Will Your 3yo Play On Their Own?

DD1 is driving me a bit nuts. She wants to be by my side every minute of the day and I'm really struggling to find things for her to do that she's happy to do on her own just so I can get stuff done. She will paint for about 10 minutes but then needs a shower. She won't look at books, won't play with her dolls house and I have to cajole her into playing outside (we have a huge backyard with a really good swings/slide/sandpit set).

I can't get her to help with 'jobs' like washing/putting clothes away because she just cracks it if I don't do things the way she thinks things should be done. I'm not a control freak by any means but taking 10 minutes inbetween tantrums to put away ONE item of clothing just ain't fun.

My 7 month old will play on her own for about 10 times as long as my 3-year-old. The only thing that will occupy her is TV and I really don't want her watching too much of that.

I've had to bribe her this morning into going outside for 15 minutes and then she can have a chocolate.

She's a very outgoing little girl, I think she just likes to be around people ALL the time.

:hug:
My son plays on his own, but does seem to feel the need to be all over me when I can't help/play at that point in time. DS is busy all the time.
Sorry I can't help xx

My kids have always been really good at playing on their own. They love playing with each other and other kids, but they also enjoy their own company too. I think some kids just find it easier to go off and do that and some need someone there all the time with them. Have you tried getting her set up in an activity and doing it with her for a bit and then saying you'll just go and do xyz and you'll be back to play? If you could do that and then extend the time it takes to do something, she may realise that it is OK to play on her own.

I attempt to do that Trillian multiple times per day and I can spend 15 mins setting her up with something only for her to play with it for literally two minutes. It's just bloody exhausting. I wouldn't mind so much if she wanted to just chat to me while I was doing my jobs but she wants to 'help' but it usually ends in tears. I'm really a very patient person but this has got me flummoxed. I've had to put the TV on to hopefully try to get some ideas on what else I can do.

Hopefully as DD2 gets bigger, they will play together. DD1 is getting more and more interested in that.

DS has an extremely active imagination and will amuse himself for hours. But then sometimes he does demand that I play with him or that he help me. When he's like that I try to do things with him - it's usually good enough to spend 10-15 minutes with him, then he gets distracted and wanders off to do somethign by himself again.
If I'm busy, I ask him to start without me and say I'll be there in a minute. And I do also tend to wander off to do things once he's playing - doesn't always work. It's when I'm busy that he wants me most, of course :doh: I've learnt to downplay how busy I am, because he has learnt it's a really great level for getting attention (ie, if I'm getting DD to sleep then he HAS to have mummy, but loses interest the second I'm finished)

Subscribing... DS1 is like that; extremely exhausting :hug:. Nothing I do seems to work for longer than a few minutes. The only thing that does work is actively ignoring all the whinghing and just keep doing what I am doing, but I need to do that for at least 20 minutes which is draining in itself. I am contemplating trying to get him into preschool for a day a week just to get a break. Lately though I have noticed he plays more and more with DS2, so hopefully not long to go now before I get some peace.

Fionas - I feel your pain! Only in the last 6 months has DD1 started to play on her own at all. She will be 5 in June. I have tried negotiating and stretching things out but it never worked when I wanted it too ITMS. Last year she did community kinder (as well as cc when I was at work) and whilst a PIA as only 2 x 2hr sessions a week it seems to have helped. She has had a reasonably recent obsession with My Little Pony and Littlest Pet shop (both of which I am not a big fan) but that seems to have her busy. She is quite clingy and has separation anxiety issues which still surface. It has been my biggest challenge as I like to get stuff done, work and am quite an independent soul...but I guess she has had to come to it on her own. Even now she would much prefer I did EVERYTHING with her!!! So not much help here as I still do most of my jobs at night and only the bare minimum!!! Hope you have better luck. xxx

No help but Im feelin ya.
DS1 is like that. DS2 will play by himself for hours. They do play together and that helps but also has its own problems too.
It is exhausting.
If I have a day with just DS1, I try break it down, set him up with some stuff (like drawing or play doh) and come back to him every few mins. Then I get him to help me with something. Try to get outside for a bit and go for a walk. But some days nothing works
Hugs