How do you actually play with a hamster?

[flitwit99]

We have a pet hamster. First time. It's been with us a few weeks. The kids are really keen to play with it but what do you actually do with it? They pick it up and hold it in their hands for a few seconds, that's it. It is happy enough to sit in their hands but it doesn't seem massively bothered. Do hamsters actually want any human interaction or do they not really care?

They are not to be played with. They aren’t a toy.

We had one and she was gently tamed and would just snuggle or climb over my daughter.

We also made a big play area outside her cage for her to be in and added things like cardboard tubes and things for her to climb on, climb over or through at her own leisure.

Hamsters are rubbish pets tbh. They have no interest in being played with!

We had a pair of dwarf hamsters. Apart from watching them in the wheel and run through a tube there's very little they did. The ultimate bore if am honest. They really stunk too despite very regular cleaning.

You can’t really play with them. You can let them explore dolls houses and set up intricate tunnel systems with cardboard rolls etc for them to explore. It’s quite fun watching them. That’s about as exciting it gets!

Our hamster was very happy to be held, snuggled and smooched. He also liked to bumble around (closely supervised), clambering over the sofa, the coffee table, us... My DC would set up tubes and mazes on the coffee table for him to explore. He would always come up to us for a treat. He also adapted to our daily routine - we kept him in the living room. He would always wake up when DC were having breakfast and after school. He also heard when DP and I were getting ready to go to bed (TV off, locking doors etc.) and would come and beg for a bedtime treat.

He was my DD's best friend and a great comfort to her if she was ever sad.

Don't let anyone tell you hamsters are boring. The more you give, the more you get :)

He was a bit stinky though!

You don't really play with them although they can be very sweet and friendly. The best thing to do is invent ways to make them happy, as previous poster said making little castles and tubes for them to explore in and maybe hide food in unexpected places for them to forage, handling is important if you want a socialised hamster.
I think the emphasis should be less on playing with it and more on making it happy.

I look after a friend's hamster from time to time. I'll take him into the lounge and let him run around the sofa. There are shelves next to it so he'll climb on them too. I don't take my eye off him at all though - he's too keen on trying to escape, which, as I have told him more than once, with a cat in the house would be a very silly idea!