in October 2023 Babies 🇬🇧

Toddler play and interaction

I always question whether I'm doing enough to play with my toddler. When we're at home and I'm not cooking/doing some sort of chore, I generally sit on the sofa and my toddler will play around in the living room. He seems happy enough and will run around and play with different toys, bring me stuff, etc. I interact with him throughout this, chat with him, help him open things, but I generally don't sit on the floor and play with him. I do sometimes - for instance I'll help with toys that need a bit of assistance like stacking blocks - but not constantly. He seems perfectly content but I always think to myself that maybe I should be being more active and creating experiences for him, I don't know. He will ask to be with me if he wants it, for example he'll ask me to bring him up on the sofa for a cuddle or will make it clear if he wants to be tickled or chased etc. I read to him as well when he's interested. Just to be clear, this is not all day everyday. I haven't gone back to work yet and I take him to either a playgroup or the park everyday. And usually to the shops as well. So we're not at home all day like described above. Does this sound okay or should I be doing more to actively play with him?

Show your support

I'd be interested to see other mummy's thoughts on this, as I would say it's pretty normal I'm there with you on this one it's pretty much the same with my lb but when I do any chores I do get him involved too so if I'm sweeping the floor I give him his mini broom and he sweeps with me, he absolutely loves helping put any laundry from the basket to the machine back and forth yes it takes longer to get a load on but he's happy and learning as far as I'm concerned hopefully will learn more than his dad lol so I just go with the flow haha 😄

Yes I'm always just questioning whether this is enough or not! I really don't know. And that sounds good 😊 to be honest I spend a lot of time cooking, so there isn't an awful lot he can join in with in terms of that. Maybe I should get him one of those tower things for the kitchen so he can watch or play with blunt kitchen stuff.

Yeah we got our lb one he just loves being apart of anything I'm doing even if I just give him a saucepan with some pasta uncooked a stirrer he thinks he cooking with me 😁

Second what Lindsey is saying. I also give him tasks which he really enjoys plus it stops him from scattering things in the kitchen. I have filled the bottom drawer with 'safe' items he can play with as he almost always goes straight to it when we r in the kitchen. I also have a food rack with four shelves and ask him to pass me the i.e. onion, garlic, random vegetable or pepper. Even if it means I put them on intentionally for him to have something pass me. I also give him random tasks like go and get me or do x,y,z or help me put my potato peels/ onion peels in the bin. Or lets dry the floor of that puddle because we have made a mess. So yeah a task will often take longer because of the supervision etc but I find that he enjoys it a lot but wanders off whenever and comes back or ignores something and finds something else from that bottom drawer to keep busy with

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌