As my son has gotten older, he of course plays more independently. He often likes an audience, but likes to be in charge of the play - pretty normal I'd say.Anyway, my question is, how much time to you spend "playing" with your preschooler each day and what does that look like? Just curious, thanks!
I am not organized enough to "order playtime" If my son (almost 3) asks me to play with him and I am not doing something then we play, and if he wants to play by himself he goes to his room and if I try to follow me he pushes me out says, 'see ya latter mama," and shuts his door lol.
Hardly any. They play and learn more when they play by themselves. He stays in his room playing for a long time usually then comes out for a drink or snack and goes back. He loves playing outside but is at risk of running off so he's not allowed outside without a grown up watching him. I usually take the computer outside and sit on the deck or clean out the car. Hubby is actually the one that goes outside. He is almost always working on the yard or something in the car while watching the kids play. Almost all the parents on our street are outside when the kids are out too so it's almost like a block party sometimes.
He rides his bike, still on training wheels, rides a scooter, likes to play with the roller skates, the beginner ones that can be set to only go forward, and he loves to swing on the outdoor equipment.
During summer hours he will be in summer gymnastics and maybe some other classes but right now it's not anything additional.
DS was in daycare 4 days a week at that age. The time he was home - either DH or I played with him - pretty much all the time except for naps and meals. That could be him 'cooking dinner' with us, reading with him, building blocks, talking the buddies (stuffed animals - my least favorite version of play) or making art. On daycare days - we played with him from the end of dinner until bedtime.
Hardly ever!
My kids always played well on their own and together (for the most part, lol!)
I often involved my kids in what I was doing, cooking, gardening, housework, but other than that they did their thing and I did mine.
Of course I read to them every day, and we ate together and had plenty of snuggle/TV time as well. But actually "playing?" Nope, not much. That's what their siblings, cousins, preschool classmates and friends were for :)
My son turned three at the end of March and is also getting better at independent play, but he almost always prefers to have myself or my husband play with him. He generally wants to play with me more than I'd like to (or have the imagination to), but I try to always remember what Gretchen Rubin from the Happiness Project says, "the days are long, the years are short." And so I try to play anyway.
I stay at home with him and he's not currently in any scheduled classes or preschool, so it's really up to me to keep him busy. So, here's our day:
He wakes about 7 a.m. and spends half an hour playing with my husband before he has to get ready for work
My husband leaves a little after 8 a.m. and I sit and drink coffee with him in the playroom, usually reading email on my phone while he plays independently. He's learned that it takes mom a while to get going in the a.m. Around 8:30 or 9 a.m. we break for breakfast (although I'm trying to move this earlier, in anticipation of him starting preschool soon). Then we usually play together until 10 or 11 a.m.. We play cars, trains, coloring, games, pretend anything, hide and seek, go to the playground or a walk to the river, practice using the bike, etc. If I have errands to run, we'll generally run out around 10:30 or 11 a.m. and come back by 12:30 for lunch and then nap. He naps from about 2 p.m. until 4 or 4:30 p.m. and then we play again until daddy comes home around 5:30 p.m. Then the two of them usually go outside to play while I cook dinner. We eat and then have bath around 7:15 p.m. and off to bed by 8 p.m.
Putting it down on paper it sounds very routine, and I suppose it is, but what he wants to play with varies every day, and with errands and trips to the playground or the library thrown in, the days seem to just fly by.
My 4 year old an I play pretend a lot... on the days she is home with me we pretend on and off as we have our meals, while she is playing on her own, and even while I am working. Probably about 6 hours or so of time spent on her... reading, playing games, sometimes art projects, writing letters or doing mazes, playing with dolls etc. Nothing terribly structured as far as the play goes. What is mre structured is the general order of activities. She knows in the morning she has her hot cocoa and watches My Little Pony (while I get some work done), then we play for awhile whatever she wants to play. Then I work a bit and then we have lunch. After lunch we do art (sometimes just coloring) or mazes etc., then she will either play one her own or watch TV while I get some more work done etc. We alternate between play with Mommy time and play on her own (work time) through out the day, and that is our form of structure. It is a bit flexible, becuase I have meetings that interfere sometimes. But it works for us... and even as I am working I may be a pony or a someother character
