What's your average day like with a 5 year old?

[Squishalish]

When you're not working and they're not at school I mean. Do you play with them all day long?

I have a 5 year old girl. This was our day today which is pretty average I’d say

Wake and breakfast at 8am

Played in the garden until 10- swings and trampoline mostly and the pretend kitchen

She did some drawing and watched a movie until lunch at 12 whilst I did the washing and tidying.

Had lunch together

Back in the garden until 2 together played restaurants in the playhouse

We’ll probably do a mixture of playing Independently and together the rest of the day.
I think if she had a friend or a sibling they’d play together more and I’d be less involved

My 5 year old DS is an only and does demand that someone plays with him virtually all day yes. Standard day would be:
6am - wake, joins us in our bed and watches iPad while we come to
7am - up, breakfast, usually with some TV
8am - play with him
9ish - get everybody dressed and ready to go for the day
10 - go out to do something (at the moment, a walk of some kind! Nothing else to do!)
12 - back for lunch
1 - TV time while I get on with chores
2 - 4ish - play with him
4 - start making his tea
5 - teatime
6 - either play or TV until bath/bedtime

Independent play is unfortunately a rarity and the only way I can get on with things (or get any time to myself!) is screens, either TV or playing a game on iPad/XBox. As a result, he watches too much TV but it’s exhausting entertaining him all day.

@Robostripes

My 5 year old DS is an only and does demand that someone plays with him virtually all day yes. Standard day would be: 6am - wake, joins us in our bed and watches iPad while we come to 7am - up, breakfast, usually with some TV 8am - play with him 9ish - get everybody dressed and ready to go for the day 10 - go out to do something (at the moment, a walk of some kind! Nothing else to do!) 12 - back for lunch 1 - TV time while I get on with chores 2 - 4ish - play with him 4 - start making his tea 5 - teatime 6 - either play or TV until bath/bedtime

Independent play is unfortunately a rarity and the only way I can get on with things (or get any time to myself!) is screens, either TV or playing a game on iPad/XBox. As a result, he watches too much TV but it’s exhausting entertaining him all day.

Sounds just like me. I have a constant battle with myself about "too much screen time" but then I try to remember I watched TV as a kid too.

Same, I feel guilty but I know I watched a hell of a lot of TV as a kid! I console myself by telling myself that a lot of it is also educational, he comes out with all sorts of interesting facts and whenever I ask him did he learn that at school he says no, he learnt it from Magic Schoolbus or Storybots or Dinosaur Train!

DD is now 8 and youngest is 1 but when DD was younger we used to get playdoh and set her things to build. So for example... can you create a playdoh pizza each for you, mummy and daddy. Or similar with Lego etc. Used to buy me a bit of time to get things done and gradually she became better at entertaining her self for short periods. There was still plenty of screen time 😂.

On a day off would usually do an outdoors activity or see a friend in morning, lunch, then a couple hrs tv in afternoon and maybe a bit of independent play at some stage, depending on her mood, or if she and wee sister can get on that day, they may play together. Today though both kids were up through night and I was a wreck. So much tv.

So basically no I don’t play that much. Maybe facilitate craft, play dough, jigsaws and help a bit. I feel inadequate in my play capacity but it’s honestly just so dull. I long for board games and things I can actually enjoy with them. That’s so sad

I guess it depends if they're the eldest or any only child surely?

I don't play loads with my 5YO. But he is the youngest. Both boys play together and entertain each other a lot of the day. He will also play independently. They do watch TV and have a lot of gaming time too. But we go for walks and go to the park. Other than that there's not loads to get out and do right now.

Dd is 5.8 and the eldest by 4 years. She hates playing by herself and gets frustrated with her younger brother as he doesn’t understand the games etc.

I try to rotate play with her, screen time, activity (colouring etc), get them to play together. She’s very occasionally willing to play in her room by herself but gets very jealous if she thinks ds has me to himself.

When DH is also home we tend to take turns to have 1:1 with each child and some time all together.

It’s hard work!