Getting a reluctant boy to like crafting

[Bananasinpyjamas1988]

DS is summer born and starting school in September. He’s slightly behind at nursery (they think 3 months which I don’t think is a huge deal). He is a typical boy in that he loves trains, cars and balls but getting him to do anything involving crafting or drawing is impossible. If I ask why he doesn’t like it he says it’s too difficult. He easily gives up if he finds something hard.

Im worried that when he starts school he will be really reluctant to do anything involving writing and drawing, will find it very hard as it becomes a bigger part od the day and lose confidence. Has anyone had a similar situation and how did it turn out? Also does anyone have any tips or toys to get a reluctant boy into this type of thing?

every photo of organized activities at nursery on their app have him in the background playing with a trainset, haha.

I should add that mine is obsessed with Thomas tank. He cannot get enough of it!! So anything involving Thomas or whoever else is a hit. He loves choosing a picture off the internet on my iPad and then we print it out and trace or colour it. I make a big effort to put up his pictures or things he makes to encourage him with drawing and crafty sort of activities. x

Hi, I was in exactly the same position as you last year. My son is now 6 months into reception. Over the summer I (shamefully!!) enforced fine motor activities (sticker books, threading, play dough, pincer activities with pom-poms, obstacle courses to help gross motor), put timers on and tried to do competitions for building duplo houses to try and elongate his focus time, but also pencil grip and his phonics. I'd say the fun stuff was great and helped him a lot with his focus. The more academic based stuff (letters, drawing, phonics) totally back fired and he went into school refusing to do any of it and told his teacher I 'got cross' if he didnt do it (cringe!!) Anyway, I'd say he is now at the expected level for his age but I've had to stop any work at home temporarily which seems to be working for his enjoyment levels, and I have to admit that his progress has been good without me pushing him. I really recommend 'the five minute mum' on insta or her book, she has loads of fun ideas to help. Good luck, he will be grand. Summer boys notoriously catch up by year 1, have you seen the image of a pre schooler's hand vs an older child's hand? It's fascinating and explains a lot.

I just let our child lead what they wanted to do, forcing it wasnt going to do any good

This is the image I was talking about...

If you've got any paved or tarmac space outside at home, could you get him drawing roads for some cars to go down? Or if not, get some big pieces of paper and do it on those inside?

Or make roadsigns/ scenery for his trains and cars?

We had a rally locally to us and DD (aged not quite three at the time) got really interested so we did some activities based round rally cars, one of which was that I drew her some "roads" on a piece of paper and she used a crayon to show the rally car where to go down the roads. So you could try something like that.

Get a tuff tray or similar and set up activities relayed to things he likes. Sort different coloured balls with tongs into sets, scoop up sand to build a hill for cars to go up etc. All that kind of stuff builds fine motor skills.