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

1 2

Original poster

All my 2.5 DS wants to do is watch TV despite my constant attempts to get him to play

31 replies

midthirtiescrisis · 01/12/2008 17:46

My DS of 2.5 is going through a very difficult stage of crying, shouting and moaning constantly and all he wants to do is watch TV. All this I am not too worried about as I know deep down there is a bright sociable child who will re emerge again when he is over his early years life crisis!

My problem is I am finding it increasingly difficult to tear him away from the TV despite many attempts of encouraging play. Nothing I suggest gives the slightest spark of interest and any other reaction but go away and leave me to my TV!!!

Any suggestions, ideas to make me a more exciting TV alternative!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

liath · 01/12/2008 17:48

Turn TV off at the plug and tell him it's not going on until bedtime hour! Then get the hell out of the house with him and stay out for as long as humanly possible!

Not sure how practical that is but it'd work !

FromGirders · 01/12/2008 17:49

Umm, turn it off?
Try going cold turkey, and he'll get over it in a day or two (ok, maybe a week). Then you can re-introduce it in small, measured doses.

ScummyMarx · 01/12/2008 18:00

Agree- turn it off, mtc. tis the only way. Go out a lot.

Marne · 01/12/2008 18:03

Turn it off, get some play-doh or painting out, if you start to play with the play-doh, ignoring his moaning about the tv not being on, eventuly he will join in.

sweetkitty · 01/12/2008 18:04

Agree with Marne you are the Mum you are in control you control the TV, turn it off take him out a walk even in this weather.

frankbestfriend · 01/12/2008 18:10

Pull the plug and get out of the house as often as possible.

Tell him it's broken if you must. My dds 8yo friend still sits in front of the tv all day and consequently speaks with an American accent.

Agree with Marne. If you play, sooner or later he will join in.

Yanda · 01/12/2008 18:10

Agree with everyone else, just turn it off and if he cries, whinges etc then its tough luck because you are the parent and you don't want him to watch this much television so you set the boundaries, tantrum or not.

crokky · 01/12/2008 18:10

My DS likes TV as well. I'd go out as much as you can so that he doesn't have the option. Also if you get toys which are models of his favourite characters, he may play with them - my DS loves his ITNG little teddies, his Thomas engines and Toy Story figures.

Original poster

midthirtiescrisis · 01/12/2008 18:11

Agree I need to be a little more in control in terms of turning the TV off which I do do (think I sound as if he sits in front of it all day now!!!). Just wondered if any of you with grumpy 2.5 year old boys had any sure fire games / toys / activities which always work in keeping them occupied for longer than 3.5 mins!!!

OP posts:

Yanda · 01/12/2008 18:17

My grumpy 2.5 year old girl like anything that creates a huge mess so perhaps not something you want to do everyday but cornflour gloop, finger painting, sticking anything to anything else, glitter. You could probably do alot of crafty stuff leading up to christmas. She also likes cooking cakes and biscuits (also messy!) or a trip swimming or soft play to get them moving. If she says no, then I just get the stuff out anyway or I get ready and open the door and say "See you later than, don't get too bored...." she always gives in!

ruddynorah · 01/12/2008 18:18

toddler groups? only cost £1 usually.

liath · 01/12/2008 18:18

Dd has an appallingly short attention span so I know it's tough! I got lots of ideas for easy quick games from the Toddlers Busy Book. My two enjoy playing with foam in the sink, coloured ice cubes & that sort of thing. Play doh, drawing & painting is usually a hit. I try & get out once a day at least.

smallorange · 01/12/2008 18:26

I would go to the playpark and take a ball. I also have square-eyed children but have made TV part of the daily routine. So they are allowed a bit after lunch and a bit before bedtime. And that's it. There's no point asking any other time.
Otherwise get out of the house, even of it is just to the play park. Maybe he needs more physical activity like kicking a ball about or chasing bubbles in the park. Also get a friend round, he won't miss the TV if there is another friend to play with.

Original poster

midthirtiescrisis · 01/12/2008 18:33

Thanks for that liath - a book to give me some ideas - is a great idea!!! Just bought it for 5 quid on amazon!

OP posts:

bigspender30 · 01/12/2008 18:45

Hi midthirtiescrisis-you beat me to it- I was going to post on here tonight as I think my 2.5 year old son loves telly so much he doesn't want to play with me. I feel happier knowing you are in the same boat so thank you!I was getting worried as he shows no interest in any crafty things and anything else is finished after 2 minutes! Shall be watching this thread with interest

liath · 01/12/2008 19:15

It's a really handy book, midthirties but VERY American!! Has saved my sanity on many occasions.

noonki · 01/12/2008 19:42

we had exact same problem after I was ill.

We had to go cold turkey for a week.

Our best things are:

together in the house:

cooking (anything including lunch and tea)
reading
me drawing them guessing (lol as I cant draw)
put on music cd and doing all action songs
brushing dog
we buy the guardian and in the kids section (inside family bit) they always have a making idea so most weeks we do that.
imaginative play (shop keeper/libraian)

on their own;

jigsaws (harder ones with me)
water painting - for the hardy at this time of year but they love it.
Washing up - sink filled with water plus toys and tupperware boats
making bubbles in sink with whisk and washing up liquid
colouring/playdoh (sticking blunt cocktail sticks in/ cutters/knifes etc)painting/pasta and glue

6.sock sorting

toys - but get them out one at a time (on their request if poss, and maybe start off a game with them (trains/cars/lego/sticklebricks favourites)

trips out:
park with ball
museums
friends houses
playgroups

we go out everyday or else we all end up a bit insane.

good luck it is hard sometimes not to rely on the naffing telly we do have it on for a bit most days at the mo. as I have a long term illness and it's better that than me being too tired so I shout. But honestly the more they watch the worse they are about it and they forget how to entertain themselves

bigspender30 · 01/12/2008 19:45

thanks Noonki-got a few new ideas there.

lingle · 01/12/2008 21:25

much sympathy.

We finally broke a six month habit at 2.8 after a week's holiday with no tv. cold turkey would be bloody hard if the thing is sat there in the living room staring at him. We found that after our return from the holiday it helped for a long time to physically cover the tv. Visuals help at this age.

Gemzooks · 01/12/2008 21:55

my DS is 2.5. I don't let him watch TV. The most he gets is to watch The Snowman on Youtube as a treat.

He goes to nursery 3 days a week, and the other days we go out to the park on his little bike; he has one of those bikes with no pedals, and it's really great for that age. We go to swings/slide or whatever. One of the other mornings we go to a playgroup. Oe we go to the children's farm, or just to the shop and back, or go to feed the ducks. It is so boring at that age for the parents standing around with a kid of that age, but I find that DS is just really happy to wander round in the park picking up sticks or running after pigeons or whatever.

You are the mum and habits only take 10 days to change. he is so little. I would really ration the TV to a fixed programme or time, say during his tea time in the evening or whatever. the rest of the time he should be outside running around, however deadeningly boring for you (and it is!).

oh, forgot indoor stuff. I don't like DS to make too much mess all the time because I'm too impatient but he has a little table and chairs, playdoh, crayons etc, making a den, dancing to music, reading books. also mind numbing for parents..

PavlovtheCat · 01/12/2008 22:02

Put on music and dance around the front room singing at the top of your voices- DD loves this, especially if she is watching television and I want it turned off. I play lots of nurse rhyme and we do the actions to them and she is a bit partial to some Latino so we dance to that too!!! (she is 2.4).

Play Chase - pretend to be a tiger and chase him around the house - make camps to hide in with sofa cushions and sheets - we can spend a good hour doing this. It wears me out!

Go outside, wrapped up in waterproofs, hat, gloves, scarf, wellie boots and splash in puddles and kick leaves - if there is a park near you great, if not any open space to run is good.

mabanana · 01/12/2008 22:06

Go out. Library, park, one o'clock club, playgroup, swimming, friend's house, play with a friend from nursery, cafe, softplay...

WotsThatSkippy · 01/12/2008 22:07

Just take the Tv away. put it away. No TV, he can't watch it.

PavlovtheCat · 01/12/2008 22:08

Oh and don't buy play dough - make it! Its really easy and its much more fun as DS can help to 'mix' it. DD loves this, she mixes and rolls then cuts it and squidges it and does it all over again....we make two lots at a time, currently red and green as that is the food colouring we have in the house (bought for colouring water and glitter in bottles for DD to shake).

(salt dough 1 cup flour, 1 cup salt, tablespoon of oil, little water at a time to make a dry dough - make it really dry then add a little colouring if you want it coloured).

Reallytired · 01/12/2008 22:15

I think its best to unplug the TV and ignore the tantrum. Or divert the attention.

My son at that age like playing with his toy farmyard. I used to set up with animals and spend about 15 mintues playing with him and then gradually retreat for a couple of seconds and make the time of him playing on his own longer and longer.

Other toys my son liked at that age were puppets, his doll. I also think audio books are great and at the age of six my son loves to sit down and draw while listening to an audio book for inspiration.

Even so I was still in the room as they can get into so much mischief.

Flip

1 2