Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

Flip

Original poster

Can anyone help me get my 18 month old twins intersted in things!

17 replies

fatheroftwins · 19/05/2011 20:43

My 18 month old twins dont seem to want to do things like building lego,shape sorters etc..
I am on my own and am trying my hardest to get them to get them interested in puzzles,shape sorters lego but they dont want to know.I would be grateful for any advice in getting their attention into things

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

thisisyesterday · 19/05/2011 20:46

hiya, i just posted on your other thread too :)

what kind of things do they like doing? 2 of mine loved shape sorters, the other one just opens the hole and puts all the shapes in
as I said on the other thread... follow their lead and you really can't go far wrong, they'll let you know what toys they'r einterested in and want to play with, and while it's not a bad idea to encourage them to play with other things, or show them new toys I wouldn't be worried if they show little/no interest in them

the whole world is interesting to a toddler!

thisisyesterday · 19/05/2011 20:47

meant to ask as well, do you have much family support? or friends with children at all?
it must be hard when everything is very mother-oriented to find yourself local support I guess

vivi12 · 19/05/2011 20:53

Just go with what they do like. They may be a bit young for puzzles and lego. Get a sand pit and some water, or a stomp rocket, or make some gingerbread men. Messy play is good at this age - get some paints out, or shaving foam on a tray and do hand prints. Or just chase them round a tree for an hour. All is fine, it's just a bit early for these things maybe.

rattling · 19/05/2011 20:57

Do you build stuff for them to destroy? Luckily I now have one who builds and one who destroys, but for a long time it was me putting in most of the work. (my boys are just 2). One of them (the destroyer) doesn't show much interest in puzzles unless it is to take it from his brother.

Are they more into active stuff?

Original poster

fatheroftwins · 19/05/2011 20:59

i dont have much support and my family live miles away i gave my job up to look after my children full time and have been going 2 a number of classes like twins club, play and stay and other mother and toddler groups but i feel like an outsider being a bloke and dont find it easy to talk to people there cause they are all woman and i feel like they look at me thinking whats he doing here...The reason i go there is so my kids can interact with other kids.

OP posts:

Firawla · 19/05/2011 21:01

I agree with the comments it might just take a bit longer for them to get into those particular things, not all children are into them at that age. My older one was but now I have 17 month old, he is not really too interested in those things, im thinking maybe he will show more interest in them later.
Is it more that you want them to stay on one activity and concentrate on it? then I think the sand and water kind of play might get that result, its easier for them at that age and tends to grip the attention of alot of children, also they do learn a lot from it, so wouldn't think they have to be doing puzzles, building etc for it to be educational because they learn alot from filling and pouring, exploring the textures etcx..

Original poster

fatheroftwins · 19/05/2011 21:04

yes rattling thats exactly what i do i build they destroy or i will show one how to do somthing then the other will destroy it or do everything they can to anoy the other.My son has to have anything my daughter has.what ever she has he takes,i have put a stop to that and he now knows not to take off of her but he or she will still try and stop you from showing the other how to do something..

OP posts:

Sirzy · 19/05/2011 21:04

DS is 18 months, I have found having just a couple of toys/activites out works best with him as otherwise he flits from one to the other without properly "playing" and soon gets bored.

His current favourite toy his his stacking cups, he would happily play with them all day! He is just starting to look at puzzles when we do them together, and occasionally gets the bits right!

I would try not to worry to much, as long as you are spending time with them interacting they will be fine :)

DS has a cousin 11 months older and when they are together they actually need very little adult interaction as they play together - today they were sat on my baby nephews playmat using it as a car!!

vivi12 · 19/05/2011 21:11

Believe me op, many women go to those toddler groups and feel like that too. just keep going, make yourself part of the wallpaper and eventually people will chat. I spent a lot of time at toddler groups talking to my 1 year old - because nobody else would talk to me. After a few months, people accept you and some of them become friends.

Original poster

fatheroftwins · 19/05/2011 21:19

i will definatley try the sand and water things firwala as they do both like water and yes sirzy i have tried just getting a few toys out for them to try and it worked for a while then they went off trying to pull out all the plug sockets they could find with a plug in, but i will continue to do this.Thank you all

OP posts:

monkoray · 19/05/2011 21:59

I sympathise Fatherof, my DS is also not a puzzles and building type of toddler. But i have found a few things he really likes (most of which can get quite messy). I have a huge tub of lentils, split peas and dried haricot beans. I let DS scoop them with a cup from one bowl to another. He loves it and will spend ages doing this. But be warned they go everywhere - but are very easy to hoover up. (don't use dried kidney beans cos they can cause stomach upsets).
Also DS likes painting but only for a few minutes at a time. Painting is really messy and i have to spend so much time tidying up that its hardly worth it for the couple of minutes he actually spends painting, and with two to entertain it might get out of control quite quickly, but you could try chalk on blackboard. DS loves "drawing". You can buy small cans of chalkboard paint. You say your DCs can't yet walk so you could paint some patches of blackboard really low down on a wall so they have one each.
Rather than shape sorters which are quite tricky, you could could try something easier, my DS likes putting felt balls in a bottle (you can buy 40 felt balls for about a pound on ebay, and an empty hip baby food jar is a good pot). He also likes putting drinking straws into a wine bottle - and the good bit about that is the wine bottle has to be emptied first! If glass is a worry you can use a squash bottle.
I also let him help me wash up - this again usually ends up quite wet/messy. If your DCs can't stand it may be trickier as i usually get DS standing on a set of steps by the double sink, but you could set them up with washing up bowls on the floor. Get them to "wash" their own plastic cutlery and bowls (obviously you'll have to actually clean them afterwards), my DS likes the warm water and bubbles and the fact he recognises his own cutlery.

Finally what about some musical instruments. We have just bought a little keyboard for DS and he loves plinking the keys. He also has a xylophone and some bells and lots of rattles. (but pots and pans and beans in bottles are cheap substitutes). You can play games where you play with the music and then they have to stop when you stop the music. Its quite good for getting them to concentrate on stopping and starting things on cue, and its fun. My DS always laughs when he has to stop, especially if he fails to do so.
Sorry its such a long post but hope there are some useful ideas.

MumblingRagDoll · 19/05/2011 22:02

Mine hated puzzles and bricks....until they were older anway. Paint is nevr a filure though! Mesy but they love it so much.....I used to let mine paint on old newspaper....cover the kitcen floor in it and put a couple of big brushes out...two or three pots of safe postr paint and let them at it.

Messy but so much fun!

vivi12 · 19/05/2011 22:10

Or paint an outside wall with water and a big paintbrush.

PurveyorOfBaloney · 19/05/2011 22:15

Mine at that age love nothing better than a tub of warm water with a bit of washing up liquid for bubbles and some smaller pots and a cloth or paintbrush or two. With this nice weather you can easily do this outside, but with DD it was winter and I just put down a big towel in the kitchen and she was fine

My DS is big into dollies and play kitchen now - he is 19 months.

cottonreels · 20/05/2011 08:23

I agree with vivi, and often feel the same. Some groups are worse than others for this. So my advice would be get a list of all the toddler groups run in your area (coucil) and spend a few weeks going round them. I have to drive 20 mins to my favourite one but its worth it.
My 19 month old likes to knock down towers, is obsessed with dolls (putting dummy in, making it drink, patting its back, throwing it on the floor, kissing it better....) likes play doh, loves, loves loves the garden (couple of ride on toys, bouncy thing, sand and water table, watering can, hosepipe on a trickle).
My dd is also frustrated with duplo lego still - she knows what she wants to do but doesnt really have the dexterity yet, so I help her when we play with this and accept there will be a lot of frustrated screams but that my showing her will eventually pay off.
My dd also not into shape sorters yet or those two piece jigsaws - I still think its just a bit too early.
Good luck

Longtalljosie · 20/05/2011 08:26

Relax - they'll get to it. In my DD's case, only just recently, at around 20 months. Knocking down towers of building blocks came before that, and playing football

blue22 · 20/05/2011 10:31

Hiya - haven't read the whole thread as running out to work, so sorry if some of these have been suggested already. DD is 20 months and for last couple of months has loved playing inside a 'tent' - drape sheet or towel over chairs etc. Give tea party to dolls. Also she LOVES her car - just a cheapy from asda that she can rock back and forward to make go. It's one of the few things she plays with on her own while I cook dinner. Also get paintbrush and water and 'paint' on stone pavement outside - easy as dries to make no mess.
Splashing in puddles.
Playing with a big ball outside.
Picking flowers

Hope some of these help. My DP is often away for 6weeks at a time and I struggle with one, so think you're amazing

Flip