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Original poster

He does not play with his toys!

15 replies

Clare123 · 21/03/2010 10:25

Does anyone's elses toddlers not play with all their toys> It is driving me mad - he has so much (mainly from family and donations), and I get different things out at different times, but he STILL does not play with them.

What a waste.............!

OP posts:
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emkana · 21/03/2010 10:27

I have three dc's and none of them have ever bothered much with toys as such.

BoysAreLikeDogs · 21/03/2010 10:28

what does he play with instead?

Is he into cardboard boxes, or emptying your cupboards or turning toy boxes over and spilling the contents everywhere?

nobodyputsbabyinacorner · 21/03/2010 10:28

I know what you mean! My daughter is 6 and she still doesnt play with her toys - and its STILL an issue!! She just wants to play with me all the time (imaginary games etc) - only child/single parent I can't always do that, and they need to learn how to amuse themselves I think.

BooyhooNOTboohoooORbooyou · 21/03/2010 10:30

he has too many for his needs.

if he is happy why are you getting annoyed. sort out what he does use from what he doesnt and take the surplus to charity shop/ebay/car boot sale.

children dont give a damn how mucha toy cost, they play with something out of interest not obligation.

BooyhooNOTboohoooORbooyou · 21/03/2010 10:33

ds2 is sitting with about 4 new-fangled electronic toys at his disposal... he is playing with the cat

Original poster
Clare123 · 21/03/2010 10:33

Hmmm - I am not sure what he plays with! He is very disruptive to his sister right now - which I think is his biggest game! Erghhhh

OP posts:
smallorange · 21/03/2010 10:36

Mine would much sooner arse about pretending to go on holiday or run away from 'the witch,' than play with the expensive playmobile/ sylvanian families they got for Christmas.

In fact all they need is a dress up box, dolly and buggy, shopping bag, tea set and pens and
pencils and they are happy. Everything else just sits there.

jelliebelly · 21/03/2010 10:36

Ds (4) is a bit like this - he will play with toys but only if somebody is playing with him - he has always been at nursery and I guess this is why he finds it difficult to play by himself - he is used to having company I suppose. His little sister (14 mths) is now providing entertainment for him so maybe they will play together a bit as she gets older.

purepurple · 21/03/2010 10:39

chidren don't know how to play unless they are shown how
a little adult input is all he needs

BooyhooNOTboohoooORbooyou · 21/03/2010 10:43

"chidren don't know how to play unless they are shown how
a little adult input is all he needs
Add your message here"

i disagree, i am not the get on the floor and play type and never have been. ds1 is 4.5 and has a fantastic imagination, if there are no friends to play with he makes up brilliant games to entertain himself and his little brother. i dont think i have ever heard him say he has nothing to do.

children are born to play, it is their nature.

IMoveTheStars · 21/03/2010 11:36

how old is he?

We keep half DS's toys up in his room (where he doesn't spend much time at the moment) and half downstairs. When he seems to get bored of his toys, we do a big swapover. Every couple of months we have a clear-out and take stuff to the charity shop (or ebay if he really wasn't interested and it's still in sellable condition)

BornToFolk · 21/03/2010 12:54

Yeah, DS is not a big toy fan. Over the past few days, he's been mostly playing with some dry pasta and rice from the kitchen, along with a variety of spoons and containers.

He does get overwhelmed sometimes though. He kind of forgets that his toybox is full of toys I think, because there's so much there. If you pull out one toy, and say "shall we play with this?" he'll engage (usually) but he doesn't often go and pull something out of his own accord.

harimosmummy · 21/03/2010 13:34

All kids are different.

DSD1 (Now 15) never really played with toys. She would interact if yiou played with her, but she never played alone. FWIW, she is now an accomplished sportswoman - but only ever team sports. She obv. needs that interaction.

DSD2 (Now 12) was totally opposite... Would play for hours with her toys. She would line them up and play 'schools'. This consisted of her reading out 30 names on the 'register' and them saying YES MISS.
When that ended, you'd be thinking 'Oh, thank the LORD' and next it would be: NAME: Packed lunch or school dinner (yes, another 30 times!!) It just went ON AND ON.

DS (now 21 MOnths) plays endlessly with cars / trains... He's addicted to Thomas! But would not so much entertain playing with a doll!!

They are all differnet and you can't force them if they aren't interested.

IlanaK · 21/03/2010 13:45

I agree with them all being different.

Ds1 (now almost 9) has always played with his toys, on his own and then with his younger brother. He makes up games, talks to himself about them etc.

Ds2 (now almost 6) has NEVER played with toys. From when he was a baby he would not play with baby toys and he has not changed now. If someone else will play with him, he will play for hours (they are currently playing a imaginative game together and all is well). But if his older brother won't play, he will sit on his bed and moan, waiting for the next "thing" to happen. I really can't see this ever changing - it is just how he is.

Ds3 (1 and a half) has sat happily playing with toys and books since he could sit up. He is much more like ds1 (thank god!)

purepurple · 21/03/2010 14:13

"children are born to play, it is their nature."
this is true too, but sometimes children need a little modelling and scaffolding

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