Kids who don't play with toys?

[Brookville]

Is there something I'm doing wrong or how am I in this exhausting situation of having to invent things to do all day long? All that DS1 is interested in is appliances. I've bought Duplo, Playmobil, Wow toys, train set, try to read him stories, we've had all the usual toys but they stay in the boxes. I've tried rotating toy boxes with one different box every 3 wks but its all about vacuum cleaners, lawn mowers and lead blowers (which you can't play with!). He's nearly 3. Anyone else been there?

Ours have the attention spans of fish! We have lots of toys and they only play with them for any length of time when i get them out to put some in the loft. I dread birthdays as our eldest has just discovered the joys of the Argos catalogue toy section! The house is bursting with toys they dont play with. It is such a waste of money and makes me sad that they dont appreciate what they have given there are so many kids going without!

Buy him a hand held Hoover. Move all small items to safety. Let him play. One clean house

Does he have a toy tool bench?

I'm sure you're doing nothing 'wrong'. Hard not to feel it though. Some children just prefer household items and are fascinated by their noises, how they work etc., plus, remember he sees you using this stuff and if it's good for mummy, then it's ok by him!

The house is his playground and some of the toys we have are just fascinating to small children. I agree, let him hoover a bit - great fun sucking up stuff!

He's still very young and he may surprise you but if you are truly concerned, it's very easy to have him assessed by a Developmental Paediatrician - they are very gentle with how it works and just watch them play and ask questions, to form the bigger picture. May seem a drastic step but it's all about putting your mind at rest - surely worth a go.

Good luck

Or dd now 10, Just liked drawing, listening too music, and active play. Roomful of unused toys , many were still boxed no interest at all. Likes dance joined a club at 3. no doubt she was not a toys r us child. She is now an accomplished dancer top 6 in the UK and an up and coming model. Greatest thing is inclusion with other children with similar interests, travel and performance's. We are just Taxi Drivers.

DD1 did art and craft, climbed and fiddled with everything in the house and totally ignored toys.

Exactly the same at other people's houses and nursery, ignored rooms full of toys and made a be line for anything climbable or any item she shouldn't have.

Book cases were heaven, they combined climbing and fiddling opportunities in one location,

She's 15 and no she never really played with toys, she carried on doing art, craft, watching TV, learning how to navigate the web, chattering to us, trampolining, cycling a bit,swimming.

Reading when 11+ (she's dyslexic and once she learnt to read fluently she didn't stop).

She doesn't really do people and I think that's a lot of why she's never shared DD2's playmobil addiction. She's much more untreated in things that people and they have to be real adult things not toys.

She has just got an A for science (with 99% on one paper) and that about sums her up.

Even so, I still remember how tiring it was keeping her out of mischief. You could turn your back on DD2 and she'd be playing with some sensible. So OP you have my sympathy.

children don't have to play with toys. my child minded children are all enjoying 'heuristic' play at the moment. the favourite is wallpaper borders at the moment. roll them out, fold them up, wrap them round themselves. it's amazing.

They also enjoy thimbles, different types of brushes and also plastic bottles. it's great for imagination

I think you have to work with what your DS is actually interested in as opposed to what you think a 3 year old boy should be interested in.

What aspect of the appliences is it that he likes? The movement, the noise etc. My DS (just 3) is currently obsessed by pirates which is quite nice because we can play with toys. However, he has been though long spells (weeks at a time) when he is only interested in rotation. He's been into it from birth and still regularly returns to it. We have gears toys and spinning tops etc for these phases, but he's just as happy to empty the kitchen drawers and find things that roll or spin!! I figure he is going to be an engineer!

If you look up Montessori 'practical life' activities, your DS might be into some of those?

Thank you for your great replies! I'll think about thimbles and wallpaper. He did have a phase of loving coins and posting them. We get the Hoover out every day but after a while the noise irritates me and DD2! When he's a bit older I'm sure he will get into gymnastics or something totally physical. I'm potty training at the mo so am particularly restricted to the house!

Dd1 is the same, doesn't do play but loves problem solving, matching pairs, hunt the thimble - and absolutely anything crafty mister maker is strictly rationed.

Tbh it's fantastic, she doesn't need much old loo rolls, PVA glue and newspaper and she's happy as larry

If anyone happens to revisit this post, I've gone back to The Imagination Tree for ideas. Particularly for autumn/winter and spending time indoors there are some amazing creative ideas on there.

Nope, mine don't really bother with them either. They'll build lego and that's it.

They're too busy rigging up contraptions in the garden / role play epics / dens in the living room. It used to bug me but DS does well at school so I've accepted it now.

DD never liked dolls etc. She was always into art and craft and books.

Still the same at 9. All her friends like lala loopsy and monsters high etc. it just passed her by.

Cardboard boxes are another brilliant non-toy. A large one can be used for weeks.