I have a set of sibling boys, 1.5 and 2.5. They are part time. They don't really seem to know what to do with the toys, or how to play. I constantly have to suggest a toy, or tell them "go play toys". They mostly just put the toys in their mouths. They spend a lot of time walking around and playing with the buckles on the booster seats.
What can I do to help them learn to play?

Reply

Are they on tablets at home?

Reply

what kind of toys are they?

Reply

This seems to be more and more with kids having so much screen time. I was in the DMV a couple weeks ago and saw a two year old playing with her mom's smart phone. I remember when kids just had to sit and be good, because mom said so.

Reply

I have this problem with my dcks too. I think screen time definitely has something to do with it b/c Ds was excellent at independent play until new baby came. We let him play phone games a lot during those first few weeks & it has taken me months to get him back to really playing. Even now if he thinks there's a chance to play a game he will refuse to go play & whine that he's bored for hours. My response: You are responsible for your own fun. When you're done being bored you will put some effort into thinking of something fun to do & ill be so excited to hear all about it! I do model play for the kids some, but at some point they need to be bored. That's what encourages them to get creative. Maybe model the correct way to play with the toys for 10 or 15 minutes in the morning & then just let them figure it out? Wish I had a better answer, but I feel your pain. Its frustrating.

Reply

Any of our toys, I offer them trucks, legos, little people, blocks, baby dolls, balls, sorters, piano, ball popper, activity table, toy kitchen/food, baby rattles, soft toys.
I think they do watch a lot of tv at home.

Reply

I will try this, when they come again.

Reply

I agree with previous posters. Tablets and smart-phones are ruining little kids imaginations and ability to just play. And their not so great for grow-ups either. How many parents do you know that sit in the driveway (at least for a while) looking at their phones before coming in? They SHOULD be unbuckling and hopping out of the car as it barely comes to a stop, then running into the house to finally see their little angel that they've been separated from for the last 9-10 hours, not looking to see who posted what in the last 20 minutes.

Modelling what to do with certain toys for just a few minutes is all it takes here. Sometimes some kids need more prodding, but all in all kids love to play, and it comes naturally after it's been introduced.

Reply

Do you have any "busy box" type of toys, like a latch board or a dress-me doll with lots of fasteners? Maybe you can use their fascination with buckles to get them playing with other similar toys, then eventually other types of toys.

Reply

I have a bear that has all the buckles, snaps etc. Ill have to find it, I think its in storage.

Reply

When I had a group of all twos and under they did not play with toys often. I figured they did not have older kids to model after, it was just the dynamics of the group, since I did not have any older kids that got really involved in play it really stood out to me that these kids didn't use many of the toys., etc.

Two families had strict tv and tablet rules and the kids had very limited tv. They did love the grocery carts and loved to fill them up and push them all around. They would also play a long time in the sensory table, with playdoh, and drawing with markers at the easel.

They didn't use the housekeeping area till closer to three. They also loved to sit at the flannel board and put on felt pictures. So there were things they would do, just not sit and play "toys".

Reply

I have this with my current group that just started. They are 2 and 3 yo. Free play might as well be called freeze play.

Any open ended play causes them to wander around, grabbing a toy here, putting a toy there. I have been modelling and seeing small improvements but outdoor play causes them to freeze! I have never seen anything like it and it is simultaneously frustrating and sad.

I have "go play toys" on repeat and have modelled but these kids are just as happy to lie on the ground or stand by the door to wait to go in.

I know one is coming from a tv environment (why his mom switched) and the other from a centre. Not sure what home is like with respect to screen time but I am hoping my 2 that start on Wednesday can play!

My last group was all under 2s and they played so well! I miss them

Reply

I was going to suggest something similar...watch what they do do, and then build on that.

Playing w/buckles:
offer anything with buckles (snowpants? car seat? belts);
or different types of buckles, latches, fasteners.
Maybe they'd be drawn to a basket full of containers with different types of tricky lids to open/close? Or a bunch of huge nuts and bolts to match and attach?

Walking around:
make an interesting place to walk: (sticky-side-up contac paper taped to floor; bubble wrap taped to floor; ramps to walk up and down);
give them a container (basket, bucket) and something to find/gather (whatever they are drawn to: animals? balls? cars?).

Emergent curriculum, toddler style.

Reply

Those are good ideas! Thanks. I have some contac paper that I will try after nap. Thanks!

Reply

We've had a few threads on here about children who don't know how to play with toys. Many of us believe that since many parents have the children watching television and playing games on computers and cell phones, that many children literally do not know what to do with toys. So us daycare providers have to teach them how to play with toys and how to use their imagination. And it's usually a big headache for us because since they are used to the electronics entertaining them, they get bored with toys quickly.

Reply