Originally Posted by Preschool/daycare teacher:
I feel like this is the problem. I end up directing their play anytime we have free play. I lead activities throughout the day (music time, "exercising", crafts, special activities, story time, etc), and then at free play they seem to think they can't do anything without me playing with them then too. I understand they don't have anyone their own age to play with (like I said, I usually have two opposite ages at once: 10 month old and 6 yr old for example), but I feel like they should be able to play alone sometimes too. With the two school age dcgs, I do enforce a "quiet time" during nap time and they are given quiet activities or toys to play with in a room away from the nappers and myself (where I can still supervise, but where they can't talk to me the whole time and beg me to play with them). They hate quiet time and say it's just so boring 
But I tell them it's that or nap 
I would like to see them be able to direct their own play as well, during free play. At 6 & 7 years old, they shouldn't need my attention or direction so much, even if they are playing alone. Especially considering how much "adult led" stuff there is throughout the day already.
Ah, I see! Well, then I just would say I'm sorry that you're bored!
My 2 year DCG does this sometimes, eventually I have to tell her go play and that what I'm doing is boring and it's not fun. She will finally get the point. I get that it does get frustrating when you have a shadow all day. But I do agree that you shouldn't have to put on a show every minute of the day. And that is hard to have opposite age groups because they can't really play together. It is almost easier when there is a bigger group because they easily entertain each other.
