https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 12 Apr 2026 19:08:58 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sittingattention-expectations-for-3-year-old#post-2687377 Thu, 26 Jan 2017 14:47:48 +0000 sarac 2687377@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ShootingStar: for what it's worth, my 5 year old is like that even with multiple recesses, PE, and riding her bike multiple miles per day. Some kids have a ton of energy. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sittingattention-expectations-for-3-year-old#post-2687345 Thu, 26 Jan 2017 14:30:47 +0000 ShootingStar 2687345@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks everyone. Seems like my first thought that this was normal was right. </p> <p>@sarac: I think that was probably a poor choice of word on my part. What I should have said was endless energy. He's not frenetic or bouncing off the walls. But he just never seems to be tired and can be literally running around the house until it's time to go to bed. And yes, I worry that he doesn't get enough time to be active. During the week he goes to daycare and at 3 years old, all I want him to be doing is running and playing. I don't care if they have circle time or learn months of year or whatever else they're working on. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sittingattention-expectations-for-3-year-old#post-2687236 Thu, 26 Jan 2017 13:19:21 +0000 travellingbee 2687236@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would interpret that as your child isn't quite there yet. I think that is common at 3. And it's also subjective. My child can sit and listen to probably 20-30 minutes of books and watch a full movie, but he isn't still. The only time he is still is in his sleep. And even then.... :) </p> <p>I teach 5th graders that have no learning issues that still don't sit still without fidgeting. I mean that to say that physical activity does not equal inattention. So it also depends on what the teacher is counting as sitting and paying attention. I would think that if it stood out as a major issue (an outlier in the class) the teacher would bring it to your attention to look for a cause/solution. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sittingattention-expectations-for-3-year-old#post-2687229 Thu, 26 Jan 2017 13:11:26 +0000 sarac 2687229@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When ever I hear someone describe their children as having 'crazy' energy, I wonder if that child has enough of an outlet for it. I think that sitting for ten minutes is a pretty reasonable expectation for a child who is otherwise getting a lot of time to be active. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sittingattention-expectations-for-3-year-old#post-2687196 Thu, 26 Jan 2017 12:35:24 +0000 littlejoy 2687196@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think it's possible for some 3 year olds (the unicorns). I have a very spirited 3 y/o, and I wouldn't expect her to sit for 15 minutes ... I don't see this as being an actual milestone that needs to be achieved right now, especially since kids are SO different at this age. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sittingattention-expectations-for-3-year-old#post-2687191 Thu, 26 Jan 2017 12:29:37 +0000 snowjewelz 2687191@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would not expect every 3 year old to sit still for 15 min... All based on personality. I think some can and will, and some just can't. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sittingattention-expectations-for-3-year-old#post-2687187 Thu, 26 Jan 2017 12:20:15 +0000 Mama Bird 2687187@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Seems reasonable to me, but I feel like at that age kids can only focus for a long time on something they're interested in. If they're bored or would rather be somewhere else, forget it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sittingattention-expectations-for-3-year-old#post-2687178 Thu, 26 Jan 2017 11:52:54 +0000 Ajsmommy 2687178@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DD is 3 and she can sit for 15 mins, but she is laid back and always has been. As PP's said I believe this has a "wide" range of what's normal.. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sittingattention-expectations-for-3-year-old#post-2687174 Thu, 26 Jan 2017 11:48:12 +0000 lilteacherbee 2687174@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DS1 can sit still and pay attention for about that long, but he's always had that kind of personality. DS2, on the other hand, is wayyy more active and I don't see him being able to sit as long when he's 3. I think there's a wide range of "normal" for this. FWIW, when I taught 4-5 year old pre-k, 15 minutes was the max that we were supposed to do circle time (considered developmentally appropriate by the state). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sittingattention-expectations-for-3-year-old#post-2687168 Thu, 26 Jan 2017 11:42:06 +0000 lamariniere 2687168@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think this must be one of those milestones that falls under "wide range of normal". Both of my LOs, especially my DS, seem to have the ability to sit still for long periods of time with an activity or books. My DS could do it quite early (at 1 year he was the only kid in his music class that would sit and pay attention to the teacher) and my DD has been decent at it since she was about 2.5. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sittingattention-expectations-for-3-year-old#post-2687150 Thu, 26 Jan 2017 11:16:58 +0000 PinkElephant 2687150@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think 15 mins is a long time for a child of that age to commit to actively playing one thing (moving around "cooking ', plaing with dinos, etc.), let alone sit still! I mean, even Daniel Tiger is broken up into approximately 8 minute segments, if that puts it in perspective!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sittingattention-expectations-for-3-year-old#post-2687147 Thu, 26 Jan 2017 11:15:20 +0000 hellobeeboston 2687147@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>agree with PP.... 15 minutes for a 3 year old is a pretty long time to sit still. I wouldn't be too worried. My now 4yo is better about sitting still longer, especially if he's doing something or listening/watching something that he's really into, but at 3 he could barely sit still! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sittingattention-expectations-for-3-year-old#post-2687143 Thu, 26 Jan 2017 11:11:36 +0000 Madison43 2687143@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My 3 year old is in a pre-k program and her teacher (a retired kindergarten teacher) recently told me jokingly that she often feels like a lounge singer during circle time - as in she's reading the book, doing puppets, singing a song whatever and while some of the kids are listening, the others are wandering around doing other things, talking to each other, and generally not paying attention to her at all :happy: 15 mins is a long time for that age. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sittingattention-expectations-for-3-year-old#post-2687131 Thu, 26 Jan 2017 11:00:07 +0000 ShootingStar 2687131@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We got a progress report this week on both our kids in daycare. The progress report has a few pages where each skill is a line item and they rank as mastered, age appropriate, or developing. Overall they're both doing great, but something on DS's kind of stuck out to me. One area that he needs "developing" is sitting and paying attention for 10-15 minutes. </p> <p>Is this a realistic expectation? I started doing some research and I couldn't figure out if daycare expects too much of him with circle time first thing in the morning, or if my kid has some kind of sensory processing issue because he's not very good at sitting still. </p> <p>Anyone able to chime in on how long a 3 year old should be able to sit and pay attention? And is it normal that my kid has a hard time sitting still, always runs (or jumps or skips) instead of walks, and has crazy energy all the time? </p>