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Clover Lane

Home » Blog » Self-Entertaining for Kids

Self-Entertaining for Kids

by Sarah Turner Clover Lane, Encouragement, Mothering

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A commonly asked question I get is: How do you get your kids to play on their own?

I’ve learned that how I set up my house greatly influences my kid’s ability to play on their own.

1. I have found that cutting TV watching to a bare minimum, best if NONE, leads to so much more self-starting, creative play for my kid’s.

2. Set it up, and give a couple minutes. I put these trains in a little line and helped Patrick make a track and then walked away. He played for a good hour.

3. The fewer toys, and the more organized, the better chance at making it work. Huge amounts of toys are overwhelming. You know how you feel when you look at 500 choices of fabric, or icecream, or shoes? Sometimes it’s easier to walk away. They feel the same.

4. Bait and switch. Rotate toys maybe once a week or every other week. Even ONE “new” building set will fascinate for hours. If I had Duplos out, I put away the Lincoln Logs.

5. Be in the same room. Or not. Depending on the age and your child. Sometimes it’s best for me to be out of sight. Other times if I just sit in the room I find my 2 year old content as long as he knows I’m nearby.

6. Get a “project” started with siblings involved.  I know Patrick LOVES to play along side Andrew or  Matthew.

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April 7, 2010 · 20 Comments

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Comments

  1. Carin says

    April 7, 2010 at 10:20 am

    Yep, agree with all of them. Oh and I'm seriously impressed you've got such a large Thomas set!

    Reply
  2. brooke says

    April 7, 2010 at 10:42 am

    My two year old loves to play with markers which is obviously not the best little person activity. But if I give him four markers and a piece of newsprint I can get a good 30 mins or so to fold laundry. Of course he has to be in site and reminded "markers are for paper". Why does he love to color on the door so much 🙂 ?

    Reply
  3. Beth says

    April 7, 2010 at 11:22 am

    Sarah,

    You will LOOOOVE the book "Simplicity Parenting". It will only confirm what you already know and live but it's a great read. Good post.

    Reply
  4. Julie says

    April 7, 2010 at 11:55 am

    Amen! I agree with all of your suggestions especialyy #1. We have a small house and I've deliberately limited our toy collection b/c I dislike clutter; but it also has the benefit of making sure the toys are used. I would also add versatile toys like Duplos/Legos/Lincoln logs which can be used for a variety of things rather than the plastic talking truck which only does ONE thing.

    And on those sick/whiny days there's always the bathtub which really seems to alter the crankiest of kiddos. I can always sit and make lists (and promptly lose them).

    Reply
  5. Jenny@ L.O.T.s of Love says

    April 7, 2010 at 12:37 pm

    Great ideas! I really need to declutter the toy room. You're right! There is so much that they can't see what is right in front of them.

    Reply
  6. Jennifer says

    April 7, 2010 at 1:38 pm

    Thanks so much for this encouraging post! We are currently simplifying our kids toy situation. I've been doing the rotating thing for years – that works wonders!

    Reply
  7. Molly Betsy @ Star Cottage says

    April 7, 2010 at 1:51 pm

    I agree with everything you said especially the tv part. We don't have cable or even rabbit ears we limit our couch potato time to 2 movies a week as a family. I want healthy, active and imaginitive kids. TV is such a waste of time and money.

    Reply
  8. Brian and Staci says

    April 7, 2010 at 2:07 pm

    My kids LOVE to make playdough….if we make a batch…they will play for hours!!! Messy, of course, but well worth it if I have a lot to get done 🙂 And if I just give them cookie cutters and kitchen items…they are in heaven! No need to buy the barber shop playdough guy…mainly because I seem to be the one that has to pick out the playdough for hours! And LEGOS, of course, man….I hate stepping on those things, but my kids will build for hours! My 5 yr old is sadly out of the Thomas phase 🙁 I miss those little faces 🙂

    Reply
  9. Emily says

    April 7, 2010 at 2:22 pm

    Am I crazy? I would've sworn this post was in my reader last week. I am going crazy.

    Love your tips. It is true, for kids the less they have, the more they play. My kids can't even begin to play with too much stuff and too many options.

    Reply
  10. Love Being A Nonny says

    April 7, 2010 at 2:27 pm

    You are so right! just SEEING those trains lined up…makes me want to sit down and play!! Great tips. You always have the best things to say!

    Reply
  11. CRICKET says

    April 7, 2010 at 2:43 pm

    I so agree but sometimes one forgets. Yesterday I set up a Geo Trac that took about 5 minutes and I probably didn't hear anything from my little ones for 45 min. I got a lot accomplished. I also find if I read about 5 books aloud they eventually wander away and find something to do on there own.

    Reply
  12. Erin Deegan says

    April 7, 2010 at 3:07 pm

    Thanks… I needed that. As I sat reading this post Cooper, my 4 year old, whined… what should do I now?" In general, this kills me… so many toys and nothing to do? Really? Now, I plan on purging… less toys the better. Yes!!

    Reply
  13. Pam says

    April 7, 2010 at 6:26 pm

    cute photo! And I am all for shutting that darn tv off!!

    Reply
  14. Melanie says

    April 7, 2010 at 6:59 pm

    Agree. 100%. With all of it. My 3-year-old and 6-year-old have had more fun this morning with a couple of blankets for a tent and a lot of imagination than they could ever have with TV.

    Kids are super-creative if you just let them be.

    Mel at themeaparty.com

    Reply
  15. crissy // mama boss says

    April 7, 2010 at 6:59 pm

    i completely agree, and try to do this. i still need to separate the toys, so we're only pulling out a few at a time, and can switch out for "new" ones later. but we're getting there.

    Reply
  16. Angela says

    April 7, 2010 at 7:12 pm

    Thanks for this. I will be purging and stashing toys away, pronto!

    Reply
  17. Laurel @ Ducks in a Row says

    April 7, 2010 at 11:18 pm

    That is quite the collection – I notice that the toys that encourage creativity are the long-lasting ones. The toys that are loud and noisy and you push a button and they do everything for you are forgotten about in a week!

    Reply
  18. Dana @ Bungalow'56 says

    April 8, 2010 at 1:14 am

    It's the Costco secret. Fewer choices equals more purchases! Time to edit the toy section at this location : )

    Reply
  19. Heidi of Operation Organization says

    April 8, 2010 at 4:37 pm

    great ideas – I find that it does make such a diffrence with the longevity of the play if I get them 'started' and then slip away after a bit.

    I'd love to have a 'toy rotation' in place. My mother has been director her own preschool for over 25 years now, so I've seen that modeled first hand. My only hang up is I don't have any space in our small home outside their rooms to store out-of-rotation toys….hhhmmmm

    Reply
  20. {Brittany} says

    April 8, 2010 at 7:12 pm

    Amen! I love your new blog header. I'm also still so in love with your blog. You are amazing, which is why I just gave you an award on my blog. Thanks again!

    Reply

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