AIBU to find a group of small boys just chatting at the playground unusual?

[ShedShedShed]

We go to the local playground most days, and observe the kids generally and know some dog them etc.
What stands out to me is a little group of boys 6,6,6 and 8. They always just stand around talking. Occasionally will sit on swings and chat. Never seem to actually play unless and adult leads them in something like hide and seek or chase. It's like they're teenagers but without the larking around 13 year olds do between chatting.
It's bizarre to me, my DS is 7 and plays with others, racing, helping on monkey bars, playing pirates, football by himself or with others. This group he doesn't play with because they just want to stand around talking about whatever it is they talk about.

Is this usual behaviour you'd expect?

Perhaps they're chatting about how to avoid growing up to be seen as merely a hindrance 😉🙂
(ref to another thread)

Sooooo much judgment in your initial and subsequent posts - there is no 'one correct way to be a child in a playground'
It's almost like you feel superior that your feral children are racing around and these poor inferior creatures prefer something more sedate...
I would suggest, kindly, that you get a life, and leave other children to 'do their thing' without you looking on in judgement.
If they were smacking each other around the head, bullying others, dominating the playground then you'd have a point, but, honestly, it's a REACH to be posting about this.
If I were you I'd get this post deleted, you're just embarrassing yourself.

Perhaps they're talking about the odd woman who watches them all the time. Thats the kind if thing that sparks imagination in kids like you wouldnt believe. My two used to make up wild stories about the woman who stared in our window every morning when she walked past 😂

My son is neurodivergent, he and his friends can play while looking like they are just hanging out chatting. Often they're actually playing a really elaborate game of some sort, my son often pretends to be a a specific character, his best girl friend is a mermaid, his best boy friend a dinosaur etc and they have this elaborate world. They will often wander about the trees but in that game they have these fairies who live in the trees, we'll be there for 2 hours and they'llaybe spend half the time doing cartwheels and climbing and then they settle into this chill game. Kids don't have to play in conventional ways to be getting social input and physical input. Sometimes the walk to the parks we go to is over a mile then they wander about and it's a mile or more home again.

I answered you and said it was common where I live.

If you looked at most school playgrounds you'd see a mix of kids, some running around, some playing an organised game like football and some sat around chatting. All very normal behaviours.

My child had always preferred to have chats with their friends about their favourite things. They also like playing on playground equipment at times or playing with toys but mainly likes the chat. Nothing to do with iPads as another put it, mine doesnt bother with the tablet we have in our house. I was the same at that age, hated running around, preferred just talking with my friends.

How refreshing

Glad they have found their tribe!

I see what you mean @ShedShedShed. Its as if they dont know how to play. Maybe they even think playing isnt cool by aged 6.
How very sad. A group of boys chatting is adorable but not if they dont also know how to play, chase each other, play games they've made up themselves etc

Having sons, I can say it is not unusual. At that or any age.

I’d consider saying you are, watching them so much and caring what other children are up to, when they’re bothering no one. Yet it bothers you.

I have a 11 year old boy who is like this with his friends and has been for years. They talk about Warhammer, D&D, politics, the economy, physics…their conversations are wonderful and they are all little nerds doing exceptionally well at school. They have found their tribe and are very happy.

I don’t think it’s weird. I do however find you weird

It's not unusual.
It might be less common than the proportion of boys charging around, and it is more common in girls.
But it's not unusual.

Chatty boys are often interesting people. I've known plenty from being at school, scouting and work.

Yup my 7 year old is the same, or minecraft as he now plays that with his dad occasionally.

I once spent an entire parkrun with him (running the full 5k) chatting my ear off about the pokemon shop we were going to after and the world he was building in minecraft. Completely out of my interests but it was nice to have him tell me so much about something he is interested in.

You wouldn't question a group of girls sat chatting in a park, so why would a group of boys doing the same thing raise questions?

My son did this at that age and still does. Not unusual at all.

@ShedShedShed yout post is judgemental YABU.

These kids are obviously enjoying talking to each other and frankly that's great cos since social media hit the scene, people don't talk enough.

Enjoyment isn't just running around and making noise! Wind your neck in.

You're seeing a snapshot in time. A group of boys that enjoy chatting

That doesn't mean they don't play when with other people or in other contexts

I think that's really sweet. In my experience little boys can have a great time chatting together, making jokes etc.... I think it's adorable. Don't really get your point tbh.

No, it isn't. What's unusual is your assumption that they "can't play unless directed by an adult".

I've known plenty of children like this. They prefer verbal games or make believe, or talking about their shared interest (be it Pokémon, trading cards, football or Spider-Man), or jokes, or any number of things to running around.

Some have been ND, some are readers and charters over sporty types, some just really enjoyed sitting around with their pals.

They aren't unusual, they just aren't like your child.

This, they'll be discussing something like pokemon cards

There was a stage where the pokemon swapping groups in our park honestly resembled a trading pit. I half expected them to start turning up in multicoloured blazers & letting rip with open outcry.

They are playing. They are doing a fun activity, the sort they are not allowed to do during class time nor able to do when home where their little mates do not live. They are playing.

Who cares? They are outside getting some vitamin d not sat in front of a screen. Who are adults to dictate how a child plays? My son is hyper and would be playing tag but I wouldn't bat an eyelid at other boys talking to each other it's rather nice and civilised.

I think it’s great- they’re communicating with each other, learning to converse and discovering how interpersonal relationships work!

Op is being weird. I think it is brilliant that these boys are talking to each other!

Maybe they're neurodiverse and have found other boys who enjoy their obssessions.