4 year old likes to play independently at home

[Worriedmumofone1]

I can’t believe I’m saying it but I’m worried about my daughter, she turned 4 in August and started reception this year. She’s doing great at school and I know she has no problems playing with kids or on her own.

But at home it’s like she doesn’t care to play with me anymore 🥲 she just role plays in her room with all her toys and even said no once when I asked if I could join 🤣

I must be boring as when her dad gets home they like to play together (lots more physical stuff like running being thrown around etc)

Is all this independent play normal?

Sounds like a healthy 4 year old to me! Not sure what you’re worried about here - she plays both independently and with others?

That she no longer wants to play with me at all at home..

Are you the default parent? I'm a SAHM and my DS gets so sick of my company I can see it on his face 😅 when my OH walks through the door it's like santa clause has arrived !

Mine often asks for ‘a piece of quiet’ and goes to play on his own in his room! Just a normal and healthy part of growing independence.

Oh - your question was “is all this independent play normal?” so I was thought this is what you were worried about but then you also said she plays with others.

I would look at it more positively - you’ve obviously created a safe and fun place for her to play. There will be a time again she will ask you to play, like board games etc. it just might look differently to when she was little and likes to play with her toys for now?

I got some age appropriate puzzles and my DS likes to do those with me at the moment- he still needs a lot of help with the trickier ones so it’s been a nice activity to do together.

The holy grail - a child who plays happily by themselves! Make the most of it.

Don’t question it OP. My 9 year old DD has only just learned to amuse herself and her older brother also took a long time to learn. Make the most of some peace and quiet and you can easily find other activities you can do together like baking to make sure you still have special time together.

Count your lucky stars.

My daughter used to love playing on her own. She had a great imagination.

Have you tried her with something like a jewellery-making kit where you both sit and make something independently?

One thing my daughter liked was to bake with me - but she liked to weigh everything out on her own and just call me in when it came to using the mixer. It makes it a more sociable event than being in her room on her own.

OP it doesn’t sound like you’re worried about your daughter. She is fine.

It sounds like you’re worried about yourself.

She has probably just exhausted her social battery. She is in the first month of primary school and one of the youngest in the year. I'm not surprised she wants a bit of quiet time with herself and her toys. By the time dad gets home she is probably a little more recharged.

THIS HERE!

My DD was exactly the same op. She'd play with her dolls and her dolls house for hours on her own. Fwiw she is very creative...and also has quite a long attention span. We had a playroom with a sofa and I'd just sit there with a coffee while she happily got on with it. It was super easy for me! Sometimes she'd set her dolls and teddies up as a school class with herself as the teacher...that's how I'd find out what she had been doing at school!