6 year old boys and computer games.

[KTNoo]

My ds aged 6 currently has a boy from his class over to play. (We are not in UK hence time difference). I don't know the family very well but ds has been asking for a while for this boy to come over. He went to the boy's house last week.

Since he got here just after 3pm the friend has been asking me where the computer games are. We don't have any. DD aged 8 has a DS Lite but she's at Brownies and I don't want to hand over her DS without checking first. And my son has absolutely no interest in these things. I have tried to get the friend interested in playing with various toys with no success. DS is quite disappointed with the playdate I think. He thought (as did I) that he would have a boy to play with (he has 2 sisters so lacks male company!). He had his dinosaurs and remote control car ready.

I've just finished making cookies with them, and have sneaked off to write this while they're eating them. I don't see how we're going to keep going until his mum comes at 6pm unless I stick them in front of the TV with lots of food, which seems a bit of a shame. I tried leaving them to play earlier and the boy told ds to jump from the balcony, then went and opened the fridge and started taking food out!

I'm a bit gobsmacked that this child can't/won't play at all without any computer games. Or do I just have an unusual child who is not interested and this is what most 6 year olds do????

I have a 5.10 year old DS and while he enjoys playing games on my ipod touch and some games on the lego website and CBeebies, he wouldn't start playing them if he had a friend here. He would be more likely to play with lego, playmobil or start some sort of imaginary game. Or if it were a nice day they would probably play outside.

So I would say that the behaviour sounds a bit unusual when someone comes over to play, although 6 year olds playing computer games isn't unusual in itself.

Hope the rest of the afternoon goes all right

I was just wondering what they did when they were at the friend's house as well. Although i often find that asking that results in a answer of either "nothing" or "I don't remember"

Both your son and his friend are quite unusual I think! Many 6 year old boys have some interest in screen based activities ime but almost all love playing with friends and other toys too. And playdates are most definitely about the latter so no wonder your son is disappointed. Hope things improve.

My DS (6) loves computers/videogames but is perfectly capable of playing with toys as well... I feel a bit sorry for the playdate if he doesn't know how to play in an "ordinary" way Maybe you'll have to step in and organize some games, like at a party?

Oh dear I wasn't expecting to have to do musical bumps today! My dcs would be amazed too - they generally had go off and play after school - we regularly have shops, cafes and zoos in our living room and I obviously took it for granted!

When I think sbout it all DS talked about when he came home from the boy's house was the food they had eaten. He said his friend played Wii too, and they watched a film. He seemed to like going there, but he is easily bought with edible treats!

I realise most children of this age will play computer games, and that my ds is probably not the "norm", but I was amazed at this boy's complete lack of interest in anything else.

We are in Azerbaijan, by the way.

Lol just picturing a MNer wildly playing musical bumps while her DCs look on in amazement...

Unfortunately sometimes things just end up with us wishing the clock would move a little faster - not all playdates work out.

Ds1 would nag incessantly about yourcomputer and your food. It's not that he is over indulged in these areas, or that we never do anything else (quite the contrary) - he is just OBSESSED.

Ds1 also doesn't 'do' imaginative play. If left with pape and pencils he will draw and make paper aeroplanes though, so maybe that is an option? Also for some reason construction toys go down well with computer obsessed children.

Well it didn't come to me dancing around desperately....phew....

The boy's mum has just collected him, my ds said they had fun (???) so I think we survived. I expect his friend is in the car now, telling his mum in disbelief "They don't even have a Wii, you know."

They ended up eating a hot dog in front of the tv, but that seemed to make the boy happier than anything else I had tried, so we went with it.

I never thought a child could be finished with toys so young. I find that sad.

Get lots of DVDs in for next time
I guess the moral is that sometimes they have fun even when it doesn't look like it!

Yes I suppose so! They just like being in each other's houses maybe. The boy certainly didn't seem to be having fun much of the time, when he was wandering around looking for the computer games. He just didn't seem to know what else he could do, even though ds was bouncing around excitedly brandishing aliens and planes and swords and lots of things they could have had fun with. Oh well, can't help feeling a bit sorry for the child, maybe I shouldn't be there you go.

DOn't be sorry for him. He probably thinks you ds is deranged. I know Ds1 thinks Ds2 is.

DD has a friend who constantly wants the TV on...almost like playing with another child is too much effort.

I always say no.

Ds, nearly 6 adores tv. would sit infront of tv all day given half chance. and this has been known to happen when I have a diabetic hypo.adores dvd's. likes playing on his ds. loves all things computery, gamey etc etc.
however he also loves all toys, playing outside, riding bikes, hide and seek, chasing his friend round the house making a gun with his fingers.
To me this is all normal.
he does sound a bit odd. Actually maybe he isn't. Maybe he hasn't had alot of playdates and thinks this is all the norm. who knows !!

I don't know, like I said I don't know the family well as DS only just started at the school.

My DS does like TV and would watch for hours if I let him. He would also scoff endless amounts of sugary rubbish. But we have times when he's allowed to eat junk/watch TV and times when I say no. But who knows if the being "forced" to go and play with toys/other children has made him better at doing that, or whether some kids just never ever do that.

It's difficult when it's someone else's child - it felt like he was going to go home and tell his mum what a boring house we have where there's nothing to do and snacks don't happen all day long.

We'll see if he ever wants to come back - don't fancy doing that again for a while though!