Playing with LO / leaving them to play alone

**S-J** · 17-04-2007, 02:47pm

How much time in a day would you say you play with your LO and how much do you leave them to get on and play alone?

Just wondering if I am doing ok as if he is happy playing by himself I tend to leave him alone and let him get on. If he is grumpy I chase him round the table and play hide and seek with him and crawl with him. What games do you play with your LOs - obv. he is still only 1 so no talking or drawing etc yet!

**Rosa** · 17-04-2007, 04:36pm

I was just thinking about posting about this today too.

Louis is more than happy to play alone so I do leave him to it quite a lot. I would say I maybe play one to one with him an hour or so a day, a lot of the time he is out and about with me or watching me do things from his highchair etc. There is only so much playing you can do at this age I reckon, since you can't really do activities much.

He likes singing along to music that I have on, climbing all over the living room (current fave!) and playing with general household things and his toys and we're usually side by side. When we do play its usually building towers and knocking them down, or pushing him on his ride along car thing, or peekaboo, rough and tumble etc.

He is not backward is coming forward when he does want to play or my attention!!!

**~Twiggy~** · 17-04-2007, 04:47pm

J is eating his tea right now. He follows me around and helps around the house.
He will play on his own if I'm ironing or in the shower.
I don't like to leave him to play on his own for long though. It's not fair to and he would get grumpy after a while actually so did I if I was ever left to play on my own as a child or even now.

**racqy-rooster** · 17-04-2007, 04:51pm

Ellis is quite happy to play on his own but usually gets bored after 10 mins. It is much better now the weather is dry as he can quite happily go in and out to the garden to have a play in his house, slide, trampoline etc.

**Biba** · 17-04-2007, 04:53pm

I was thinking about this the other day, I often let Jack get on with it be it him playing with a toy or turning out my cupboards as long as he is happy although I am nearly always with him or in the same room. I do try and spend time with him though reading a book or playing with his toys with him. It depend on how much I have to do each day on how much time I spend playing with him rather than him playing around me and what I m doing

**Legolas** · 17-04-2007, 06:31pm

Funnily enough I had this coversation with SIL this weekend. M plays by herself but lately if she wants me to join in she brings something over to me, lately Ive had to push her shopping trolley along behind her (OWW on the back) whilst she pushes her pram along

In terms of playing together we go for walks, to gym tot type things, swimming, read together, colouring but otherwise shes quite happy chatting/playing on her own.

**Cat** · 17-04-2007, 07:27pm

I think its important for them to learn to play alone, it certainly helps develop their imagination. I found DS1 used to let me know smartish when he'd had enough and wanted some attention.

**choccy eating monster** · 18-04-2007, 09:12am

I let her play alone, but also do "horsey horsey" as she loves being bounced on my knee. She likes it when I do dance to her little musical toys too.

But obviously, I can't do that all day long! Sometimes I do wonder whether I would actually spend more quality time with her if I worked! There is so much shite associated with running a house, isn't there?

It would be great if I had a maid/homehelp then I could just spend the day playing and singing with her. Oh well