https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 07 Jun 2026 05:34:02 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/independent-play#post-1355475 Thu, 16 Jan 2014 21:58:08 +0000 betsyboop 1355475@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>LO is great at playing independently but she definitely went through some phases during which she couldn't play alone and it was so exhausting. I think once she started to walk she became a lot more independent. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/independent-play#post-1355396 Thu, 16 Jan 2014 21:32:32 +0000 Andrea 1355396@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@photojane: very true. DD2 is more independent, but that does mean we've had to do a TON more babyproofing! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/independent-play#post-1355394 Thu, 16 Jan 2014 21:32:20 +0000 photojane 1355394@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Boogs: She is free-spirited, to say the least! :silly: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/independent-play#post-1355390 Thu, 16 Jan 2014 21:30:41 +0000 brownie 1355390@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Boogs: Oh no, it won't be until August at the earliest (IVF) so we have a ways to go. And if that doesn't work we are going to pursue fost-adopt. </p> <p>He does great at school though but that is because there are other kids doing the same thing (he does montessori so they work). BUT at his other school they notice he doesn't play with toys either. He plays with other kids with toys but not the toys.</p> <p>And that is why he goes to school even when I'm not working. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/independent-play#post-1355387 Thu, 16 Jan 2014 21:30:12 +0000 Boogs 1355387@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@photojane: Oh my! Guess the grass isn't always greener... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/independent-play#post-1355386 Thu, 16 Jan 2014 21:30:06 +0000 Andrea 1355386@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Twine: wow, we do have the same kids! :-) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/independent-play#post-1355381 Thu, 16 Jan 2014 21:28:46 +0000 photojane 1355381@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Sadie's very independent. She's very busy, extremely curious, and into everything. She will let me play with her, but I think she'd rather play alone... ha. Her ability to play independently isn't as ideal as it sounds... if I turn my back for one minute she will climb onto the couch and try to jump off head first. Or get stuck somewhere. Or attack the dog. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/independent-play#post-1355371 Thu, 16 Jan 2014 21:26:28 +0000 Boogs 1355371@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Bao: Haha yes! Since my LO has started using the potty he's even more fascinated in joining me!</p> <p>@brownie: I'm sorry. :( I hope next month brings you better luck! I just barely found out myself this month.</p> <p>@scg00387: I like the 'unavailable' time. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/independent-play#post-1355364 Thu, 16 Jan 2014 21:24:20 +0000 Mrs. Twine 1355364@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Andrea: Do you have my kids? Ellie was not "busy" and had a hard time on her own. Lorelei gets into everything and gives me way more grey hair, but doesn't mind making her own fun at all. And Ellie is a big reader now, too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/independent-play#post-1355358 Thu, 16 Jan 2014 21:23:35 +0000 immabeetoo 1355358@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>LO is 14 months and I think he does a pretty decent job. I try to at least take a small chunk of the day and be 'unavailable' as in, I am standing up/doing something else/unwilling to pick him up. I think it helps a lot that our entire house is babyproofed - so I don't feel pressured to keep him contained in one space. It's a ranch, so if I'm folding laundry he can go play in his room, etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/independent-play#post-1355354 Thu, 16 Jan 2014 21:22:40 +0000 brownie 1355354@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Boogs: yup april. I wish we were expecting but it didn't work out for us. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/independent-play#post-1355353 Thu, 16 Jan 2014 21:22:38 +0000 Bao 1355353@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Boogs: like peeing! ;) lol but seriously, sometimes I can't even do that...I love her to death but man oh man! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/independent-play#post-1355348 Thu, 16 Jan 2014 21:21:18 +0000 Boogs 1355348@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sweet_p: @MrsScallop: Lol they are usually independent when making messes. ;)</p> <p>@tequiero21: That's a great idea, maybe I need to do better rotating toys.</p> <p>@Bao: It is exhausting! It's like I know this is my job, but I have other jobs to do also! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/independent-play#post-1355337 Thu, 16 Jan 2014 21:18:14 +0000 MrsScallop 1355337@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My LO has never been great at independent play. I try to let her decide what toys she wants to play with instead of choosing for her, but she rarely plays for long or needs me to be near her as she does. The only time she is ok on her own for a while is if she has decided she has a task to do - like moving all her socks from one bin to another, or moving books from one shelf to her bedroom floor. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/independent-play#post-1355299 Thu, 16 Jan 2014 21:07:05 +0000 Boogs 1355299@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@brownie: Yup! Your LO an April baby?</p> <p>I wasn't opposed to be one and done, but my LO loves other kids. So, that's why we are currently expecting another. ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/independent-play#post-1355270 Thu, 16 Jan 2014 20:58:31 +0000 brownie 1355270@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Boogs: I didn't know anyone else with a baby my sons age on here! I am soooo excited!</p> <p>I decided my son needs a playmate. His friend was here for a week and he didn't watch tv at all that week. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/independent-play#post-1355102 Thu, 16 Jan 2014 20:19:52 +0000 Bao 1355102@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>She used to be SO awesome. She would play alone for the longest time. Then around 13 months (shes 16 months now), she won't play more than 5 minutes by herself. I love playing with her, but constantly is exhausting. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/independent-play#post-1355072 Thu, 16 Jan 2014 20:16:40 +0000 tequiero21 1355072@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I agree with @Andrea: need to find something the kid loves. For example, they love playing with the trains and tracks, kitchen, and mega bloks. They'll also open up books that play songs and dance to it. Also, change it up a bit. We take out toys they don't really play with. Give it to them after a few weeks or so and they may find interest in it again. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/independent-play#post-1354997 Thu, 16 Jan 2014 20:03:03 +0000 sweet_p 1354997@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My LO just turned 2 and has never been independent. The only time she will sit by herself for a little while is if I let her watch a show. I feel bad plopping her in front of the TV everyday, but it's the only way I can get dinner made without her pulling on my legs or wanting me to pick her up. She has a ton of books and toys, but always wants me to sit down next to her. </p> <p>Yesterday she sat and played quietly for a few minutes while I cleaned the kitchen, but only because she had gotten a hold of the wipes and had a great time pulling them out one by one :shocked: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/independent-play#post-1354688 Thu, 16 Jan 2014 19:18:04 +0000 Andrea 1354688@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Boogs: yeah, that might just do the trick!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/independent-play#post-1354654 Thu, 16 Jan 2014 19:10:49 +0000 yellowbird 1354654@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Boogs: she's not great at it. She is constantly coming to me and hanging on my legs. I negotiate by letting her help me with chores! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/independent-play#post-1354652 Thu, 16 Jan 2014 19:09:14 +0000 Boogs 1354652@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@brownie: Ha our boys are twins! ;)</p> <p>@Andrea: Great one, so I guess I need to find that special thing that my LO likes. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/independent-play#post-1354644 Thu, 16 Jan 2014 19:06:42 +0000 Andrea 1354644@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think a lot of it boils down to personality and not parenting. And whether or not they like toys. DD1 has never liked toys very much so there wasn't anything for her to DO on her own when she was small. Now she can read so that's her independent play. DD2 likes toys more so she's much better at independent play. She can go for over an hour just wandering around and picking stuff up. This also means that she gets into things a lot more than her big sis! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/independent-play#post-1354611 Thu, 16 Jan 2014 18:57:09 +0000 brownie 1354611@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Boogs: yes a zombie. It is useful but he wants it all day everyday he wakes up asking for Minnie or jake pirate. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/independent-play#post-1354582 Thu, 16 Jan 2014 18:44:46 +0000 Boogs 1354582@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@brownie: Our LO's are the same age! Ours will play with toys, but mostly only if we engage him. And we totally have to watch the screen time because he doesn't mind being a zombie. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/independent-play#post-1354561 Thu, 16 Jan 2014 18:34:19 +0000 brownie 1354561@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Boogs: He is 2 and 9 months but he will watch tv for hours if we let him. But I would like him to play. He really doesn't like to play with toys. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/independent-play#post-1354269 Thu, 16 Jan 2014 17:05:01 +0000 Mrs. Tiger 1354269@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DS1 is awesome at independent play... When he has to poop. I am so going to miss his little bouts of alone time when he's potty trained! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/independent-play#post-1354255 Thu, 16 Jan 2014 17:01:12 +0000 Kimberlybee 1354255@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So far my LO is good at independent play (8months). I spread toys around her then pretend to fall asleep next to her then scoot back until I am really not right next to her. So far it has worked but yesterday I actually fell asleep while pretending! Then I heard her trying to mess with the remote and dropped it so it woke me up. I was so glad nothing happened because we didn't buy the connecting gates yet to enclose her inside. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/independent-play#post-1354211 Thu, 16 Jan 2014 16:50:51 +0000 lovehoneybee 1354211@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I can definitely empathize! E will play by himself for a minute or two and then start pulling or pushing on my legs. The only time he spends any time playing independently is usually in his room, when he's tearing up his foam ABC mat. </p> <p>So no advice. It's exhausting, but I try to include him when I'm doing something now. If I'm folding laundry I give him a stack of washclothes. If I'm trying to vacuum or sweep I let him do it too. If I'm trying to cook I give him a bowl and whisk or something to play with, or put him on a stool and let him stir a pot (closely watched). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/independent-play#post-1354204 Thu, 16 Jan 2014 16:49:38 +0000 Weagle 1354204@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Boogs: Seriously. Like every day. </p>