https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 15 Apr 2026 11:04:36 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-encourage-more-independent-play#post-1703581 Mon, 16 Jun 2014 16:18:46 +0000 Mrs. Pen 1703581@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Smurfette: My child is exactly the same way, and he is nearly 28 months! He has never been super independent ever, and prefers us to be in the same room, on the floor, with him. There have been a handful of times since he's turned 2 that he finally started instigating independent imaginative play on his own, but the times have been rare. I'm wondering if it's the type of kid he is? I actually posted this about a month ago because I was told he'd start playing on his own around two and it didn't happen.<br /> <a href="http://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-your-lo-start-playing-independently" rel="nofollow">http://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-your-lo-start-playing-independently</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-encourage-more-independent-play#post-1703576 Mon, 16 Jun 2014 16:15:20 +0000 Corduroy 1703576@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Smurfette: I think it's an age thing too. I could have posted this about two weeks ago. I was so frustrated that LO would play independently at daycare, and then for DH but not for me. DH and MIL both commented on how differently she acted around me. Then last week I noticed LO was doing a puzzle on her own and hadn't bothered me in about 5 minutes. The duration has been slowly increasing. I hope you're about to have your breakthrough! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-encourage-more-independent-play#post-1703484 Mon, 16 Jun 2014 15:31:11 +0000 littlek 1703484@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Smurfette: I think it's an age thing. B is more independent now that he's 2. When he was 1 he liked to play but he wanted us sitting next to him </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-encourage-more-independent-play#post-1703421 Mon, 16 Jun 2014 15:09:50 +0000 septca 1703421@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Smurfette: Yep - that exactly. Thankfully we have a huge kitchen. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-encourage-more-independent-play#post-1703418 Mon, 16 Jun 2014 15:08:52 +0000 Smurfette 1703418@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Adira: She does it with both of us. Follows us around the house nonstop<br /> @septca: We just got new ones (well new to us, friends gave us a bunch) and she will carry it with her to the other room where we are.<br /> @looch: 15 months </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-encourage-more-independent-play#post-1703416 Mon, 16 Jun 2014 15:07:47 +0000 blackbird 1703416@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>E is still good with independent play in small chunks but I find she now wants me to play with her or she wants to play near me more often. I can sit on the couch for probably 30 min with a little on and off interaction with her on the floor near me. And you've seen all the IG photos of her sitting with Dh on the couch. They're getting cuddlier :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-encourage-more-independent-play#post-1703414 Mon, 16 Jun 2014 15:07:09 +0000 bushelandapeck 1703414@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DS wasn't really into playing independently until recently (22 mos now) and he will only really do so for 5-10 mins at a time before coming to find one of us. I find that if I am just in the other room cooking dinner, he will usually wander off to the LR or his playroom if I tell him I will come play after I finished doing whatever I'm doing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-encourage-more-independent-play#post-1703411 Mon, 16 Jun 2014 15:06:12 +0000 looch 1703411@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>How old is your LO? My son is 3.5 and he still wants to be in the same room with us, so, what I did was to sit near him, but not play with him. I started slowly, few minutes at a time, and worked up. Now, I can leave him for longer periods of time, but still not long...I would guess max is 15 minutes. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-encourage-more-independent-play#post-1703402 Mon, 16 Jun 2014 15:04:29 +0000 septca 1703402@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It may just be an age thing, because DD is doing more cuddling and less playing independently lately. Two things that have helped - new toys (I think she was bored of the old stuff) and toys *near* where I am (i.e., in the kitchen). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-encourage-more-independent-play#post-1703394 Mon, 16 Jun 2014 15:02:11 +0000 Adira 1703394@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hmmm... I'm not sure, except maybe to not interact with her as much or leave her along for longer and longer periods of time? Xander almost always wants to be wherever we are when he's playing and he definitely prefers it when we're interacting and playing with him, but occasionally he'll play on his own, though never for very long. Usually it's when he's getting into mischief (like pulling out all the ziplog baggies from the box or all the tissues from the box). I think he's more independent when Hubs is watching him, but I think that's because Hubs just ignores him more and he's used to it??? I don't know! I feel like whenever I'm watching him, he's all over me and doesn't want to be ignored by me! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-encourage-more-independent-play#post-1703354 Mon, 16 Jun 2014 14:49:28 +0000 Smurfette 1703354@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have a little playroom/half DH's office right off our living room. If we take R in there to play, and sit in there for 10 mins with her and then get up to go to do something else she follows us. Even if we are sitting on the couch so she can see us she comes in the living room. If I am on the couch, then she has to be, even if she is playing in the LR. She won't play unless we are sitting with her. Even then she doesn't play for long. She wants to be in our laps, crawling on us. She is day care all day.</p> <p>How do we get her to play independently more? </p>