I have 6 dcks and two after school. 6 are girls 2 are boys. Boys are 1 year and 3. Dcb 3 has been acting out like crazy lately. Not listening to me, the his friends very possessive. I'm starting to think his acting out is unhappiness. He doesn't seem thrilled to come anymore which makes me sad because he use to love it. We do a lot of baking, crafts, sensory play but he doesn't enjoy them anymore. All he wants to so is run, jump and play outside. We do go outside twice a day. Morning and afternoon. The max I can stay out with my younger ones is 30-60 mins depending on weather. There is a ton of snow (over my head in spots) and temps and still down. I try and do lots of movement activities indoors, games, exercises, dancing he wants nothing to do with it. It's like he's really missing boy interaction. He has a older sister and weeks and home time are geared towards her. Dance, her friends parties etc. He doesn't get that boy outlet. How I can help? What can I do to make him happier and my life easier?

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Doesn't seem like a gender issue at all.

I have plenty of boys that have no problem doing aerobic activities or yoga or any of the large motor activities we do in the house and plenty of girls that run and jump around.

NONE of my kids have ever made comments about playing boy/girl games or activities or needing to interact with someone of the same sex.

Truth be told, I don't think kids under preschool age even identify with certain activities based on gender

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When someone makes a comment here like "That's for girls", I say, "We don't have girl toys or boy toys here. Just toys."

I don't think the issue of them wanting to run/jump/play outside is because they are boys. I have some super rambunctious girls in my group!

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I had a very similar situation a couple of years ago. Dcb just acted miserable as he got older. I talked to dcm about him acting bored with our activities and really not engaging with any of the kids in the small group that I had. We agreed that a larger school-based preschool program would be a better fit. It was. More square feet and more kids to choose from suited him, and his leaving, lightened up our day, as well.

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Thank you for actually responding and helping with the question asked. I feel like he's out growing us. None of my group is rowdy, rough, high energy like him. So it's hard for him to pair up with someone to play with.

With that being said we don't have girl toys and boy toys either. But there are toys more geared towards boys and geared towards girls. I don't know many people who buy their boys Barbies and ponys and their girls super Heros and action figures. TYPICALLY they play with toys more geared towards their sex as that's what the parents buy.

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I didn't respond directly to the question you asked because I don't think it has anything to do with gender...

It's kind of a biased thing to attach to a behavior issue, thus the responses you did receive.

It simply sounds like he is not the right fit for your group right now if no one else is rowdy, rough and high energy. It might just be time for a change in environment.

I disagree with this. I have lots of action figure and super hero toys that my daycare girls love playing with and vice versa.

I also believe that parents now days are moving away from what was once viewed as "typical" and have learned that gender shouldn't be attached to any toy and/or activity.

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If you don't have them already, I would recommend adding some Hot Wheels cars. They are cheap, and a small box of 10 or so can keep little kids (boys OR girls) busy for a long time.

I also recommend small, plastic animals. Can pick them up pretty cheap, too. All my kids LOVE to play with them.

Then there's army guys. You can get them as pirates too.

Dollar stores (Dollar Tree is my favorite) usually have all these things.

Pair any small cheap toys with a like-kind book, and they have fun acting out the pages.

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