Just wondering how long I should expect my little guy to stay interested in activities? He will play with his match box cars ALL DAY LONG...no joke! But when I try to do finger painting, coloring, play dough - he usually stays interested for 10-15 minutes. I'm thinking that is probably normal, but wasn't sure why he can do the car thing all day but not "activities"? He is a wonderful independent player, but getting him to do something specific it kind of tough. Sorry if this sounds stupid...I've never been around kids this young, so I'm not sure what to expect! Thanks!
Did you see that blink of a gnat's eye? That's about the attention span of a 2 yo! LOL As for the cars....it's because it's his "thing'! My son was the same way! The particular "thing" will change over the years but that's pretty much the standard model!
Here is some good news: You little guy can concentrate !!!! And for a long time !!! What he is doing is so normal for his age. To you it seems like " worthless" play when he goes vroomvroom for hours pushing his car around the room. But he is actually very deeply involved in abstract thinking ( that is crucial for Math later on), in his mind, he creates a story and he is on a grand adventure. How about grabbing a car and joining him. Let him take the lead and tell you what your part in the game can be.
You can still have a guided activity, and 10 - 15 min sounds about right for that age. But do not discourage his free and unguided play. It is a huge part of child development.
10-15 mins is pretty long for a 2 yr old.
10-15 minutes is about all you can expect from a two year old. When my daughter was two she could play with her blanket and stuffed animals forever but any book/game/activity/craft etc she woulddelve into it for like 10 minutes and then wanted to move on to the next thing. She is still that way with some things and she is 4.
Very normal, very "2yo". In fact, I think a 10-15 minute attention span for an activity that wasn't of his own choosing is wonderful.
You get 10-15 minutes? I'm so jealous! lol!
It's so normal! Mine is 2 1/2 and is such a whirlwind that I can't keep up! Some kids are just way more busy than others.
10 minutes is a good average time. That is why kids shows & cartoons are usually in 10 minute increments or less. If he does anything for longer than that, like playing with his cars, that will a favorite thing. As he gets older, he may start to like some of the other things that you are doing with him.
Sounds pretty normal to me. When my daughter is in the mood to do something she does it for hours, but at other times she will only spend a few minutes on each thing. In my daughter's case there are times where she will spend all day doing one thing whether it's playing in the sand, with blocks, painting, "writing letters", playing with her stuffed animals, etc., BUT she has to initiate and do it on her own. When I try to do it with her or suggest what to play with, she'll only spend a little time playing and then move on to something else.
I'd say give him a variety of things to do, but let him direct his play and enjoy it. (A craft corner that's always set up may encourage him to do more creative play. Make a small table where things like coloring or playdough are already prepared, so he can go and do it whenever he likes.)
LOL My son used to play with his cars forever and drive his dad crazy with the vroom vroom sounds. Then my grandson did the same thing. He would line up all his fire engines and play with them all day. When he was 3 he started with Thomas trains and made the most intricate tracks. Now he is 5 and its dinosaurs. BTW his father still gets super involved in a project and wont quit till its done to HIS satisfaction. So I guess it is a good thing. LOL
HI
That is actually pretty long. I planned 10 minute projects for my 3 yo preschool class. Sometimes they would go longer but for most that was enough.
God bless
He is totally normal! My kids all have a great attention span for what THEY want to do but a short one for stuff I THINK they should do! Welcome to motherhood! One word from us and they do as they please!!!!LOL
My daughter does the same thing. I bought her some blocks yesterday becuse she would take the Jenga game and build things up. She will play with them maybe 10 minutes and move on to something else. Sometimes she will play something for a long time and others you just cannot get her into it. My older kids were the same way, especially my son. He got a train set for Christmas when he was 2 1/2. He could play with that all day and be totally content but get him to play with playdoh, I might get 15 minutes.
My kiddo's adhd... so as a toddler IF he was interested in it, he'd do it for hours (to the exclusion of all other things, transitions were tough), and if he wasn't interested in it you got MAYBE a minute - 10 minutes if he was being polite. OTW... it was the blink of a gnats eye.
