3year old playing independantly

[MissS89]

Hi im a nanny to a boy 3.10yrs & G 5.8
atm i am finding it hard to keep him entertained, He just doesnt really engage in much play.

I can suggest that we play with every single toy they own & he would rather just lay on his bed! Or moan that he is bored & asks if we can go out. We did get into a bit of a routine of going out each day (so i feel partly to blame for this) trying to get him to be more socialable.
When his sister is about she will entertain herself & he sort of just watches and joins in a little.
I spoke to his nursery teacher & she says that is does it a bit there, wonders around aimlessly & sits in the book corner.

I just wanted to know of anyone else has had a similar thing? Any thing you could suggest??

TIA

Well I'm not a childcare expert so only have experience of my own twin son and daughter (now 11) and youngest daughter 4.

They may have a lot of toys, but they do tend to get bored of them quickly.

My children all would have been bored at that age with just playing with their toys.

My own son always liked to go out - things like nature trails, visits to park, riding his bike, etc. It doesn't need to be a planned activity. Have you tried giving him a spade and a bit of garden that he's allowed to dig? My son and 2 daughters ALL loved that. Maybe give him some jars so that he can collect "specimens"

Baking? Junk modelling? Play doh (you can make your own very easily)? Painting/ etc etc

I think 3 is very young to expect him to amuse himself to be honest. My 11 year olds are mainly attached to their laptops/phones now but I would say that's a recent thing.

My 4 year old DOES need my input a lot more. She's fine if playing with older children but when it's just us two she will get bored if left to her own devices for too long.

As I say, I only have my own children to go on, but I don't think it's "not normal". In fact, my son probably always had the lower boredom threshold, and he's very very bright.

I don't expect him to play alone, he won't even play with me.
He does like playing outside but for example the other say we were playing in the sand pit & literally I put the spade down, was still sitting there, he got up said he was bored & went and sat inside!

Thanks for the great ideas we do alot of that anyway, was just getting a little concerned as he goes to school in sept.