 07:13

I don't think it's to do with toys, he wants to be close to you. DS is great at playing with toys for up to an hour at a time but if me and baby are around then he wants to be with me, and he wants me to put the baby down and give him cuddles instead. It's an unsettling time for them but it will get easier

Welshrainbow · 01/07/2017 07:14

My DS is 2 and will play with some toys like building train tracks or toot toot tracks for the best part of an hour but only if I'm in the room for him to come up and show me stuff etc, he doesn't play completely independently yet. He loves playing outside and again is happy for over an hour but needs me out there with him.

SpaghettiMeatballs · 01/07/2017 07:16

My DD didn't play with toys, no interest whatsoever. It was hard to entertain her constantly so I get where you're coming from.

DD was just waiting to learn to write. She is 5 now and will spend hours writing stories, copying out books she likes and drawing her own pictures. I think they just need to find what it is they are interested in.

DS, 3, on the other hand, adores toys. DD is quite interested in how he plays and I think she's learnt a little about playing from him be it setting up the Railway or imaginative role play.

You say you don't allow playdoh... what about some salt dough and cutters just in your kitchen?

Re the house we bought one for DD which she 'sort of' liked. It wasn't a waste though because DS loves it!

CashelGirl · 01/07/2017 07:18

my eldest has never really been that into toys. At 4 she would like puzzles, books, colouring and stickering. The little one (who is 4now)LOVES toys, any toys and sets up little scenarios and epic tales. She is also very taken with My Liitle Pony. Funnily enough, the big one will join in and plays with her, but if she would never initiate it.

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