What does your 6 year old boy play with that doesn't involve screens?

[TheYearOfSmallThings]

My DS has never been great at entertaining himself, which hasn't been a huge problem because we are usually busy and he has plenty of other children to play with.

But now...they are all obsessed with video games, especially the boys. I let him play a bit, but he becomes so preoccupied with it that he is constantly talking about games, pestering for new games, asking how long before he can have his tablet. He was at sports camp today and his favourite bit was when he got hit in the head and was allowed watch a tablet for 10 minutes while holding an ice pack to his bruise!

What holds your 6 year old DS's attention other than screens? He likes Lego, but only up to a point. I'm willing to throw some money at this if there is a magic solution! (I know there is no magic solution).

My almost 7 year old still likes playing with little action figure type things. Tubs of toy soldiers, Avengers figures, old playmobil pirates, some minecraft figures. All against each other like a giant battle, mixing of the sets which stresses me out! But they all go in one big tub at the end of the day

5 1/2 year old likes Lego, Brio trains (involving his sibling's sylvanian families), cars, mechano, crafting, drawing, jigsaw puzzles, building cushion castles and floor is lava obstacle courses.

Playmobil, puzzles. hot wheels, drawing, giant outdoor chalks, planting and growing things, science experiments.

Hot wheels, marble runs, toy soldiers etc, remote control cars. Beyblade Burst toys were a massive obssession. Building things generally, so geomags, magnatiles. Just making dens with pillows, blankets, cushions etc Recent requests include laser guns, table tennis, table football.

Well in 1989 before screens my 6 year old played with mutant ninja turtles which he loved, transformers, any kind of noisy and imaginative boy game with plastic figures, he painted and put together model aircraft and the like and puzzles, he loved warhammer figures and would spend hours painting them and he loved drawing and would spend hours on art projects, he is a professional artist as an adult. He loved lego and still does, meccano, anything like that.
He liked to play outside with other kids, ride bikes, go to the playground, watch Saturday morning cartoons and also liked to read.
He was never at a loss for something to do and on rainy days off we would play scrabble and board games.

Imaginext sets. He has a mix of superhero ones and bad guys as well as some star wars ones.

Mine plays with toy soldiers, Lego, castles etc and he's obsessed with super things.

He also plays out for hours on end.

The thing is, DS has the hot wheels, the imaginext, etc because 2 years ago he loved them (and even 1 year ago was interested in them). He has ALL the Brio, because he used to be obsessed with Thomas, but one day, aged 4, he just never played with them again.

More recently he was into dinosaurs, Superzings, power rangers etc but now he and his friends just seem to be losing interest in playing with toys, although they play well outdoors. But even there they are talking/boasting about computer games.

He's happy to play chequers or Dobble or do a craft project if I suggest it, but none of these things hold the same attraction as video games/iPad. The impetus has to come from me and be sustained by me - I wish he had a wider range of things he could get absorbed in.

He also plays out for hours on end

Yes, this is what I did as a child - which is probably why I'm wondering how it works for a child in London who can't play out! He has plenty of friends and playdates, but it's not the same as being able to roam free.

Duplo/lego.
Playmobil.
Musical instruments.
Puzzles.
Board games - with me obviously.
Small world play, figures.
Nerf guns.
Playdoh.
Paint and art boards.

So my LO is 5 he loves
Board games
Snap (card game)
Dominos
A marble run (takes forever to build!)
Colouring - paint stick pens (godsend!)
Magic sand - he spends time hiding his cars in and the resting them
Play dog - gets a laugh out of mixing his colours :-(
However he does like his screen time too